Kid Konnection: Mr. Tiger Goes Wild

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week, I'm going to share with you a beautiful picture book that has already received five (yes five!) starred reviews.

Summary: Are you bored with being so proper? 

Do you want to have more fun? 

Mr. Tiger knows exactly how you feel. So he decides to go wild. 

But does he go too far? 

From Caldecott Honor artist Peter Brown comes a story that shows there's a time and place for everything...even going wild. -- Little Brown Kids

MR. TIGER GOES WILD by Peter Brown is just an all around terrific picture book. I picked it up with pretty high expectations since it's received five starred reviews, and I wasn't disappointed. The story about a very proper tiger who wants to let loose and go a little wild is adorable, as are the illustrations. It's sure to be a hit with kids and parents alike.

MR. TIGER GOES WILD is living in a pretty calm (and some would say boring) world. He, like the other animals, walks upright and is dressed in a proper suit, tie and hat. However, Mr. Tiger wants to have some fun, and frankly, be a little wild. First, he decides to crawl on all fours and immediately feels a little better. Then, he decides to try a roar despite the looks he gets from his fellow animal friends. When his elephant friend finally loses her patience and tells Mr. Tiger to head to the wilderness if he's going to act wild, Tiger thinks it's the best idea in the world. At first, Mr. Tiger loves the freedom but eventually he starts to miss his friends and returns to his old home. Upon his arrival, he discovers that his friends have started to change too, and he can finally just be himself!

Seriously, how cute is this premise? And isn't the message about staying true to one's self just fantastic for young kids? I absolutely loved this book. Not only is it seriously entertaining and even a little funny, it also teaches children that it's okay to be different and to stand up for what is right. It also reinforces that it's okay to sometimes go a little wild!

In addition to a great story, I thought the mixed media illustrations were the perfect complement. When the story begins and Mr. Tiger is quite proper, the other characters are drawn in neutral grey tones. Mr. Tiger and his quotes are the only splashes of color. It isn't until Mr. Tiger runs off to the wilderness that his world has color. I thought that was a super cute touch to the book!

There is also a fun on-line activity kit associated with MR. TIGER GOES WILD. There are downloads for a mask, finger puppets, a word scramble, a matching game, and more!

MR. TIGER GOES WILD is terrific and I highly recommended checking it out... even if you don't have a little one in your life!

Thanks to Blue Slip Media for providing a review copy of this book.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!