Jandy Malone and the Nine O'clock Tiger by Barbara Bolton illustrated by Alan White

"He is getting ready to prowl up and down the hallway of our house. Just as he does every night."

"I am Jandy Malone, the oldest of the family, and I am frightened."

I have been looking for some wonderful books to read to one special class in our school this term. The class will be filled with very keen readers so I want to share some truly special books and the first to come into my mind was this very old, long picture book called Jandy Malone and the Nine O'clock Tiger.

The language of this book is so poetic. It makes a wonderful read aloud title and the story is so intriguing that it opens the way for great discussion. Woven through this book are amazing art works and references to one beautiful piece of music "Sheep may safely graze". This is a book for slightly older readers because there is no real ending and the allegory of the nine o'clock tiger may not be easily identified by all students. 

The Wolf by Margaret Barbalet illustrated by Jane Tanner has a similar feel. Before you rush out and try to get your hands on Jandy Malone and the Nine O'Clock Tiger, it has long been out of print as it was first published in 1980. It was commended by the CBCA in 1981 in the Book of the Year category. This alone could be a good reason for it to be reprinted. 

 Jandy has told a bed time story to her younger siblings about the prowling Nine O'Clock Tiger. He prowls their hallway every night between nine and nine thirty. "It is ten minutes to nine at night. About now the Tasmanian tiger who lives in a lair somewhere in the shadows of our hallway is starting to stir. He is stretching his long muscles. He is baring his sharp teeth." Now Jandy and her brother and sister lie in bed each evening listening for the soft pad of the tiger's paws. All three are petrified but it is up to Jandy, the eldest, to face up to this fear and banish it once and for all but can she be brave enough? 

Here are some review comments from the back cover:

"Immediately striking and utimately haunting. The resolution is both emotionally satisfying and beautifully crafted" Canberra Times

"Splendidly atmospheric pictures ... a scary book with a happy ending which is as unusual as it is realistic." Melbourne Herald

I do need to mention that the tiger is not the wild tiger you may have assumed. This is an Australian children's picture book. It is set in Melbourne, Victoria. We do not have tigers in Australia (except in zoos). The tiger that Jandy has conjured into her night time story does not live in Melbourne and it is in fact extinct. Her tiger is the famous Tasmanian tiger.

You can read more about Tasmanian tigers in these two picture books:

I was excited to discover Handspan Theatre performed Jandy Malone and the Nine O'Clock Tiger as theatre production in 1991. It is a dream of mine that one day a major Australian city such as Sydney will host a festival of children's theatre. In 1994 I attended a festival like this and it was just wonderful. I saw a production of Bill's New Frock by Anne Fine. 

I hope you can find Jandy Malone and the Nine O'Clock Tiger in a school library along with another great title by the same author Edward Wilkins and his friend Gwendoline which is a must read for cat lovers.