2022 The Year of the Tiger

Tiger Brother blurb from Readings Melbourne: Changsheng’s father brings home a homeless tabby kitten. However, as the kitten grows older, they realise that it’s actually a little tiger. Soon Changsheng and the little tiger become so attached to each other. Wearing a tiger-head hat made by his mother, Changsheng and the little tiger become best brothers. However, the villagers are scared of the tiger. Changsheng has no choice but to send the little tiger back to the mountains. The little tiger promises that it will return in times of need. All Changsheng has to do is to put on his tiger-head hat and yell Tiger Brother from the top of the mountain. One day a gang of robbers appear in the village. Since the villagers are unable to resist the robbers, Changsheng runs up to the top of the mountain, yelling for his tiger brother. The tiger brother and his brave tiger friends arrive to their rescue, driving away all the robbers out of the village. The tiger brother returns to the mountains, but it keeps its promise to Changsheng forever. A story about bravery, love, and promise, it also introduces the characteristics of people born in the Year of the Tiger, the origin of the Siberian tiger, and the history of the tiger-head hat.

Were you born in the Year of the Tiger - 1926; 1938; 1950; 1962; 1974; 1986; 1998; 2010 and 2022.

People born in a year of the Tiger are brave, competitive, unpredictable, and confident. They are very charming and well-liked by others. But sometimes they are likely to be impetuous, irritable, and overindulgent.  With stubborn personalities and tough judgement, Tigers work actively and express themselves boldly, doing things in a high-handed manner. They are authoritative and never go back on what they have said.

The Chinese zodiac is a mathematical cycle of 12 animals. Each animal represents one year. People are associated with the zodiac animal for the year that they are born. The 12 animals in order are: Rat, Ox & Cow, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster & Chicken, Dog, and Pig. ... Although it is called the Chinese zodiac, this system is also used in several other countries in Asia such as Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. Kids Kiddle

Each year Ji Lian produces a new book featuring a zodiac animal - here are some past books. These would make a good addition to a Primary school library.

Each year I look forward to discovering which animal is featured in the Chinese zodiac. I was born in the Year of the Dog. (Which means I am honest, smart, loyal, sense of justice, affectionate. Can be lazy, cold, stubborn, quarrelsome). This year it is the tiger and of course there are tons of picture books which feature tigers:

Tiger by Jan Jutte

And here are some I have talked about on this blog (including one very special poetry anthology:

Jandy Malon and the Nine O'Clock Tiger

A Letter for Tiger AND The trip to Panama by Janosch

The Tale of Tiki Tiger

The Secret Life of a Tiger

Be Brave, Little Tiger

Read more about real tigers - National Geographic Kids.  Find books about each zodiac sign here at Kinderbookswitheverything. Celebrate International Tiger Day on 29th July - here is a book list from Kinderbookswitheverything.