Tigers look fantastic with their black and orange stripes, and they make especially beautiful picture books! Whether they wear top hats like Mr. Tiger in Mr. Tiger Goes Wild, or are their unadorned selves, books about tigers often have striking art. Pictures of tigers sitting down to tea, or chasing yarn like pet cats always delight me. Here is a list of fun read-aloud stories about tigers, from a board book for the youngest listener all the way up to second graders.

Cats are Cats by Valerie Gorbachev 

One day Miss Bell bought a tiny kitten she named Tiger. He had stripes like a tiger, a tail like a tiger, and a smile like a tiger. He was very cute, and she loved him a lot. But Tiger got bigger, and kept getting bigger. But cats are cats, and she loves him all the same.

 

 

 

Close Your Eyes by Kate Banks; illustrated by Georg Hallensleben

An adorable bedtime tale, filled with simple text and lively illustrations, follows little tiger, who is scared of what sleep might bring, as he is soothed by his mother's loving reassurances that once he closes his eyes, he will dream of fantastical places.

 

 

Don't Wake Up the Tiger by Britta Teckentrup

 Tiger is fast asleep. But oh dear she's completely blocking the way. Just how will the animals get past without waking her up? Luckily, Frog has an excellent idea. Holding his balloon, he floats right over sleeping Tiger! Fox is next, followed by Tortoise, Mouse, and Stork, but it will be tricky for them all to get past without Tiger noticing. It's good that the reader is there to help keep Tiger asleep, but where exactly are the animals going with all those big shiny balloons?

 

I'm the Scariest Thing in the Jungle by  David G. Derrick Jr.

In India the Bengal tiger is the king of the land. But the giant saltwater crocodile is the ruler of the water. What happens when the kids of these fearsome beasts meet? Let's get ready to rumble! These animals sing their own version of Anything You Can Scare, I Can Scare Better! 

 

 

It's a Tiger! by David LaRochelle; illustrated by Jeremy Tankard

Kids and parents alike will rejoice in this lively read-aloud picture book, as the main character runs into (and away from) a tiger over and over again as the plot gets sillier and sillier. Perfect for acting out while reading, It's a Tiger! offers just the right amount of excitement without being too scary, and a sweet ending with a bit of a twist.

 

Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown

Wanting to have more fun when he tires of his prim-and-proper existence, staunch Mr. Tiger decides to give in to his wild nature until his antics go too far.

 

 

 

Oh, No! by Candace Fleming; illustrated by Eric Rohmann

The author of Imogene's Last Stand and the Caldecott Medalist illustrator of My Friend Rabbit present the comical story of a sequence of animals who repeat a refrain of dismay as they fall, one by one, into a deep hole, only to be saved at last by a very large rescuer.

 

 

 

One Happy Tiger by Catherine Rayner

One sad tiger sitting alone. But two's company. And three's a joyful song. A beautiful board book of counting and friendship, for very young children.

 

 

 

 

 

Tiger in My Soup by Kashmira Sheth; illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler

When a boy is left in the care of his older sister, he begs her to read him his favorite book, but she is too absorbed in her own reading to pay him any attention. She won't be distracted, even when the boy finds a ravenous tiger hiding in his soup! His sister misses all the action; only after the steamy beast is slain does she return to the table with her brother and finally agree to read to him. But is the tiger really gone?

The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr

When the doorbell rings unexpectedly one afternoon, Sophie and her mummy can't imagine who might be there. Much to their surprise, a tiger with a very large appetite has come to tea! What will they tell Daddy when he returns home and finds all the cupboards bare?

 

 

 

Tiny Little Fly by Michael Rosen; illustrated by Kevin Waldron 

A teasing insect energetically interacts with a stamping elephant, a sleeping tiger and other long-suffering animals in a rhythmic tale featuring whimsical fly’s eye illustrations of animal sections that invite youngsters to guess which animal is next.

 

 

 

When a Tiger Comes to Dinner by Jessica Olien

An interactive picture book story that breaks the fourth wall, features a little mouse host who invites readers to help prepare for a visit from an unlikely tiger friend who must be greeted with claws and teeth, a roaring hello, and games of checkers.

 

 

 

---

Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.