From School Library Journal
Grade 1-4-T.J., a Siberian tiger cub born at the Denver Zoo, is orphaned when he is only a few weeks old. The veterinary staff raises him, feeding him by hand until he is able to eat on his own and be returned to the tiger exhibit. The story is accompanied by graphs on facing pages that chart T.J.'s growth, successfully showing math in "real world" terms. The first charts show how few Siberian tigers remain in the wild and in captivity, helping to establish the importance of saving this one. The doctors need to know how much the young animal eats and how much weight he gains in order to make sure he is healthy. Easy-to-understand picture, pie or circle, bar, or line graphs, all with explanations, appear on the left; facing pages of text and clear full-color photographs are on the right. The photos and story portray T.J. as cuddly and friendly, playing hide-and-seek with his human keepers and pouncing on them for fun. However, since few children will have the opportunity to interact with a tiger cub, the safety concern is minimal. Overall, an innovative approach to teaching math.Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Gr. 3-6. T. J., a Siberian tiger cub, is born at the Denver Zoo. Ten weeks later, the death of his mother puts his survival in question. The narrative follows the little tiger through the difficult months ahead. The text is paired with four different types of graphs (picture, circle, bar, and line) that display information such as the numbers and types of tigers in the wild, T. J.'s food consumption, and his weight compared with that of his father at the same age. The introduction advises readers to read the tiger's story on the right-hand pages and look at the graphs on the left-hand pages to "learn more and see exactly how T. J. grew." However, those who skip the introduction may find it a little confusing that the text appears to skip pages and that the graphs on the left are not always directly related to the information on the facing page. Also, the use of a tiger-striped background in many of the graphs is visually confusing. Still, T. J.'s tale and the accompanying color photographs may appeal to children, and this is one of the few trade books available to supplement classroom units on graphing. REVWR
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Book Description
Learn to graph while following the growth of T.J., an orphaned Siberian tiger cub who is hand-raised at the Denver Zoo.

T.J. is a Siberian tiger cub born at the Denver Zoo. One day he stops eating. The zoo staff tries to tempt him with treats, but he refuses them all. The staff doesn't give up, and finally their love and persistence pay off. T.J. grows up to be a huge, healthy tiger.

The delightful pictures of T.J. and the heartwarming story of his life will charm young readers as they learn the basics of graphing. Those who like storybooks can read just the right-hand pages of this book. But those who want to know more can use the graphs on the left-hand pages to see exactly how T.J. grew.



About the Author
Ann Whitehead Nagda has a degree in mathematics and for many years had a job with IBM that allowed her to travel around the world. Her visits to national parks and reserves in Asia and Africa have inspired her to write several books about wild animals, including Bamboo Valley: A Story of a Chinese Bamboo Forest. Ms. Nagda's love of animals has led to her becoming a docent at the Denver Zoo.

Cindy Bickel has worked at the Denver Zoo for twenty-nine years. During her career, she has hand-raised hundreds of babies for the zoo, using math every day in her job as a veterinary assistant. Ms. Bickel helped write Klondike and Snow: The Denver Zoo's Remarkable Story of raising Two Polar Bear Cubs.

ANNOTATION

Describes the growth of an orphan Siberian tiger cub, by means of words and graphs.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Learn to graph while following the growth of T.J., an orphaned Siberian tiger cub who is hand-raised at the Denver Zoo.

T.J. is a Siberian tiger cub born at the Denver Zoo. One day he stops eating. The zoo staff tries to tempt him with treats, but he refuses them all. The staff doesn't give up, and finally their love and persistence pay off. T.J. grows up to be a huge, healthy tiger.

The delightful pictures of T.J. and the heartwarming story of his life will charm young readers as they learn the basics of graphing. Those who like storybooks can read just the right-hand pages of this book. But those who want to know more can use the graphs on the left-hand pages to see exactly how T.J. grew.

FROM THE CRITICS

Children's Literature - Children's Literture

Here are two books in one. The true story of T.J., a Siberian tiger born at the Denver Zoo, and his growth are fascinatingly detailed from his precarious infancy to maturity. While this tale is told on the right-hand pages, facts about tigers in general and T.J. in particular are clearly presented on the other side in the form of different kinds of graphs--bar graphs, plotted graphs, and pie graphs. Kids can learn so much from reading either side. The many clear color photographs, including ten on front and back endpapers, tell the story of T.J. from endearing cub to eventual, formidable 500 pound adult. 2000, Henry Holt and Company, Ages 6 to 10, $16.00. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz

School Library Journal

Gr 1-4-T.J., a Siberian tiger cub born at the Denver Zoo, is orphaned when he is only a few weeks old. The veterinary staff raises him, feeding him by hand until he is able to eat on his own and be returned to the tiger exhibit. The story is accompanied by graphs on facing pages that chart T.J.'s growth, successfully showing math in "real world" terms. The first charts show how few Siberian tigers remain in the wild and in captivity, helping to establish the importance of saving this one. The doctors need to know how much the young animal eats and how much weight he gains in order to make sure he is healthy. Easy-to-understand picture, pie or circle, bar, or line graphs, all with explanations, appear on the left; facing pages of text and clear full-color photographs are on the right. The photos and story portray T.J. as cuddly and friendly, playing hide-and-seek with his human keepers and pouncing on them for fun. However, since few children will have the opportunity to interact with a tiger cub, the safety concern is minimal. Overall, an innovative approach to teaching math.-Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

A true story of a baby tiger's brush with death from starvation is an opportunity for learning about graphs. T.J., a Siberian Tiger born at the Denver Zoo, stopped eating after the sudden death of his mother. The staff tried offering all sorts of tempting food to whet his appetite, but he refused everything. After five days, they had no choice but to force-feed him by putting food at the back of his tongue and using a stick to push the meat in. After 11 days, the cub began to eat and now is larger than his father. T.J.'s story is written on the right-hand pages of the book and the graphs and their explanations are on the left. The reader can read the complete story without referring to the left-hand pages that contain the graphs and the additional text that explains them. Different kinds of graphs track a variety of data. A bar graph measures how much meat T.J. ate each day. A line graph shows T.J.'s weight loss. A picture graph compares tigers in the wild, and a circle graph shows the same information in another form. Interesting photographs taken at the Denver Zoo detail every aspect of the story. They show T.J. as a three-pound cub with his mother. When he needs hospitalization, they show how he is force-fed. As he recovers, photos show him playing with zoo staff, and finally as an adult sitting in his pool at ZooMontana. A delightful way to learn math. (Nonfiction. 8-10)