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Summary
Summary
A friendly tiger is confused by jungle animals fleeing from a beast, until he discovers he is the beast! "Graced with a compelling beauty, this gifted author/illustrator's imaginative story presents a timeless message to young readers."-- Publishers Weekly
Author Notes
Keith Baker has written and illustrated many well-loved picture books and early chapter books, including several about the charming and lovable Mr. and Mrs. Green. Two of his best-known picture books, Hide and Snake and Who Is the Beast?, are about animals. He lives in Seattle, Washington.
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-- As a tiger makes his way through the jungle, other animals flee at the sight of the ``beast.'' When he peers into a river, he sees no creature but himself. Could he be the beast? He retraces his steps and points out the similar features he shares with the other animals he has encountered: the catfish's whiskers, the snake's green eyes, etc. The story ends with happy recognition of the many ways in which the animals are alike. Baker's deceptively simple story told in rhyme is matched with rich, brilliantly colored paintings. Heavy black outlines, dark backgrounds and patterns fill the pages reflecting the denseness of the jungle setting, and the well-designed spreads flow gracefully across the page. Children will enjoy the comparisons of the story as well as the beguiling illustrations. --Judith Gloyer, Milwaukee Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Traces of the beast are detected by the other forest animals as a magnificent young tiger makes his way through the jungle. The swipe of a majestic striped tail, the flash of hypnotic green eyes and the gleam of pristine white from the underside of massive paws flicker in the undergrowth. As the patterns and colors of the densely foliated habitat become familiar, so the parallels between creatures become obvious. One whiskered face studies another as the tiger stares past his own reflection to a whiskered fish beneath the surface. One pair of green eyes beholds a mirror image when the tiger comes upon a snake. As each creature's unique structure is made evident, a lesson about the tremendous value of the animals and plants that inhabit our world speaks softly through Baker's ( The Magic Fan ) rhythmic text. The luxuriant artwork blends the use of dark, saturant color and dry over dry painting to create stunning spreads. Graced with a compelling beauty, this gifted author/illustrator's imaginative story presents a timeless message to young readers. Ages 3-7. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
'The beast, the beast! I hide from sight. / I see his whiskers, long and white.' Each animal sees a different part of the tiger and runs away. The beast, astonished that he's scaring them, points out their similarities: the monkey also has a tail; the bee has stripes. The acrylic paintings contain the rich, bright colors of the jungle. From HORN BOOK 1990, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Simple couplets (""The beast, the beast! I'm filled with fear./I see his tracks--the beast is near!"") describe a tiger's progress through the jungle from the point of view of other creatures, who are shown observing such details as whiskers or stripes. Finally, the tiger wonders whether he is indeed the beast, compares himself to each of the others (""We both have eyes. . .We both can jump"") and concludes that ""We all are beasts--you and me."" The verse here is a bit pedestrian, but serves well enough to convey the cleverly imaginative idea. Baker's broad, double-spread acrylic illustrations are outstanding. The rich jungle colors are dramatically edged in black; by and large, the fauna are realistically portrayed (the tiger is noble yet ingenuous), while the more stylized flora are often embellished with decorative patterns. A handsome book with an appealing story and a gentle, implicit message. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Ages 5-7. A tiger making his way through the jungle overhears the frightened words of other creatures who flee from his presence: "The beast! The beast! We must fly by! / We see his tail swing low and high. / The beast! The beast! I must turn back. / I see his stripes, yellow and black." Disturbed, the tiger retraces his steps and confronts each creature to allay its fears and point out that they are more alike than different: "I see eyes, green and round. / We both have eyes to look around." Deep, dark spreads of jungle growth reveal bits and pieces of the tiger and brief glimpses of the animals who skedaddle. The compositions are dense and the pictures compelling, for Baker uses thick lines and chalky color to evoke the lush, overwhelming wall of tropical undergrowth. The message here will lend itself to classroom discussion, and the pictures are sure to stand out in a crowd. ~--Denise Wilms