The Tiger Who Came to Tea

10 replies

senatorvass · 03/01/2009 15:05

Just wondering what your thoughts are on this book - I mean - is there a moral? Does the Tiger represent something? It seems to just end!

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SheherazadetheGoat · 03/01/2009 15:06

i think the common interpretation is that the mother is a ginned up drunk making up stories to gloss over teh fact she has been too sozzled to go shopping and make tea.

purepurple · 03/01/2009 15:08

it is avery old fashioned book, with daddy coming home from work and expecting his tea made.As if! I don't think there is a moral, but kids do seem to still like it.

Original poster

senatorvass · 03/01/2009 15:09

My DS got it for xmas and he loves it and I am happy to read it to him! I was just wondering if I was missing something?

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JuliaFrogspawn · 03/01/2009 15:10

Oh many a thread on this if you search. I think one became a classic.

ebeneezer · 03/01/2009 15:11

I have read that it is a reference to Judith Kerr's childhood in Nazi Germany - the tiger refers to the Gestapo coming into their house and tearing it apart before the (jewish) family fled.

This would make sense, however kerr herself has denied this, I think.

(I love this book)

Original poster

senatorvass · 03/01/2009 15:13

ebeneezer I was thinking that as well - the tiger seems to have some sort of coming in destructive force doesnt he. But funny that when they went shopping the next day they bought tiger food in case he came back?

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Original poster

senatorvass · 03/01/2009 15:14

and the little girl is stroking him all the time... so you know they didnt seem afraid of him, just clearly put out by his uncouth behaviour!

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JuliaFrogspawn · 03/01/2009 15:19

roar

patriciawentworthheroine · 18/01/2009 20:58

I guess it's a celebration of chaos, and the fact that children can sometimes adjust quite well to it, while adults flip. (He's drunk the damn BATHWATER. And what will DADDY say when he comes home? Etc.)

Lucky the interloper is cute and furry, rather than wearing boots and toting an AK47. So no, in short, I think it has no coherent moral we can learn from.

cmotdibbler · 18/01/2009 21:01

In the interview Judith Kerr did on Radio4 last year, she said that it was a story she made up for her daughter as it made her laugh.

Interesting thing is that the Daddy in the illustrations is JK's husband, but she couldn't get him to sit for them all in the tight deadline, so 2 are an actor friend. Now I know, they are easy to spot

Flip