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.

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