ALA Booklist

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.

Horn Book

T.J., a tiger cub whose mother at the Denver Zoo died when he was only ten weeks old, was raised by the zoo hospital. T.J. gained weight slowly and at first had to be force-fed. Appropriate picture, bar, circle, and line graphs depict T.J.'s weight gain, his father's weight at the same age, and how much meat T.J. ate as he grew, while crisp color photos show the young tiger cub's antics.

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)

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.