Tiger vs. Nightmare

October 1, 2018
Tiger’s sweet-tempered parents indulge her talk about the hungry monster who lives underneath her bed (“It loves curry!” she tells them). But Monster is real, and after they play board games and Tiger goes to sleep, it earns its dinner by chasing away Tiger’s nightmares. One night, an extra-horrible nightmare with a bleached skull proves too much for Monster. The next night is no better, nor the next. With Monster’s loyal support, Tiger confronts the nightmare herself. It’s a story about fear, both the way it can paralyze (“Nope,” says Monster, hunched miserably under Tiger’s covers) and the way it can be overcome (“You’re in my head! You’re not real!” Tiger yells at the specter). Newcomer Tetri’s pencil-and-watercolor panels capture Tiger’s engaging, cublike features and daytime world in warm shades of gold and olive, while the epic battles that rage at night wash across the page in tidal sweeps of gray and blue. The Jetsons-style sci-fi setting adds another dimension of fun. Seamless visual storytelling and an impressive emotional range make this a notable debut. Ages 6–10.

Starred review from September 15, 2018
A tiger, with some unusual help, fights off a nightmare.Tiger's parents don't quite believe that the reason she carries extra curry or tacos from the supper table to her bedroom is because she has a monster under her bed, but it's true. Monster was supposed to scare her long ago, but instead they play together nightly. Then, while Tiger sleeps, Monster scares away Tiger's horned, multieyed, centipedelike nightmares--until a nightmare with a long-jawed white skull and a changeable, smoky body arrives. It conquers Monster and reaches Tiger. From now on, Tiger and Monster must work together. The plans they implement are brilliant and brave, and their hard-won victory (it takes a few tries) couldn't be more triumphant, relieving, or empowering. Compositions range from full-bleed spreads to pages holding multiple sequential panels. Using watercolors and pencils, Tetri creates one color-world of inky blues (Monster; nighttime) and another of oranges and yellows (Tiger; daytime). The meanings of each color-world hold nuance and complexity: The nightmares are of the blue world, but so are coziness and small, dear Monster; Tiger's victory explodes with warm colors like dawn, but she could only achieve it at night. Rich details enhance the setting inconspicuously: Tiger's parents, also tigers, run a repair shop for flying cars; one parent is Dad while the other is of undesignated gender.A visual and emotional symphony. (Picture book. 4-8)

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November 15, 2018
Grades 1-3 Tiger has a monster under her bed, but she's not scared; in fact, her monster helps her keep the nightmares away. Every night while Tiger sleeps, inky, shadowy nightmares creep close, and Monster wards them off with a glare, a growl, or a shoo. That is, until one night when an especially powerful nightmare rears its ugly, shrouded, skull-like head, and Tiger wakes up puzzled. Where was Monster? Tetri makes fantastic use of color and motion in her mostly visual narrative?creepy figures in dusky blues, blacks, and grays swirl around Tiger's bed at nighttime, and after Tiger and her monster learn to take on the nightmares together, the warm, golden colors of daytime edge their way toward the borders of the page to push the aqueous blacks away. Best of all, resourceful and brave Tiger rescues herself: her parents are supportive, but she solves her problems on her own. With an empowering message, beautifully dynamic artwork, and an invitingly open format, this is a natural choice for kids making the transition from picture books to graphic novels.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2019
Tiger's friend Monster was sent to scare her as a baby, but instead they became friends. Since a monster has to scare something, it scares away Tiger's nightmares...until one night a very strong, very scary one gets through. A tale of supportive friendship and common childhood phobias is clearly told for young readers in graphic-novel panels with loosely rendered, emotive pencil and watercolor illustrations.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from December 1, 2018

Gr 1-3-In this endearing graphic novel, an anthropomorphic tiger cub's best friend is the monster under her bed. Tiger's parents think Monster is imaginary, but every evening, they let Tiger bring Monster dinner. Monster eats, the two of them play games, and when Tiger goes to sleep, Monster scares the nightmares away and makes sure the little cub gets a good night's rest. But when a nightmare that even Monster can't handle appears, Tiger has to learn to face her fears herself. The characters are adorable, and Tiger's world is original and futuristic, with flying vehicles and industrial-style buildings. The graphics are in gorgeous full color, with an almost blurred watercolor effect, beautifully conveying both delightfully creepy nightmare scenes and vibrant daytime illustrations. An image of intrepid little Tiger staring up at the nightmare, a creature with a shadowy body and a horned skull, is especially striking. The use of panels of a multitude of sizes enriches the narrative. The speech balloons are particularly well done, adding dimension to every mood or situation. The vocabulary is approachable-kids will enjoy reading this on their own or with an adult. VERDICT Tetri has crafted a sweet, uplifting tale of best friends, imagination, bravery, and teamwork. Highly recommended for fans of Lorena Alvarez's Nightlights and anyone who has, or remembers having, nighttime terrors.-Kelley Gile, Cheshire Public Library, CT

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.