Tiger Days: A Book of Feelings

by M.H. Clark, Anna Hurly

From tiger fierce to snail slow, there are lots of ways to feel and be. A walk through the menagerie of Tiger Days helps young readers see all the feelings they have and the ways those feelings change. Through playful rhymes and colorful illustrations, this spirited book gives children new tools to understand the range of their emotions and express themselves to family, teachers, friends, and themselves. Tiger Days was written by M.H. Clark, bestselling author of You Belong Here and Tiny, Perfect Things."

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Emotion, Childrens, Storytime, Fiction, Juvenile

40 pages, Hardcover

First published February 5, 2019

Reviews

[Cecelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know that feeling when you read a book at exactly the right time? The sneaking suspicion you then have that it’s speaking directly to you and your problems (or the world’s problems!) and fate must have put it in your path? M.H. Clark and Anna Hurley’s picture book Tiger Days: A Book of Feelings has been that book for me this week. I had originally scheduled it for review on Monday, but the universe knew I needed to read it on Tuesday, and again on Thursday, and again today after hearing about the terrible tragedy in New Zealand. It’s a picture book, but a meaningful book is meaningful no matter the format or audience, and this one is delightful and indispensable.

In this vibrant picture book, the first person narrator associates emotions with specific animals in rhyming text. If you’re having a Tiger Day, for example, it means that “…I want to climb. I’M WILD AND I’M FIERCE. I pace around and POUNCE and ROAR…” For me, today is a Fish Day, and I feel watery, just as the text suggests. Feelings are paired with not only animals, but also actions they might take while under the sway of those emotions. With themes of naming and acknowledging emotional states, self-acceptance, and recognizing that shifting feelings are okay (or even positive!), Tiger Days is a simple, accessible guide and/or introduction to complex emotions. It’s also a joy to read.

Illustrator Anna Hurley has created lovely art to go along with M.H. Clark’s delightful text, and it is here that I think the book takes a step up from good to excellent. The animals are rendered in cut paper-like blocks, with ink detailing and some shadowing, against lively colored spreads – one color for each kind of day. And there are a few intervening “day” pages without a signature animal that are turquoise with white crayon-effect illustrations that are a lot of fun for the eye and remind the reader that different types of feelings (and complex feelings!) are okay. Tiger Days’ text and illustrations are seamlessly integrated, entertaining, and poignant, and will be popular read after read.

I would be remiss if I didn’t also take a moment to talk about the book design! This colorful title will pulled off the shelf time and again for its striped, multicolored binding. ALSO the dust jacket has a velvet touch effect for the title shadows and the tiger’s stripes! In other words, it begs to be petted! I can’t stop running my fingers over the texture, even now… so you KNOW it will be a hit with kids! Altogether, Tiger Days is a feast for the senses, and also a way to get in touch with them. A true book of feelings!

All in all, Tiger Days will be a hit with both kids and adults, and I can’t wait to recommend it to all of the parents I know!

Recommended for: anyone who is struggling to find the words to talk about complex emotions, and especially children ages 2-6. Perfect for story time, bedtime reading, and anytime reading if you like bright, fun books that encourage interaction and movement and have extra helpings of heart.

[Scottsdale Public Library]

So well done! I love the bright bold pictures and how the words and context combine. Pairing the animals and feelings helps break down really complex topics into something more concrete. That's some wonderful picture book magic right there! You might also try: The Way I Feel by Janan Cain, The Color Monster: A Story About Emotions by Anna Llenas, and Today I Feel by Madalena Moniz. Happy reading! -Alexis S.

[Sarah Brock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book at BAM while trying to think of a cute book I could use for a lesson plan. The cover itself is very bright and colorful and has an illustration of a tiger on the front. The whole book gives different animals and describes the mood that animal portrays. For example, it says,” On SNAIL DAYS I go SLOWLY in everything I do. AND I MIGHT TAKE A LITTLE WHILE, when I’m a snail that’s just my style.” When I was reading I found myself relating to an animal in the book and it’s encouraging when it says that there are so many ways to be. This would be great to read to a class because they will relate to the animals and afterwards there could be an activity about how they feel that day. I think it’s important for children to be aware of their emotions and know that it’s okay not to feel the same all the time! Throughout the book there are fun illustrations and rhyming words that’s make the book exciting to read.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tiger Days: A Book of Feelings by M.H. Clark, illustrated by Anna Hurley. PICTURE BOOK. Compendium, 2019. $17. 9781946873415

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Inside every body is a multitude of animals/feelings that want to come out. Knowing which animal is “speaking” is a great way to understand yourself.

I LOVE Clark’s comparison of animals to feelings. It I won’t go into explaining the rhyme scheme here, but just know that it totally works! Read-aloud ready treasure here. And Hurley’s winsome illustrations add just the right note!

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Christine Grant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tails and Tales SRP 2021

Feels. Similar to "My Many Colored Days" by Seuss. It was fun to talk about the different animals mentioned and about our feelings. Not my favorite story though I might use it again.

[Bea · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Tiger Days” is a charming, poetic journey through an emotional world using a cast of animals to explore different moods and feelings. With rhyming text, Clark captures the nuances of emotional expression in a way that's both accessible and engaging for young readers. Each emotion is cleverly matched with an animal—on "tiger days" the child feels fierce and full of energy, while "snail days" bring a slower, more contemplative pace. This creative approach helps children understand and identify a spectrum of emotions by connecting them to the behavior and characteristics of familiar animals. It's a wonderful strategy for encouraging emotional literacy, especially for early learners who may not yet have the words to express how they feel.

The illustrations by Anna Hurley are bright, playful, and perfectly in tune with the text. Each animal is portrayed with expressive details that visually communicate the mood being described, helping children connect body language and facial expression with emotional states.

But, Tiger Days is not only an excellent read-aloud for emotional education. It also invites interaction. The animal-based emotions naturally lend themselves to movement and role-play, making this book a great springboard for engaging learning activities. I imagine children will want to prowl like tigers, curl up like turtles, or lumber like a bear as they explore what each emotion feels like physically.

Thoughtful, fun, and emotionally intelligent, Tiger Days would be a fabulous addition to any SEL curriculum, bedtime routine, or story time. This book is sure to spark meaningful conversations and joyful engagement. Highly recommended!

[Jolynne Dougherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feelings, picture books - This book goes through some of the many feeling that you might experience as a human being. I really enjoyed it. I can remember being a kid and having so many feelings, feelings that were nice and feelings that were not nice and made me feel different. Mr. Rogers talked about feelings being scary and looking back on it, he was right although I didn't understand it at the time. I like this book because there is no judgement on feelings, which is really important. You cannot help having feelings. It is, as Mr. Rogers taught, what do you do with the mad that you feel, when you feel so mad you can bite?" You're not bad because of your feelings, but what you do with said feelings. This book is genderless and covers a wide variety of emotions. It could be a great conversation starter.

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Young children who are just learning about different emotional states and beginning to understand that you can feel lots of different emotions on any given day will appreciate this sweet picture book that compares different feelings with animals. Example: "On Tiger Days I want to climb. I'm wild and I'm fierce. I pace around and pounce and roar, that's just want tiger days are for. Each page has a lyrical text and simple illustrations of a different animal and emotional state. This could be a good mentor text for young writers trying to describe different ways of feeling.

[Raven Black · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are several feelings books, therefore this gets a little lost in the shuffle. However, the fuzzy cover is fun (though will wear out quickly). The story tries to show feelings, but instead, it showed me how we interpret different animals to have "human" qualities. Or in a couple cases a more poetic look at qualities they have (the fish is equivalent to sad as there are tears/water and other "fish metaphors" surround that idea). This might do better as a "mini/counter" sized then the traditional picture book size (even though it is slightly smaller than usual).

[Abigail Cruz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great for younger children that do not know how to label their feelings and/or are learning how to become more emotionally aware. I like that the feelings were represented as animals instead of colors because if we represent them as animals kids will know how certain animals behave and act. The only thing that I would critique is that we experience multiple feelings a day instead of just one. Instead of saying days, I would say like "sometimes I feel like [whatever animal]" instead of "some days"

[Jj · Rating 3 out of 5]

It very much reminded me of Dr. Seuss' My Many Colored Days , which is not a bad thing... though I liked that title better. Still, I might use it in a storytime and see how it goes. Animals/emotions are more concrete and less abstract than the colors/emotions going on in the Seuss title.

[Maggie Mattmiller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this look at how we can feel different everyday, how our feelings/personalities present in different ways, how they're all okay, and how it's good to be able to identify how we're feeling and how that's presenting! I'll have to add this one to my classroom library.

[Maureen Agnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a simple way to let children know what I have only learned now as an adult - no one is black and white with who they are. We are all a jumble of things, and that is ok. Really a beautiful, sweet, and simple message, but so POWERFUL!

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rhyming picture books don't tend to be my favorite thing ever, but I like that this one can provide children with some emotional language that's age-appropriate. Asking a child what "animal" of a day they're having may be constructive in some environments.

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This reminded me of "my many colored days" but with a different animal for each day rather than a different color. The illustrations are simple (with one featured animal on each spread, and a single tone background) but charming. Could be useful for discussing different emotions and feelings.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for the frist few days of "Virtual School."

Charlotte says she's having a "Tiger, Fish, Bull, Rhino day."

Mom is hoping that we will have an "Otter night!"

-Mom and Charlotte
September 2020

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so fantastic! I love all of the different emotions that it covers and the way that it ties so many feelings and emotions to different animals. This would be a great way to start a conversation.

[Mary Andres · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gives kids a shorthand to talk about their feelings like the animals they relate the feelings with. Beautiful images and great read aloud cadence. Equipping little ones with the vocabulary they need to express themselves goes a long way for everyone involved.

[Kylie]

I like the comparisons in this book, but I wish that the “days” were “moments” or “times” or something… it seems counterproductive to (indirectly) teach kids that whole days are defined by a single emotion.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

The narrator talks about how he can feel like a different animal on different days depending on his mood. The illustrations were all right, but my complaint was that it was "me, me, me," the entire time.

[Archana · Rating 5 out of 5]

An empowering and simple way to facilitate naming emotions. Just like the diverse animals depicted in this book, it’s wonderful to acknowledge that there are no good feelings or bad feelings. There are just feelings.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought for JE 152.4 in a public library.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Animals are assigned various feelings. This book works.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Using this for my next preschool storytime with "feelings" as a theme.

[Nancy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why frame feelings in terms of days? Aren't they more like flashes or waves? Unfortunately, this whole thing feels like an adult trying to talk like a kid. I'm left cold.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

david loved seeing all the animals and counting them :)

[Emily]

feelings, emotions, bright ill.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book about a child describing their feelings by comparing themselves to differnt animals at differtn points in their day. Preschool and up

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt like the cadences are a little off and the illustrations are just ok, but overall this is a very helpful book for kids to discuss feelings.