Raj the Bookstore Tiger
Kathleen Pelley
Illustrated by Paige Keiser

Charlesbridge
2011 / ISBN 9781580892308
Fiction / Picture book (Ages 5-8)
Amazon

Reviewed by Bob Walch

This picture book is all about confidence: what happens when you lose it and how you can regain it. Raj is a bookstore cat who is convinced he is a tiger. He performs his duties such as sitting in laps and patrolling the aisles at the bookstore with skill and aplomb.

Then one day another cat, Snowball, arrives at the shop and shares Raj’s domain. The first thing Snowball does is inform Raj that he IS NOT A TIGER. No, poor Raj is told he’s just a marmalade kitty! Shattered, the orange cat does not greet people anymore and hides rather than takes part in the shop’s activities.

Now it is up to the store’s owner to figure out a way to get Raj back to normal and restore his confidence. Fortunately, a poem by William Blake and a visit from an author from India do the trick. Soon Raj is back to being the bookstore tiger, and he even discovers a way to make Snowball his friend.

Children will love this book, and its message will resonate with anyone who has had his or her confidence dashed by an unkind word.