Hold Your Temper, Tiger!

PreS-K—Little Tiger has a temper that flares up when he does not get his way, which is often. When Mama Tiger tells him to wash his tail at bath time, he yells, cries, and stomps his feet, and his tantrums get even worse when he's denied more cookies. One day, when Little Tiger refuses to clean up his toys, Mama gives him an ultimatum. "Don't make me ask you again," she says. "I'M NOT DOING IT!" he bellows. She warns him to "hold" his temper "or else," which frightens Little Tiger enough to make some effort to control his volatile emotions to avoid the risk of losing playtime, books, or even his coveted dessert. The crucial question is where to hold his temper: In his pocket? In his hand? In his underwear? Finally, Little Tiger discovers that the perfect place to keep his anger in check is in a baseball cap. Reminiscent in many ways of the protagonist of Molly Bang's When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really Angry, Little Tiger does not run off to a quieter place to cool down but releases his temper only to capture it again. It may seem odd that a hat is able to store emotions, but Roth uses the cap to suggest that it's OK for Little Tiger to express himself privately without completely losing his temper. Rashin's bold red background conveys the overall mood of the story, and the quirky pictures of Little Tiger exhaling blue, green, and red flames (some with ghoulish expressions) add a comical element to a tale about the frustrating difficulties of handling emotions.