Tiger Math: Learning to Graph from a Baby Tiger

Learn to graph while following the growth of T.J., an orphaned Siberian tiger cub who is hand-raised at the Denver Zoo.

T.J. is a Siberian tiger cub born at the Denver Zoo. One day he stops eating. The zoo staff tries to tempt him with treats, but he refuses them all. The staff doesn't give up, and finally their love and persistence pay off. T.J. grows up to be a huge, healthy tiger.

The delightful pictures of T.J. and the heartwarming story of his life will charm young readers as they learn the basics of graphing. Those who like storybooks can read just the right-hand pages of this book. But those who want to know more can use the graphs on the left-hand pages to see exactly how T.J. grew.

Children's Literature

Here are two books in one. The true story of T.J., a Siberian tiger born at the Denver Zoo, and his growth are fascinatingly detailed from his precarious infancy to maturity. While this tale is told on the right-hand pages, facts about tigers in general and T.J. in particular are clearly presented on the other side in the form of different kinds of graphs--bar graphs, plotted graphs, and pie graphs. Kids can learn so much from reading either side. The many clear color photographs, including ten on front and back endpapers, tell the story of T.J. from endearing cub to eventual, formidable 500 pound adult. 2000, Henry Holt and Company, Ages 6 to 10, $16.00. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz

Ann Whitehead Nagda has a degree in mathematics and for many years had a job with IBM that allowed her to travel around the world. Her visits to national parks and reserves in Asia and Africa have inspired her to write several books about wild animals, including Bamboo Valley: A Story of a Chinese Bamboo Forest. Ms. Nagda's love of animals has led to her becoming a docent at the Denver Zoo.

Cindy Bickel has worked at the Denver Zoo for twenty-nine years. During her career, she has hand-raised hundreds of babies for the zoo, using math every day in her job as a veterinary assistant. Ms. Bickel helped write Klondike and Snow: The Denver Zoo's Remarkable Story of raising Two Polar Bear Cubs.