Tiger Town

Sylvia Pantaleo is an associate professor of education, specializing in
children’s literature, at the University of Victoria. She is the
coauthor of Learning with Literature in the Canadian Elementary
Classroom.

In this sequel to Tiger by the Tail (1999) and Tiger in Trouble (2001),
14-year-old Sarah Fraser and her 11-year-old brother, Nicholas, are once
again involved in adventures with Mr. McCurdy and his menagerie of wild
animals.

Mr. McCurdy’s wild animal population is expanding. A new bear,
elephant, and tiger are joining his collection of exotic animals at his
farm. And he’s agreed to house Sarah’s pet deer.

When a boy sneaks into the tiger’s barn, life becomes complicated for
everyone. Inspectors deem the animals’ enclosures unsuitable and warn
that the animals will be removed unless changes are made within a few
days. Then the town’s mayor, Mr. McCurdy’s adversary, weighs in,
adding more tension to the situation. Before long, the media and
animal-rights activists show up at the farm. Ellen, the children’s
divorced mother, is dating Martin, the town’s chief of police;
everyone now wonders which side he’ll take. In the end, everything
works out for everyone—except the mayor!

Despite some overly convenient plot developments and a few
stereotypical characters (e.g., the animal-rights protesters, the
“evil” mayor), this is an entertaining novel. The plot moves along
quickly, the dialogue is lively, and humor is used throughout. Most
important, Sarah and Nick are believable characters. Although Tiger Town
is the third book about Sarah, Nicholas, Mr. McCurdy, and his wild
animals, readers do not need to be familiar with its predecessors to
enjoy and appreciate it. Recommended.