24. Riding the Tiger

I have to be honest-- I had absolutely no idea about this book when I chose it. I was in the Eve Bunting section trying to find a book of hers that I hadn't read yet. When I slid this one from the stacks, the uniqueness of the illustrations created with woodcuts sealed the deal. I took it home thinking it had something to do with Asian culture (I dunno, tiger for me signified Asia...I know it's a stereotype).


Well, I was way off. To put it bluntly, this book is an allegory to gang life. Yeah, I know, I was just as surprised as the next guy. Not what I expected at all...and yet, I appreciated that about it. So many books for kids about gangs are overly didactic or preachy-- just don't join them because they're bad. Of course kids know the negative effects of gangs...they see the violence and destruction going on in Mexico on the TV all the time. What they are rarely ever exposed to is a discussion about the causes-- why do people join gangs? Why do family members who were once innocent get sucked in? How do good people get corrupted to do bad things?


And that is where Riding the Tiger (2001) by Eve Bunting, illustrated by David Frampton comes in. First off, I have to say that I am a huge fan of how Eve Bunting tackles difficult subjects in her books, filled with emotion and complicated issues, yet lets children make decisions for themselves what they believe. That is not to say that in this book Bunting lets kids decide that gangs are good...what I mean is that she presents the issue in such an allegorical way that kids can understand the power issues at play with gangs. They can read this book and understand why their cousin fell prey and joined. They can read this book and know what to look out for...know the tricks the gangs will use.

"A bit bored?" he asked. "A bit lonely?"

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He smelled of something dark and exciting.

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"Once you get up on the tiger's back, it's hard to get off..."

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"Because anyone who isn't for us is against us..."

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"Be honored you're with me."

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But I knew right then it wasn't respect. It was something very different.

Let me warn you-- this is not a book for little kids. The blood red cover and sinister looks of the tiger (not to mention his cruel actions) are not for the faint of heart. They won't really understand the true message anyway, so wait until they are a bit older. That being said, Frampton's woodcuts are gorgeous for anyone to look at! The dark palette captures the grittiness and reality of Bunting's setting, with oranges and blacks dominating the pages. The moods is sinister and frightful. The stylized woodcuts have such dynamic lines-- the tiger's stripes, angular face, and fierce eyes portray his insidious personality. The people, including Danny, have more rounded lines, projecting their innocence. In addition, Frampton's play with perspective (sometimes surveying the scene from afar, sometimes staring into the tiger's face) makes the gives the story a more dynamic feel. Typically using single-page illustrations, Frampton often has the character break the frame just a little bit so that we know they are important.


This book would be a great conversation starter for kids, allowing us to hear Danny's thoughts and doubts as he is pulled in by this beast. He encounters a moral dilemma, thereby showing the powerful allure of a gang. I've always believed that instead of telling kids that something is wrong, it's better to weigh the benefits and drawbacks, ultimately concluding that the negative outweighs the positive. This book helps children do just that-- if anyone works with children who are in any way susceptible to gang affiliation, the book would be a great resource.