The Tiger’s Tongue

Gr 9 Up–The Tiger’s people rule the land of the Claw, with great white tiger familiars providing power to the royal family. They have ruled over the rioting and resentful river people for years, and the unrest has been building to a crescendo. The twin princesses each have their strengths, with Kelindi seen as a warrior who can wield fire and kind-hearted Aridani appearing powerless yet able to commune with the tigers. When the sisters learn about an ancient prophecy that pits them against each other to determine the rightful heir, they realize they have very different ideas about ruling the crumbling kingdom. Strokes of color reminiscent of a desert of red brick and sand fill the pages in this Afrocentric kingdom. The white tigers bring pops of contrasting color, and the expressive facial features lend themselves to the storyline. However, not even simple and linear paneling helps the confusing narrative. Visions and revelations are not fleshed out, and though readers know one sister opposes the harsh rule of the river people, the execution of that plotline is not consistently clear. The complicated account of the sisters’ trials while trying to keep the peace with rioters from the other clan makes this a difficult story to follow.