Publication Date: 10 September 2026

The Blurb

One day, a grumpy tiger wakes to find not one, not two, but three child-cubs upon his back and, try as he might, they will not move. As the days pass, tiger and children remain together, slowly learning from one another about bravery, kindness and belonging in this beautifully illustrated and deeply moving tale from acclaimed author and illustrator Sarah Massini.

The Review

A tender and heartwarming story about friendship, empathy and finding the courage to open your heart, Once Upon a Tiger has all the makings of a modern picture book classic.

At first, Tiger is far from pleased to discover three small children clinging stubbornly to his back. Used to being alone and perfectly content with his own company, he cannot understand why they won’t simply leave him in peace. Yet as time passes, what begins as an inconvenience slowly becomes something much more meaningful. Through gentle acts of kindness and quiet moments of understanding, Tiger and the children learn that bravery is not always about being fearless. Sometimes it is about accepting help, showing compassion and letting others in.

Sarah Massini’s illustrations are utterly exquisite. Every page is filled with warmth and emotion, bringing both the characters and their journey vividly to life. The expressions on Tiger’s face tell a story all of their own, allowing even the youngest readers to connect with his feelings as they change throughout the book. The soft, atmospheric artwork perfectly complements the reassuring and thoughtful text.

One of the book’s greatest strengths is the way it explores important themes with such subtlety. Shyness, loneliness, friendship and belonging are woven naturally throughout the story, making it an ideal book for sharing and discussing with young children. There is a timeless quality to both the storytelling and the artwork that feels reminiscent of much-loved classics whilst still offering something fresh and contemporary.

This is the kind of picture book that invites repeated readings. With each revisit, children will discover something new, whether it is a detail hidden within the illustrations or a deeper understanding of the story’s message. Warm, comforting and uplifting, Once Upon a Tiger is destined to become a treasured favourite.

Great for fans of: 

• The Lion Inside by Rachel Bright and Jim Field
• The Tiger Who Came To Tea by Judith Kerr
• The Boy, The Mole, The Fox And The Horse by Charlie Mackesy

Huge thanks to Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to take an early look at this beautiful book, and inviting me to take part in the blog tour, and even bigger thanks to Sarah for her fabulous guest post…

The illustration of jumping into the river by Sarah Massini

When my agent pitched ONCE UPON A TIGER to publishers, I made two samples arts, and this was one of them.

The first was the static image of the child-cubs on Tiger’s back. So I wanted to showcase a contrasting spread – one full of energy and movement.

I really enjoyed the boldness of the water, contrasting with the finer detail of the child-cubs, and also contrasting their joy with Tiger’s look of horror. It’s so rare that you get to draw anything a bit scary in children’s books, so I must own to relishing Tiger’s fear a little bit. I hope that doesn’t make me a bad person!

Do make sure you check out all of the other stops on the Blog Tour!