TOUCHES OF AESOP AND KIPLING mark James Rumford's fable about two unlikely rivals. Tiger says he saw the flower first, but Turtle disagrees. Through pages of glorious color, Tiger and Turtle continue their argument. They're worthy opponents . . . as a tiger's claws could not harm a turtle's shell any more than a turtle's feet could outrun a tiger's. The battle intensifies, as does the artist's palette: from golds to fiery reds to luxuriant blues, as the two resolve their conflict and become friends. Tiger and Turtle is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year. Grade 1–3—Inspired by an Indian tale told to Rumford by an Afghani letter writer, this story recounts a quarrel between a tiger and turtle. They usually ignore one another, but when a flower falls between them, each one claims it. The fight that ensues sends the flower out of reach, and both animals seek revenge for their lost treasure. Tiger swats turtle dangerously high, but he lands safely in a pond. When tiger seeks solace in the same pond, turtle bites him and remains clamped to his back. To detach his tormentor, tiger springs forward, leading them both to a precipice. But "happily for them/and for [this] story," their landing is not disastrous, and they learn an important lesson in the bargain. Behind most illustrations are designs inspired by "those used by Indians and Pakistanis to decorate their shawls, rugs, and jali windows," painted on handmade Chinese paper. The stylized animals are heavily outlined in black and are striking against backgrounds of different gradations of orange. When tiger races away to shake off turtle, Rumford depicts his legs as thick black circles of motion resembling car tires. The brief text is well paced, with repeated rising and falling action, and the resolution of the most suspenseful moments requires a page turn. Read this tale aloud along with stories from Eunice de Souza's 101 Folktales from India (Penguin, 2005) for a lively storyhour.— Marianne Saccardi, formerly at Norwalk Community College, CT (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. “The brief text is well paced, with repeated rising and falling action, and the resolution of the most suspenseful moments requires a page turn.” ― School Library Journal “The intricately patterned backgrounds, inspired by Indian and Pakistani decorations, pair well with the bold, simply outlined subjects, the orange-toned pages a vivid accent for the green turtle and yellow tiger.” ― Horn Book Magazine “A tightly crafted fable about a contest of wills.” ― Publishers Weekly “The art draws on the backgrounds of tiger orange, deepening the story as it develops; intricate tone-on-tone patterning, either in tiger stripes or other design (a note explains the cultural inspirations for the various patterns), adds texture. ” ― BCCB JAMES RUMFORD is the author of SILENT MUSICE: A STORY OF BAGHDAD, an ALA Notable Children's Book, winner of a 2009 Jane Addams Honor, and a Charlotte Zolotow Award Honor. He lives in Honolulu, Hawaii.