Mother to Tigers

by George Ella Lyon, Peter Catalanotto (Illustrator)

"Based on a true story, this beautifully illustrated picture book introduces young readers to Helen Frances Theresa Delaney Martini, the first woman zookeeper at the Bronx Zoo and founder of the zoo's animal nursery in 1944...Catalanotto's remarkable illustrations are a wonderful combination of watercolor, charcoal and torn paper. The author also includes a fascinating 'Author's Note' at the end."—Children's Literature

Genres: Picture Books, Biography, Nonfiction, Animals, Childrens, Science

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2003

About the author

George Ella Lyon is a Kentucky author who has published in many genres, including picture books, poetry, juvenile novels, and articles.

Reviews

[Tiana Costa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mothers to Tigers, by George Ella Lyon, is a true story about a woman named Helen Frances Theresa Delaney Martini. Helen was the first woman zoo keeper at the Bronx Zoo. Her specialty was taking care of baby animals,mostly tigers. She even built a nursery for the animals by herself.

This is a great book to read to students to about woman empowerment. The book has spectacular images that will engage students and wanting more. I actually read this book to a group of students and they were fascinated by the illustrations

Mothers to Tigers reminds me of You Forgot Your Skirt Amelia Bloomer, by Shana Corey. Both books talk about woman empowerment. The characters in these books are based off of real woman who were the first to do something spectacular, that would change the future for woman for the better.

"'Just do for him what you would do for a human baby' Frank told Helen, and she did!"

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Before Helen arrived, no tiger born at the Zoo had ever survived."

The story of Helen Martini, the first woman zookeeper at the Bronx Zoo. When her husband brought home a tiger cub who had been rejected by its mother, he told Helen "Just do for him what you would do for a human baby." And so she did. She also created a nursery at the zoo to continue to care for the tiger cubs after they were taken back. "The idea of the nursery spread" around the world. The nursery is still a part of the Bronx Zoo today.

In all, she raised 27 tigers. She also raised marmosets, gorillas, chimpanzees, deer, ring-tailed lemurs, lions, jaguars and black leopards.

Kids love this one! Here's a website which includes pictures and additional information: https://www.mcny.org/story/bronx-zoos...

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Previous to reading this, I didn't know anything about this first female zookeeper of the Bronx Zoo. I read two pictures books about her at the same time. I preferred this one. The pictures are really lovely--painting and charcoal over torn paper strips.
A great story about a great woman. I liked the things I learned from this book that weren't in the first book.

[Carina Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book was an interesting book and I read it to my mother.

[M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful and fascinating story about the establishment of the first nursery for zoo babies, which was started at the Bronx Zoo by Helen Martini in 1944. Children will love the illustrations and the tale of how the Martini's started the animal nursery in their own home.

[Margaret Boling · Rating 4 out of 5]

2/1/2011 ** This picture book biography tells the story of the first female zookeeper in the history of the Bronx zoo - Helen Martini. Set in the 40s, Helen first cared for a lion cub and three tiger cubs in her small New York apartment. Peter Catalonato's soothing watercolors beautifully capture the 'catness' of the animals. George Ella Lyon brings her rhythmic prose to the simple narrative. One of the text features I'll be sure to draw my students' attention to is the unique hook Lyon uses - the first two pages of italicized text ask the reader to imagine herself as a lion cub being placed in a box in the back of the car. This introduction is followed by the title pages and then the story of Helen's involvement with animals begins.

I decided over the weekend that I wanted to do a genre study of picture book biographies with my 4th graders. This was partly inspired by hearing Brian & Andrea Pinkney talk about their collaborative projects, a number of which are PB Biog. However, due to some momentary lapse brought on by the sheer fact of the arrival of Monday morning, I managed to get to school with none of the books I wanted. Yikes, what to read aloud today? I made a quick foray into my classroom library and found just one PB biog - MOTHER to TIGERS. It would have to suffice!

As soon as I pulled it out, several kids oohed & aahed, commenting that they'd read the book early in the year. Several even went so far as to show me their reading log entries about the book. Wow - they even knew about when they'd read it, facilitating their search through the notebook. Perhaps this is a testament to the power of Readers' Workshop - self-selected reading and open-ended response.

In an effort to decrease the number of verbal interruptions, which really have been detracting from our reading, thinking, and listening pleasure (perhaps marginalizing the kids who process more slowly or privately), I decided to try an idea I'd had when reading responses from my university children's lit students. I asked my 4th graders to write comments/questions/connections, etc. on the right side of their notebook and draw responses on the left. We then used the notebook entries as the basis for partner, team, and whole class discussion of about the experiences of Helen Martini and the big cat cubs she nurtured. As we read more biographies in this format, we'll start to move the discussion beyond the individual lives of the biographies' subjects to the characteristics of the genre.

[Kaytlyn Rosynek · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Mothers to Tigers" by George Ella Lyon had an eye catching front cover. The cover included a baby tiger, holding a bottle, and the tiger was being held by a human. Seeing the front of the book makes you want to see what is inside. This book is for kindergarten through grade 2, with a Lexile level of 610. The illustrations, by Peter Catalanotto, were interesting. The illustrations are a mix of black, white and gray, with some of the illustrations being in bright colors. The illustrations did not seem like they would keep a young child's attention, though. On some pages throughout the book it was hard to see what the illustration was actually of. "Mother to Tigers" also seemed a bit hard for the age group it listed as being interested in the book. The names, words, and just the overall writing in the story seemed a little difficult for such a young age. The picture book did have a fun and hopeful story line; the story was about a woman in New York who takes care of some of the animals from the Bronx Zoo. The woman, Helen Martini opened the first zoo nursery, and she also became the first woman zookeeper. The book was an enjoyable way to introduce zoo animals to a young age, and the book also had a great ending. The ending would help children relate to the story, by saying that next time you visit the zoo, look at the cats and maybe some of them are related to the same tigers and other animals that Helen Martini took care of in the nursery.

[Charolette · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Mother to Tigers” is a beautifully illustrated picture book that tells the history of Helen Martini who was the first woman zookeeper at the Bronx Zoo. Helen never had the opportunity to experience motherhood with a human baby but she was able to become a mother in a different sense by caring for the baby animals that her husband brought home for the zoo. In the end, she knew that she would be unable to care for all the baby animals at home and offered to start a nursery at the Zoo. I like how the introduction to the book started out with “Suppose you were a lion cub – abandoned.” I found that these pages made you want to read further to discover what happened to the lion cub. Then you were lead into the background of Helen and her husband and the history behind raising the cubs in their apartment and the establishment of the nursery. The end of the book you have the authors note outlining Helen’s accomplishments throughout the years. I liked how this book teaches children that anything is possible. Children’s unconditional love for animals makes this book easy for children to follow.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I attended a workshop led by George Ella Lyon at the East Tennessee History Center in Knoxville, TN. As one of the participants, I received copies of several of her books, including this one. Her picture book tells the story of Helen Martini and how she came to be the first animal keeper in the Bronx Zoo. George Ella read it to us, told us about her research, and showed us how many drafts she went through to get the story just right. This is a wonderful narrative nonfiction piece to use with students. It has so many elements that will draw children in such as pets, zoo animals, and the mishief of tiger cubs pouncing on furniture and jumping into the bathtub. But it also has great life skills to teach like problem-solving, caring, and initiative. And it shows a positive role model, especially for girls.

I can't wait to share this book with my students.

Thank you to Lisa at the ETHC and to George Ella for making the workshop possible and introducing me to this amazing story.

[Kayla Lutz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book and I believe it is suitable for readers of all ages. This story tells about the life of Helen Martini, the first woman zookeeper in the history of the Bronx Zoo. I really liked how there was an author's note that goes into more depth about Helen's life and her accomplishments. Helen had experienced some loss in her life, which she eventually overcame. I think this story can teach children a lesson about how life always goes on, even when times are rough. I really loved how this was based on a true story because it proved to children that they can do anything they set their minds to. It teaches them to set high goals for themselves and to also follow their heart. Anyone can make a difference, which is something that people of all ages can relate to.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helen Martini, the first woman zookeeper at the Bronx Zoo, make a name for herself by starting an animal nursery. Mother to Tigers tells about how she cared for her first tiger cubs and eventually started a zoo nursery. Appropriate for all elementary students, this is a great title for students in grades 1 - 3. Recommended as a companion for books about tigers, big cats, or zoos. I didn't care for the opening in which the reader is asked to imagine himself as a tiger cub. The rest of the book is written in a simple but clear style that makes nonfiction accessible.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Helen Martini. Martini was the first woman zookeeper at the Bronx Zoo. Her husband had brought home tiger cubs for them to care for. That experience led her to create an animal nursery at the zoo.

Nice story and the illustrations are pleasing.
****
This year's students enjoyed this tale. They enjoyed the illustrations and the story. It's enjoyable when the students are engaged.
****
19 October 2010
13 May 2014

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

My children and I enjoyed this picture book bio of Helen Martini, who was the first woman zoo keeper at the Bronx zoo and began the Zoo Nursery. The subject matter is intriguing -- the Martinis brought home lion and tiger cubs and cared for them in their house. Martini wrote a book called My Zoo Family, which was a childhood favorite of the author of this biography, George Ella Lyon. An interesting connection, and it would be fun to look at that book as well.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great piece of semi-biographical work. It has a memoir-like quality and is very well written. I, like much of the known world, had never heard of Helen Martini before this, but now I've gained great respect for her work. She is a truly inspirational figure in women's history, though certainly little known outside of the zookeeping community.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had never heard of Helen Martini, who is the subject of this book. She was the first woman zookeeper at the Bronx Zoo. I was really moved by her persistence to help baby animals. The pictures are very emotionally charged and the text on each page is short enough that even reluctant readers would be willing to keep going (at least I think they would be).

[Sheniqua · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book would be very instrumental in discussing responsibility, love, care, and affection. The woman in this story cares for the baby cubs as if they were her own little babies. This was truly an inspiring story. I would use this book to discuss how animals can be sorted into specific groups for fifth graders. It could also be used for grades 3-5 in general.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated story about the first woman zookeeper at the Bronx Zoo. My husband gave this book to me for my birthday a couple of years ago to thank me for mothering our own little tigers. I think it is a great example of how women can be mothers regardless of whether or not they have children of their own.

[Heather Willoughby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a very touching story. The illustrations were well done, but they were not very engaging for younger children. This book is better for older students to understand because situations that were addressed, like the death of a child. Young children would like the animals, but would not be interested in the story.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why have I never heard of this person? Loved the true story and the idea of keeping tiger cubs in an apartment. What an amazing woman! This is a fascinating story of where the idea for a zoo nursery came from. I dropped this a star because I don't like the pictures that try to show movement by showing multiple faces on the same body. Otherwise, it's a very cool story.

[Soesoe8888 · Rating 5 out of 5]

mother love tigers

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

George Ella Lyon and Peter Catalanatto team up again for a brilliant and beautiful book about the wife of a zookeeper who mothered the motherless animals and who "invented" the zoo nursery.

[Andria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had amazing illustrations, stripes with the pictures pieced together in the stripes. Loved learning about how the first female zookeeper came to be.

[Erin Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another mentor text used for the nonfiction unit with my 3rd grade class! It wasn’t a story I was familiar with but I definitely enjoyed it!

[Becca Bankston · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is full of fascinating information. It took the story of Helen Frances Theresa Delaney as she made her mark at the Bronx zoo, and made it so kids could connect with it. I would say the main trait of this book is presentation. I leveled this book using DRA (24) and Guided Reading (M).