‘Teddy And The Tygers’ And ‘Teddy Versus The Underwear’ By Georgia Edmonds Book Reviews

Reviewed by Emma

Sharing a book with a child is one of life’s simple, comforting, joyous moments for both adult and child. Books have the power to create intrigue, and they often provide opportunities for conversations which might not have been initiated, had it not been for the storyline or characters of a book.

Georgia Edmonds is a British author who has used her love of her own pets – a black and golden Cavapoo named Teddy, who she initially acquired after a short time living in Australia, and cats (tygers) who feature most predominately in the first book – to create a new series of charming children’s picture books aimed at children aged two to six.

I reviewed two books – ‘Teddy and the Tygers’ and ‘Teddy Versus the Underwear’. Both books have been written in rhyme which encourages children to join in with the text, as well as learn new vocabulary along the way. The children I shared the books with loved the rhythm of the story and enjoyed spotting the rhyming words in each verse, as well as discussing the story plot and escapades of Teddy.

‘Teddy and the Tygers’, published in 2020, tells the story of a playful dog called Teddy who is gently introduced to the family’s new kittens. Initially, Teddy bounds over to initiate some fun games with the kittens, but he soon learns that the kittens also enjoy a nap in their cosy bed – it’s not all play and fun for cats, they need their rest! The kittens get a little perturbed when they are rudely awoken, and Teddy gets a hiss and a swipe on his face from them before the story culminates in a happy ending. This book could be used with children who are expecting a new addition to the family, either a younger sibling or a new pet.

‘Teddy Versus the Underwear’, published in 2022, involves the family solving the mystery of the disappearing underwear which has been recently washed and folded. Initially nobody suspects Teddy, but it soon becomes clear that the mischievous puppy Teddy, has been participating in his own fun game of hiding the underwear in his dog bed. Eventually Sasha, the son of the family, realises that Teddy could be the culprit and finds all of the missing items. In a touching moment at the end of the story, Sasha gives Teddy one of his favourite cuddly toys to keep him company in his dog bed.

The illustrator of the books in the ‘Teddy’ series is Jake Biggin, an artist and illustrator who studied fine art at Central Saint Martins in London. I thought the final illustration in both books captures the playful nature of a puppy perfectly as it shows Teddy the dog holding the ‘D’ of ‘THE END’ in his mouth!

The books are published in paperback, contain 22 pages and have the dimensions: 21.59 x 0.18 x 21.59 cm

Rating: 4/5

RRP: £7.99

Both books are available to purchase through the ‘Teddy’s Tails’ website or directly through Amazon.