This short children’s story was by German-born British writer and illustrator Judith Kerr (1923-2019). The Tiger Who Came to Tea launched in 1968 and is a classic of kid’s literature.

It’s one we don’t remember from our childhood, so it must have passed us by. However, we gave it a whirl today because it was £4 in ASDA and why the heck not?

What we discovered is a charming little work, but also one with an astonishing backstory that compares with disturbing resonance to current political events.

Change, Acceptance, and Kindness in The Tiger Who Came to Tea

“The doorbell rings just as Sophie and her mummy are sitting down to tea. Who could it possibly be? What they certainly don’t expect to see at the door is a big, furry, stripy tiger!”

This little work with its vibrant illustrations carries the theme of kindness. It tells the story of young Sophie who, one fine day, is enjoying some tea with her mother.

Then arrives a tiger! The beast empties the household of its food and tea because it’s a very hungry tiger. The big cat then leaves but, to Sophie’s surprise and disappointment, never returns again for more tea.

An ending like that is an important life lesson for kids. Sometimes things don’t go the way you want them to and you can’t really do anything about it except accept, learn, and grow as a person.

The work is beautifully illustrated (all by Kerr) and has concise, punchy prose. Other kid’s books like Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham (1960) spring to mind.

This is just a perfect work for kids and we can understand why it has this reputation. Whether you have children or not, it’s simply a nice book to have around. The copy we got is of a striking size and is distinctive—we’ll enjoy having it resting on our bookshelf for some time.

The Dark History Behind Judith Kerr’s Rise to Recognition

It’s important to remember kindness is out there, amongst many people, at a time when a significant chunk of “others” spread idiotic, demented hatred for no good reason other than a temper tantrum of ideology.

Where religion is being weaponised and “empathy is a sin” according to some particularly disturbed individuals.

Judith Kerr was the daughter of Alfred and Julia Kerr—they were German Jewish and lived in Berlin. Ahead of a March 1933 general election, fearing a Nazi victory the family fled to Switzerland. Hitler won and on the very same day Nazi foot soldiers turned up at the Kerr family home to arrest them all.

Years later, Alfred Kerr’s works (he was a composer and theatre critic) were burned in Nazi intellectual purges, whilst the family retreated to France before moving to London in 1936. During WWII when in her early 20s, Kerr worked for the Red Cross to help wounded soldiers.

She went on to study at London’s Central School of Arts and Crafts (now the Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design) and became an artist.

Her work became famous for their compassionate qualities. A search around online and we soon found a number of articles celebrating Kerr’s themes of empathy. CNN here with Kerr’s light helped us understand the world’s darkness:

“It should come as no surprise, given her family’s story, that Kerr’s well-known sweetness as a person – and writer–was not that of a naive idealist. Even the books she wrote for small children had touches of loss, and of questions left hanging in the air. After The Tiger Who Came For Tea finishes eating, he leaves without a hint as to whether he might return. At the end of the Mog The Cat series, Mog–in a very unusual move for a kids’ protagonist–dies.”

And in The Guardian from 2019 there’s Kerr’s life is something to celebrate in dark times:

“As we wait to find out how far hard-right anti-immigrant parties have advanced into the heart of European politics, the sense of loss perhaps has something to do with the triumph of good over evil Judith Kerr’s life represented. She was nine when her family fled Germany, just before Hitler came to power; not only were they Jews but her father, a theatre critic, had publicly mocked the Nazis. Her parents clearly tried to shield Kerr and her brother from the struggles of exile, encouraging them to see leaving Berlin as an adventure, and she was always at pains to point out that she had no traumatic memories of the Gestapo breaking down the door. But still, it cannot have been an easy childhood. Her mother suffered from depression, trying several times to kill herself, and her writer father struggled with the frustration of living in a country where he couldn’t speak the language.

Kerr resisted easy sympathy, just as she always gently resisted overly adult interpretations of her most famous book. No, she would say, the tiger who causes havoc by turning up unexpectedly for tea with a little girl and her mummy didn’t symbolise the Nazis; nor did he represent wild 1970s sexuality disrupting cosy domesticity, the mother’s secret lover, or even depression. The tiger is just a tiger, inspired by the ones Kerr’s daughter loved watching at the zoo. Her books created a place of wonder but also of safety for children, and her genius was in knowing just how far to let darkness in.”

Until today, we didn’t know of this backstory. Again, Kerr’s book was one we missed in our childhood. In her work we can see a similarity with the much more serious Address Unknown (1938) by Kathrine Kressman Taylor.

Two female creatives who could make sense of political madness and offer an empathetic antidote—that’s what The Tiger Who Came to Tea represents.

It revels in the small joys of life (a spot of tea) whilst recognising kindness and acceptance of disappointments. All positive traits the younger generations can learn from and grow up with a strong moral compass.

Sean Lock and The Tiger Who Came for a Pint 🍻

To lighten the tone a bit, there was the above with comedian Sean Lock playfully adapting Kerr’s famous work. It’s about a pint, maulings, and other such stuff.

Unfortunately, Lock died in August 2021 at age 58. We were reminded of this the other day as he turned up in an episode of Diane Morgan’s sitcom Mandy. It’s this sort of material that has left Lock a legend and this sort of thing is a fitting legacy.

We’d also love to see The Tiger Who Came for a Pint in print! For shame it hasn’t happened already. 🍺

Short Film Adaptation of The Tiger Who Came to Tea

Last but not least! As you’d expect, there’s also an animated version of The Tiger Who Came to Tea (2019). This was a made-for-TV film directed by Robin Shaw. It featured the vocal talents of David Oyelowo, Clara Ross, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Whitehouse, and Tamsin Greig.

It’s only 23 minutes long and so won the Best Animated Short gong at the Animated Encounters Grand Prix in 2020.

It’d be difficult to screw a project like this up so, happily, the short film met with a strong critical reception. One too show your kids (if you have any) this weekend or next, eh?

For there be good in the world and it can sometimes come in the form of a tiger. 🐯