Nunca hagas cosquillas a un tigre – Pamela Butchart, illustrated by Marc Boutavant, Libros del Zorro Rojo, 32 pages, hardback, from 3 years.

Nunca hagas cosquillas a un tigre is a vibrant and funny picture book that speaks directly to energetic children – and to adults who love them but sometimes feel overwhelmed. Written by Scottish author Pamela Butchart and illustrated by French artist Marc Boutavant, this Spanish edition brings their acclaimed humour and colour to young readers from around 3 years old. 

The heroine, Zara Zarandilla, is pure movement: she wriggles, jumps, spins and talks without pause. Grown-ups call her “hyperactive”, but for Zara it is simply impossible to stay still. During a school trip to the zoo, she receives a very clear rule: never swing on the railings, never pull the camel’s hump… and, above all, never tickle a tiger. Of course, that last rule is the most tempting of all.

When Zara finally gives in and touches the tiger’s striped belly, the entire zoo explodes into a chain of comic disasters. Animals startle, cages shake, and a calm visit becomes a whirlwind of noise, colour and laughter. Kids recognise their own impulses in Zara, and parents recognise that mix of exasperation and tenderness that comes with raising a very active child.

Marc Boutavant’s illustrations fill each spread with expressive animals, dynamic compositions and small visual jokes that invite slow, attentive reading. Large hardback format and sturdy pages make this album ideal for reading aloud, sharing on the sofa or using in the classroom. 

This book is perfect if you are looking for:

• A humorous story about a restless child and rules that are hard to follow.

• A lively bedtime story full of animals and action.

• A Spanish-language picture book for early readers that adults also enjoy.

In your library or at home, Nunca hagas cosquillas a un tigre quickly becomes the favourite book of the most energetic kids – the ones who are always ready for “just one more page”.