Emma Danger is a brave young girl, traveling the world in search of adventure. While passing by a village in Bengal, India, Emma can not help but notice that the villagers are crying, obviously distraught about something important. After inquiring as to their concerns, Emma learns that two tigers have been eating the villagers’ sheep, depriving them of both food and wool for clothing. True to her nature, Emma uses her problem solving abilities to investigate the situation and determine appropriate and successful solutions.
Written for an elementary school-aged audience, this book reads something like a fable, teaching moral lessons through a fictional lens. Large blocks of text appear on most pages, requiring a longer attention span to navigate them. Readers will appreciate Emma’s cunning as she comes up with unconventional ways of managing the village’s crisis without putting the tigers or the humans in danger. Language is no barrier, as all the humans and the tigers are able to communicate easily with one another within the story’s dialogue.
Digitally rendered illustrations depict the village where Emma Danger finds herself, juxtaposing fair-skinned, dark-haired Emma against the Indian villagers in both physical appearance and dress. Clad in a safari-like adventuring outfit, Emma commands attention in her demeanor throughout the illustrations in this story. The villagers are all wearing traditional Indian garments, surrounded by a landscape filled with greens, browns, and yellows. Each spread is saturated with color, depicting moments from the narrative within the images.
This story feels as though it could be part of a series of books about Emma Danger and her adventures, introducing readers to the global community through a common character. While the visual design and presentation could use some improvement, the story showcases some of the ways problem solving can help resolve challenges without conflict. Overall, the plot and narrative arc are intriguing ideas, and it will be interesting to see how Emma and her stories evolve with time.
