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Tiger Tames the Min Min

The third in the Project Earth-mend Series of environmentally conscious but enjoyable novels for kids who want to learn about how to save the Earth.

After their early success with Project Earth-Mend in The Greenhouse Effect and Global Cooling, Tiger the Cat heads for the Australian Outback with his friends Wanda the Blue-tongue and the magical extraterrestrial Tark (who is disguised most of the time as a frog, but who can shape change at will into characters like Elvis Presley or Madonna) and the spaced out crow Syd to spread the word about how to save the Earth.

They pick up a new convert, Number 12, a camel who’s just retired from his racing career who leads them across the Simpson Desert to Lake Eyre, then down to the Nullarbor Plain before heading to the Red Centre in search of the mysterious Min Min Lights and The Kangaroo who has the power to enlist more Native Species in the quest to save Earth from The Great Danger.

But will the crew ever find The Kangaroo, when, at every turn, the Min Min Lights try to unrail all the good they have achieved so far in Project Earth-mend?

Reviews

Project Earth-mend has been going rather well for Tiger the cat and his crew, Wanda the blue tongue lizard, Tark the extraterrestrial frog and Syd the crow, in their adventures so far. In Tiger Tames the Min Min things could go very wrong, with others intent on ending the earthly environmental issues once and for all. Can Tiger and his crew, including newest member Number 12, a retired racing camel, convince the ever mysterious and elusive Min Min Lights, the whales and the all powerful “The Kangaroo” of dreamtime legend, to support Project Earth-mend? Could the interfering and disruptive behaviour from the Min Min spell an end for all? 

Tiger Tames the Min Min is my favourite of the two in the Project Earth-mend Series that I have read. I have a bit of a soft spot for the newest character, Number 12 the camel; he is a bit of a softie and quickly becomes a very important member of the team as they search the desert and hard to find places for the Min Min and “The Kangaroo”.

Tiger the Cat is also his very lovable self and in his cat ways knows exactly what buttons to push (or leg to rub against) in times of need. Also his mind is never far from his stomach, a very feline trait.

Another thing I never thought I would find amusing is reading about a game of cricket, however when the teams are monitors and dragon lizards things can get surprisingly fun. 

Tiger Tames the Min Min and the Project Earth-mend Series are easy to read and a fun way to explore the real environmental issues. Great books for the classroom and home, recommended for kids who enjoy a bit of adventure and who thrive on telling their parents how they should be living greener! Well done David Reiter for creating imaginative junior novels about deeper issues, without being dictating or losing the fun and adventure. The cover and chapter illustrations are gorgeous too.

– Angela Hall, Bug in a Book

This is the third entertaining book in the Project Earth-Mend series. Once again Tiger the Cat, Wanda the blue-tongue lizard and Syd the crow join with the extra terrestrial, Tark from Planet Griffon who can shape change but usually takes the form of a frog, in their quest to save the Earth from The Great Danger. Along the way, the band of eco warriors is joined by a camel named Number 12, who has decided that his racing days are over.

Number 12 leads the group to central Australia to spread the word about how to save planet Earth and to search for the mysterious Min Min lights. They also have to seek out the influential but elusive Kangaroo who has the power to enlist other native animals in the campaign. While on their important mission, the little group is confronted by Mick, another extra terrestrial from the distant Planet Abell 2218, who is on his own secret and highly questionable mission on Earth.

The underlying messages about sustainability and saving the planet are artfully integrated into an entertaining sci-fi storyline with a hint of suspense. The humour is quirky and contemporary and often quite sophisticated and will really appeal to readers who ‘get it’, for example when they make contact with sand monitors in the desert…the geeky monitor who was already so good at YouTube that he had uplpoaded a short film about water conservation and collecting bush tucker in the desert that quickly became a best seller and was aired in the Birdsville Cinemaplex instead of the popcorn and soft drink ads for a week, shortly after achieves celebrity status when the film was seen by a film producer.

There are a number of references to people and events that may go ‘over the head’ of some readers but that won’t detract from the overall storyline or intended humour. Readers who loved the first two books in the Project Earth-Mend series will love this one too, which is suitable for upper primary readers.

– Margaret Warner, Buzz Words

David P. Reiter