The Hunt for the Tasmanian Tiger by David Webby

Title: The Hunt for the Tasmanian Tiger

Author: David Webby

Genre: Adventure

Publisher: Tree of Life Creations

Published: 27^th September 2024

Format: Paperback

Pages: 256

Price: $19.95

Synopsis: The Tasmanian Tiger is thought to be extinct, but the Great Mother disagrees. She asks two native bush mice, Harry and Larry, to find the remaining Tasmanian Tigers and warn them of approaching danger. The mice brothers overhear a secret plan to cut down rainforest in the heart of the Tarkine, where the Tasmanian Tigers are thought to be hiding. Brothers Harry and Larry must find a small population of Tasmanian Tigers and warn them of plans to log their precious habitat, the Tarkine Rainforest.

But timber-getter Sly Hatchett loves hunting prized animals, and his sights are set firmly on the Tasmanian Tiger.  Meanwhile, a ravenous Wedge-tailed Eagle throws Harry and Larry’s mission into disarray.

Can Harry and Larry save the remaining Tasmanian Tigers before it’s too late?

~*~

Harry and Larry are two native bush mice from the Bunya Mountains in Queensland. In this adventure, they’re off to Tasmania with Charlie and Izzy Humpledink – but are caught at quarantine before they can head off. At the museum, Harry and Larry meet the Great Mother, who gives them a quest to save the last Tasmanian Tigers. The last Tasmanian Tigers? Everyone questions this, as the tigers have been extinct for almost 90 years. But the ones remaining in hiding are in danger from loggers in unexplored places.

And so, the mice and Charlie head off to the Tarkine, where danger awaits and the mice are snatched away by Wally the Wedge-tailed Eagle – and they need to convince him that they’re not a tasty snack but there on a mission!

Once this novel gets going, it goes between Harry and Larry, and Charlie as they explore the Tarkine and search for the Thylacine, or Tasmanian Tigers, and try to thwart Hatchett. There aren’t many fantasy books that take place in Australia, which is a place that has so many possibilities for a fantasy adventure, it’s hard to believe that it hasn’t been done before. The environment, history and array of cultures can provide all sorts of inspiration, such as this one has done with Tasmania and the Tarkine, pulling real-world concerns, issues and figures into a world of talking animals and a desire to save an animal that is extinct.

The book goes between Charlie’s point of view and Harry and Larry, as they work with the Great Mother and other animals to thwart the logger and hunter, and save the Thylacine, with all sorts of obstacles along the way. Whilst it comes across as a simple story, it has layers of complexity that revolve around logging, environmentalism and conservation that show the uneasy predicament that the Tasmanian environment is in during this book. Using animals and humour to address conversation issues makes this book accessible for readers aged eight and over, who might be starting to gain an awareness of these issues and how they affect the world.

Books like this are entertaining and educational, because they combine a fun adventure with useful facts and information to allow children to learn about a range of issues in safe and fun way. It’s the kind of book that can capture the importance of nature, how we interact with it and how we can protect it – even if there are only small things some people can do.