It’s a fantastical tale that no child’s bookcase should be without and has sold more than five million copies since its publication in 1968.
Now 50 years on, Judith Kerr’s classic picture book remains as well-loved as ever, with new generations constantly discovering the story’s charm.
To celebrate the milestone anniversary, a special exhibition of the author-illustrator’s work will be touring 11 National Trust locations over the next two years.
Curated by Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children’s Books in Newcastle, it gives bookworms the chance to see Judith’s artwork close up, from her childhood drawings to facsimiles of sketches of the book and subsequent releases like Mog and When Hitler Stole Pick Rabbit.
The exhibition also tells the story of her life, escaping Hitler’s Germany as a child and turning the tales she told her children into bestsellers. There will be plenty of interactive elements too, including a play kitchen with a giant cuddly tiger to make tea for.
The Tiger Who Came To Tea exhibition opens at Mottisfont in Hampshire this coming Saturday and will be open to visitors for two months, before moving to its next location.
Entry is included in the standard ticket price for the National Trust property hosting and there will be a themed walking trail for families in the grounds, too.
Here’s the full tour schedule:
2018
7 July – 2 September: Mottisfont, Hampshire
8 September – 28 October: Quarry Bank, Cheshire
3 November – 6 January 2019: Acorn Bank, Cumbria
2019
12 January – 3 March: Blickling Estate, Norfolk
9 March – 28 April: Gunby Hall, Lincolnshire
4 May – 30 June: Belfast, County Antrim and County Down
6 July – 1 September: Newark Park, Gloucestershire
7 September – 3 November: Bateman’s, East Sussex
9 November – 5 January 2020: Knole, Kent
2020
11 January – 1 March: Osterley Park, Middlesex
7 March – 29 April: Dyffryn Gardens, Vale of Glamorgan
Find out more at nationaltrust.org.uk
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