Tiger Boy

February 2, 2015
Set amid the tidal mangrove forests of the Sunderbans of India and Bangladesh, Perkins’s story follows the efforts of a boy named Neel to track down a tiger cub that has escaped from a local reserve (the Sunderbans are a Unesco World Heritage site, Perkins notes in a glossary). To pay Neel’s mother’s medical bills, his Baba (father) works all hours for a man named Gupta, a newcomer to the area who has been buying up property and cutting down rare sundari trees. With Gupta offering a reward for the capture of the tiger cub (he plans to sell its skin on the black market), Neel and his sister, Rupa, make a plan to find the cub first. Perkins’s (Bamboo People) evocative descriptions, boosted by Hogan’s dramatic pastel drawings, convey an intense love and respect for the region’s culture and environment. Readers should find it easy to become invested in the cub’s return to the reserve and in Neel’s fight to help create the best future for himself, his family, and his home. Ages 7–10. Author’s agent: Laura Rennert, Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

January 15, 2015
When a Bengali boy finds and saves a tiger cub from a man who wants to sell her on the black market, he realizes that the schoolwork he resents could lead to a career protecting his beloved Sunderbans island home.When the not-yet-weaned cub escapes from a nearby reserve, Neel and many of his neighbors join the search. But some are in the pay of greedy Gupta, a shady entrepreneur who's recently settled in their community. Even Neel's father is tempted by Gupta's money, although he knows that Gupta doesn't plan to take the cub back to the refuge. Neel and his sister use the boy's extensive knowledge of the island's swampy interior to find the cub's hiding place and lure it out so it can be returned to its mother. The Kolkota-born author visited the remote Sunderbans in the course of her research. She lovingly depicts this beautiful tropical forest in the context of Neel's efforts to find the cub and his reluctance to leave his familiar world. While the conflicts resolve a bit too easily, the sense of place is strong and the tiger cub's rescue very satisfying. Pastel illustrations will help readers envision the story. A multicultural title with obvious appeal for animal-loving middle graders. (author's note, organizations, glossary) (Fiction. 8-11)

COPYRIGHT(2015) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from February 1, 2015

Gr 3-6-Set in the lush Sundarbans natural region of Bengal, this quiet, gripping tale emphasizes the deep but often fragile connection that exists between humans and nature. Passing exams will earn young Neel a much-coveted scholarship for a private boarding school in Kolkata, and the boy's family has their dreams pinned on him, feeling that a good education will ensure him a better quality of life. But Neel is too attached to the "golpata branches swaying in the monsoon rains...the evening smell of jasmine flowers...mingling with green chilies and fresh ilish fish simmering in mustard-seed oil" to ever consider leaving his home. He studies only halfheartedly for his tests, incurring the wrath of his serious headmaster. When a female tiger cub escapes from a neighboring animal reserve, Neel is determined to find her before she's snagged by greedy poachers led by Mr. Gupta, a corrupt local businessman. Gupta employs several of the villagers, including Neel's father, tempting them with additional income if they assist in the illegal effort. Informed by real-life situations in the region, Perkins avoids black-and-white characterizations and compassionately illustrates how dire circumstances affect a person's choices. Young readers will revel in the vivid action and suspense surrounding Neel and his sister Rupa's quest to locate the tiger cub. Adults will likely praise the novel's simple and clear narrative, which belies its complexity around issues related to climate change, poor economic conditions, class structure, and gender discrimination. VERDICT Sure to encourage vital conversations among children, this is a fine addition to libraries and classrooms seeking to diversify collections.-Lalitha Nataraj, Escondido Public Library, CA

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2015
Grades 3-5 On an island in the Sunderbans of Bengal, a tiger cub escapes from its reserve, causing a stir in a nearby village. There, a boy named Neel finds searching for the cub far more interesting than studying to win a scholarship that would take him from his beloved island. When word spreads that a wealthy poacher is also looking for the lost cub, Neel knows that he must find it first to protect it from a fate on the black market. Using his knowledge of the island and his classroom smarts, he makes a plan and realizes winning the scholarship might be worthwhile after all. This story opens a door to a largely unseen corner of the world, where people live among protected mangrove forests and man-eating tigers. Charcoal drawings offer glimpses of island life, and Perkins adds authenticity by including Bangla vocabulary. The narrative raises real concerns facing the Sunderbans, and additional information and resources are provided for readers whose curiosity is sparked by Neel and his exotic home.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)