Sometimes, it takes a while to get to a book, even though you come across it everywhere. Tiger Boy by Mitali Perkins was like that for me. I knew it was set in the Sunderbans, and that it has sold over a lakh copies. I bought a copy, and yet, it sat unread on my shelf for months. I finally read it, and I’m looking forward to introducing it to my book clubbers! It’s a story about being true to yourself, making difficult decisions, and persevering even when it feels like the world is against you. Another book that reminded me of Red Eyes, I loved venturing with the protagonist Neel deep into the forest, as he struggles to balance what he wants with what he must do.
Imagery
As someone who loves visiting jungles, a book set in a forest opens up all kinds of possibilities. As we read Tiger Boy, we will work on bringing all five senses alive through a short description. What sights, sounds and smells would we encounter in a forest? How would our experience be different from that of another creature, perhaps one that lives in the forest?
Convincing Language
Neel must convince his parents that saving the tiger cub is the right thing to do. How do we convince people? Let’s play a game to find out!
A Difficult Decision
Often, children struggle with writing conflict, especially internal conflict. Once we finish reading Tiger Boy, we will work on a short story about a difficult decision. Step by step, I will lead the children through the process of writing a story so that we create a full-fledged, believable character in a story that shies away from teaching you a lesson.
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