The Tiger Rising was written by award-winning author Kate DiCamillo. The story takes place in Florida. The main character is a twelve-year-old boy named Rob Horton who is struggling with his emotions after his mother’s death. Living in a small town with his father, Rob feels lost and alone. His life changes when he finds a tiger locked in a cage in the woods, which mirrors his own feelings of being trapped and unable to express himself. As Rob navigates his grief, he meets Sistine Bailey, a new girl in town who becomes an important friend. Sistine is also mistreated by other children at school.  Together, Rob and Sistine bond over their shared pain and the tiger they both care about. Sistine helps Rob to face his emotions and think about what it means to be free, both for himself and for the tiger.

Although this book is short, I enjoyed it very much. The story is simple but powerful. It deals with the struggles of dealing with loss and grief, while expressing feelings of freedom and hope. The characters are highly complex and realistic. Through their development, DiCamillo teaches lessons about how to cope with death and isolation, and about the consequences of keeping emotions bottled up. I believe that most people can relate to the feelings expressed in this book, and learn from its lessons. DiCamillo is an excellent author, and this book is a great example of her ability to communicate deep emotions and the power of loving relationships. This is a very poignant book that I would recommend to anyone.

The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo is available to download for free from Libby.