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Synopsis (From GoodReads):
Walking through the misty Florida woods one morning, twelve-year-old Rob Horton is stunned to encounter a tiger - a real-life, very large tiger - pacing back and forth in a cage. What’s more, on the same extraordinary day, he meets Sistine Bailey, a girl who shows her feelings as readily as Rob hides his. As they learn to trust each other, and ultimately, to be friends, Rob and Sistine prove that some things - like memories, and heartaches, and tigers - can’t be locked up forever.
Review:
At 115 pages, I would consider this book more of a short story or novella rather than a full book. Having said that, I think The Tiger Rising is a powerful book. The story deals with a sixth-grade student named Rob, who is dealing with the loss of his mother. Keeping all his emotions in his mental "suitcase" Rob is numb to the events happening to him. Kids bully him and beat him up: no reaction. He and his dad live in a run-down motel: no reaction. This goes on until two things happen to him. He meets another student, Sistine, who is angry at the world over her parents divorce, and he finds a Tiger locked in a cage in the woods. Who does this tiger belong to? Should he let the tiger go? The tiger is obviously a symbol of Rob's emotions being bottled up for so long.
I enjoyed this book for how it handles all of the difficult situations the characters are in. Each person in the story is fully formed and complicated. Just as the ethical dilemma about letting the Tiger go is explored, so is the argument for and against letting your emotions out. This book is geared toward fourth through sixth grade students. I think it is a book that will get students thinking about many deep topics and hopefully learning empathy for kids going through rough times.
Rating: 
Source: Public Library
Format: Paperback
Recommendation: A powerful story for grades 4-6.
Will I read more from this author: Yes!
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