When a tiger cub escapes from a nature reserve near Neel’s island village, the rangers and villagers hurry to find her before the cub’s anxious mother follows suit and endangers them all. Mr. Gupta, a rich newcomer to the island, is also searching—he wants to sell the cub’s body parts on the black market. Neel and his sister, Rupa, resolve to find the cub first and bring her back to the reserve where she belongs.
The hunt for the cub interrupts Neel’s preparations for an exam to win a prestigious scholarship at a boarding school far from home. Neel doesn’t mind—he dreads the exam and would rather stay on his beloved island in the Sunderbans of West Bengal with his family and friends.
But through his encounter with the cub, Neil learns that sometimes you have to take risks to preserve what you love. And sometimes you have to sacrifice the present for the chance to improve the future.
Review:I received this book through the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This book gets a very loud RECOMMEND! The story touched me from the start. I initially chose it on NetGalley because I was looking for a book to share with my children. Sadly, I had to leave them behind as I got to the meat of this book. I still plan on going back to it and completing it with them, but I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. The first thing that drew me into this book was the cover art. It is both simple and beautiful. The use of bold, ethnic colors keeps with the themes of strength, and nature conservation which throughout the book.
The plot was both well thought out and well written. I did find the story to be a bit predictable, however when reading stories that are intended for younger readers I tend to weigh that a bit less in my overall impression of the content. Although I guessed the outcome of the story in or around the 3rd chapter; that knowledge didn't deter me from wanting to read the book. The descriptions of life in the village were so detailed that in some sections I felt like I was walking through the Mangrove Forest with the main character, Neel. The character development was also very well done.
I definitely felt a connection with every character from the greatest to the smallest. All stayed true to the societal norms that exist in their village. I was overjoyed at the end of the story as I felt thoroughly invested both in their happiness and success. Underlying the main theme of nature conservation lies a truly beautiful coming of age tale. I was incredibly happy that I got the opportunity to read this book.
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