Tiger Boy by Mitali Perkins

When Neel hears a tiger cub has gone missing from the nature reserve, he's worried.  They have lots of natural predators on the island and the new landowner is a big predator himself.  He wants the tiger cub so he can sell the cub's body parts and make a lot of money.

Charlesbridge Publishing and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It is being published today, so check with your local bookstore for a copy.

Neel is a good student at everything but math.  He has chance for a scholarship and he's supposed to be concentrating on improving his math.  He'd rather hunt for the tiger cub.  He really doesn't want to leave his home and family for school.  But with an education, he'd be able to get a better job and help his family.  When the school master says the only way he will make it is with a tutor's help, it gets even worse.  All his father can do to make more money is work for Mr. Gupta.  And Gupta wants to find the tiger cub.

This is the story of a young man's journey towards adulthood.  He feels awful about the pressure on his father and about the missing tiger cub.  He's going to save the tiger cub first.  It's a good thing he has a strong family and was raised with the right beliefs.

I like Ms. Perkins way of making you see the environment you are in and her characters are full of life.  Neel has some tough decisions to make.  He does well with that despite the odds.  I admire how he works out his problems.  Why not visit the Sunderbans of West Bengal?

Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins

War is hard for everyone, but it is especially tough on teenagers who must become men almost overnight.

Charlesbridge provided me with a copy of this book for review, and the publicist was very excited about it. She was right, it is an excellent read for young adults or even older adults, such as myself.

Chiko wants to be a teacher. His father, a doctor, has been imprisoned for resisting the government. Chiko needs to support his mother, so he tries to get a job. And, instead, get captured by the same government. They put him in the army even though he does not want to fight.

Tu Reh remembers the army burning his home and bamboo field, and he and his fellow Karenni people have no love for the Burmese.

When these two boys meet in the forest on their first missions in war (on opposite sides), the conflicts are not just physical - they're also mental. Each boy has to mature, has to make their own decisions and has to live with the results of that judgement.

Ms. Perkins does an excellent job of describing war times and the types of people who rise to the surface during volatile times, both good and bad. There's a bit of humor, some unexpected friendships, and a lot of tension. But it's very realistic and will give your young reader a taste of war and how confusing things can get.

I highly recommend this book. It should be required reading for all young male adults. Life is not easy.