Tiger Boy by Mitali Perkins (published in 2015) follows a young boy, Neel, who lives on a small island in West Bengal. He is nominated for a scholarship that will allow him to study in a faraway city. Though his academic work is praised, Neel is reluctant to leave his family.
Against this backdrop, a tiger cub escapes from a local reserve and swims to the island where Neel lives. Neel and his sister want to save the cub, but others want to poach her for money. Neel's father (a farmer and fisherman) wants to use the poaching money to hire a tutor for Neel, as his wife (Neel's mother) is sick with dysentery.
Neel's family's situation is representative of the circumstances of many families in this region of Sundarbans (between India and Bengal), and Neel's struggle is unique for a child of his age.
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