The Tiger Rising

The Tiger Rising is a children’s novel by two-time Newbery Award-medalist, Kate DiCamillo. Published in 2001, The Tiger Rising is DiCamillo’s second book and was a National Book Award Finalist. Following the death of his mother, 12-year-old Rob Horton packs away his grief the way he packs his clothes when he and his father move to Lister, Florida. However, Rob’s discovery of a caged tiger in the woods and the friendship of an angry girl named Sistine begin to crack his emotional shell. As their friendship grows, Rob and Sistine face a difficult decision to free the tiger or leave it caged. Their choice has far-reaching consequences. The third-person narrative centers on Rob’s journey to reconnect with his feelings and memories. Writing in a warm, Southern dialect with simple but emotionally-resonant prose, DiCamillo examines the nature of grieving and the healing power of relationships. DiCamillo is a well-known and best-selling children's author, who has written The Beatryce Project (2021), Beverly, Right Here (2019), The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (2006),