Tiger trails
R. KRITHIKA
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Two children in a tiger reserve! Sure to be an exciting adventure.
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Ranjit Lal's The Small Tigers of Shergarh is a winner in two ways. One, it is a great adventure story for older children. Two, there is much information on wildlife and reserve forests, but woven into the story.
Shikha and Sunny are orphaned in an accident. Even worse, Sunny is in a state of shock and stops speaking. They wind up on the edges of the Shergarh Tiger Reserve to live with their uncle Binoy. With the forest department on their side, the children meet the tigers of Shergarh. Shikha learns to observe tigers and wildlife even as she teaches Sunny not to cling to her.
Enter Veena aunty, or "Snail Snot" as Shikha names her, and the children's lives take a turn for the worse. Forced to run away, the children disappear into the forest they love and then find they have to take on poachers as well. With their friend Ali's help, the children turn up trumps.
While the adventure races on, the reader absorbs the information on tigers and their impact on forests without realising it. There are tips on how to behave when watching wildlife. One of the most riveting episodes in the book has nothing to do with the adventure. It is instead a thrilling account of a tiger stalking and bringing down its prey.
The Small Tigers of Shergarh; Ranjit Lal, India Ink, Rs. 395.
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