Roar

A tiger-obsessed fifth grader finds purpose—and peril—awaiting him abroad in this absorbing eco-conscious adventure. Eleven-year-old Rohan Kumar—feeling adrift in the bustling Texas home she shares with his parents and twin baby sisters—leaps at the opportunity to spend December in India with his grandparents and cousin Mira. Most exciting for Ro is his grandfather’s employment at the Vanraj Sanctuary, home to Bengal tigers. Once there, Ro discovers that the forest sanctuary is under threat from a mining consortium planning excavation nearby. Alarmed by the potential devastation to the locale’s ecosystem, Ro and Mira resolve to help in their grandfather’s advocacy efforts by supporting his legal appeals, reviewing camera-trap footage, and searching for poachers’ snares. Riveting third-person narration primarily centers Ro while occasionally spotlighting chapters from the perspective of Arya, a tiger whose survival hangs in the balance, which lend immediacy to the conservation stakes. Introspective language seamlessly incorporates accessible information about the animals’ storied place in India’s cultural and environmental history. As the cousins confront not only habitat loss but also the sobering realities of greed and mortality, Bajaj (Thirst) juggles suspense with sensitivity, crafting vibrant characters and a propulsive plot that underscores the cost of inaction in a heartfelt, page-turning call to stewardship. An author’s note concludes. Ages 8–12. Agent: Caryn Wiseman, Andrea Brown Literary. (May)