Tigers in the Tower by Julia Golding is the perfect blend of history and fiction, bringing a colourful period in England's history to life through the eyes of an Indian girl and the Tigers that she loves.
Sahira is bound for England and an exciting new life with her parents and the two Tigers they are delivering for the King's menagerie at the Tower of London. Her English Father who is an animal tracker and trader, and Indian born Mother. However when tragedy strikes and both parents die on the journey, Sahira is left an orphan in a strange land with no family to speak for her and must find a way to escape the orphanage where she has been abandoned.
With everything and everyone she knows and loves torn from her, Sahira jumps at the chance to work at the Menagerie to be with her beloved Tigers when they need her, and her resourceful nature and high intelligence soon start to think of plans to make herself independent - and to be accepted by her Father's high born family.
The beauty of the story for me was the resilience of Sahira, her courage, strength and refusal to be anything other than herself despite the hopelessness of the situation she finds herself in is inspiring. She remains true to herself which is a life lesson for us all.
Rich in historical detail and interesting insights into the early days of exotic animal keeping in England, young fans of both Historical Fiction and Animal Stories will not be disappointed. Right from the first page the story of Sahira, her Tigers and her fight to save them and herself will pull you in and immerse you in Georgian England until the very last page!
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The Tigers in the Tower
Written by: Julia Golding
Illustrated by: Keith Robinson
Publisher: Lion Fiction
