THE MAN-EATING TIGERS OF SUNDARBANS by Sy Montgomery

1. Bibliographic data

Sy, Montgomery. 2001. The Man-Eating Tigers of Sundarbans. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 0-6184-9490-1.

2. Plot summary

Sy Montgomery investigates the myth behind man-eating tigers near a remote Indian village. Montgomery provides information about the region, the village and its people, tigers in general and specific to the region, and ties in the village culture as she seeks to learn more about the man-eating tigers.

3. Critical Analysis

I'm of the opinion that this book is relatively accurate. The village that Montgomery has researched for The Man-Eating Tigers of Sundarbans is very remote and her research was very extensive. Despite it being published six years ago, I believe that this book is pretty up-to-date considering the subject matter and Montgomery's extensive research process. I don't know how long it took for her to write this, but I would imagine it took her a while to compile the data and put it into a book format.

Montgomery interviewed a wide variety of sources including villagers and local government officials. She clearly distinguishes between fact and theory after she lists a set of theories concerning why tigers have been attacking men: "All of these are ideas, not answers. Scientists call such ideas hypotheses. Which ones seem most likely to you?"

As an author, naturalist, newspaper columnist, documentary scriptwriter, radio commentator, and an affiliate of National Geographic, I find Sy Montgomery very qualified and I believe her work in The Man-Eating Tigers of Sundarbans to be accurate.

Montgomery's layout is very easy to follow and aids in the process of understanding the material. She goes from general to specific in describing the country of India and then the village. She discusses tigers in general first, and then focuses on the tigers near the village. I found this technique really helped me understand the big picture first, which aided me in comprehending the intricacies of the man-eating tigers. There are headings for each section such as "The Tiger is Watching," "A Visit to Sundarbans," and "How Tigers Live." The sequence is clear and made sense to me. There is an index and supplementary back material. The illustrations are appropriate and provide visual representation of what is being described in the text.

I loved the design of this book. I was a little afraid when I saw the cover of the book: a huge tiger head peers menacingly at you! However, the inside of the book accustoms the reader to the world of tigers through friendly text and beautiful pictures. I found Montgomery very readable and felt as if we interacted throughout the book. The layout was very appropriate for the book -- I didn't get confused and followed along quite easily.

Montgomery has a very lively, inquisitive writing style. I could tell she was very excited about the man-eating tigers mystery: "As you travel the waterways in your boat, you will find their [tigers'] footprints everywhere. There, in the wet mud of the riverbank, you can see where a huge tiger hauled itself out of the water! You can even see where the tiger extended its great claws to keep from slipping in the mud." By inserting words such as "everywhere," "even," as well as an exclamation mark, one can tell that Montgomery is in wonder of the tigers she describes.

Montgomery uses questions to encourage the readers curiosity: "Is this what really happened? Are the tigers who live in this forest different from other tigers? Why do they hunt people? Do these tigers really have power other tigers don't?" These questions about tigers at the beginning of the book gets the reader excited to read more and find answers.

Montgomery never talks down to the reader. All of her language is easy to understand, and she never uses big words or scientific jargon that the public wouldn't understand -- let alone children.

Montgomery challenges students to think critically in The Man-Eating Tigers of Sundarbans. She repeatedly asks students to take notes and reflect on them: "Go over the details of the stories in your notebook. The people say that the tigers can appear from nowhere and can fly through the air. Can this really be true?" These directions ask children to collect information -- just like Montgomery has -- and think for themselves. She encourages them to ask questions and come to their own conclusions.

This is a great book for adults and children. There is so much to be learned about this region of the country, tigers, and this legend. I found it quite fascinating and I think you will too!

4. Review Excerpts

"These unusual creatures of the Sundarbans-a mangrove forest stretching along the Bay of Bengal in India and Bangladesh-really do hunt and eat humans. Montgomery invites readers to journey with her to the region to better understand these elusive animals. "And here you-leave cars behind. You can get to the tigers' forest only by boat." She introduces several knowledgeable residents who describe their experiences. The author also explains many aspects of the rapid loss of the world's tiger population, the little understood behavior of this region's tigers, the lives and beliefs of local people, and the special features of the habitat and its role in supporting a chain of animal life. The largely conjectural knowledge of the tigers is handled carefully, but the lack of immediacy may tax the patience of readers expecting the more dramatic encounter with tigers suggested by the title and cover photo. The mysterious creatures are well concealed by the mangroves, and the few appearing here in handsome photographs are actually in captivity. There are also fine views of other animals, the natural setting, and the people. Montgomery's personal enthusiasm and knowledge extend nicely into the book's informative concluding elements that include fast facts, a glossary of Bengali phrases, a list of related organizations, and comments on the photographs." - School Library Journal

"The author of the acclaimed Snake Scientist (1999) has spun off this title from her 1995 adult book Spell of the Tiger, but this oversize volume has clearly been written with young people in mind. It immediately captures attention with fresh, engaging writing that turns a scientific study into a page-turning mystery. Montgomery carefully sets the place: a flooded forest called the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve, which runs along the bay dividing India from Bangladesh. The tigers living there, unlike most tigers, prey on people--and most of their victims are men. Montgomery, who took four trips to Sundarbans, first introduces normal tiger behavior, then takes readers right into the heart of the tiger reserve and surrounding areas. She offers the scientists' take as well as the villagers' perspective, concluding that folktales and religious beliefs about the tigers can be just as true as what science has to say. Interestingly, for an oversize, glossy book, the color photographs aren't the drawing card. In fact, tigers are often missing from the sometimes pedestrian photos (no doubt, as Montgomery explains, because the animals are extremely hard to see). It's the text, with as many questions as answers, that excites, as a fascinating topic meets a talented storyteller." - Booklist

5. Connections

Related Books:

Clutton-Brock, Juliet. 1991. Eyewitness Books: World of Cats. New York: Knopf. 0863186246.

Higgins, Maria. 1998. Cats: From Tigers to Tabbies. New York: Crown. 0517800039.

Stonehouse, Bernard. 1999. A Visual Introduction to Wild Cats. New York: Checkmark Books. 0816039259.

Thapar, Valmik. 1999. Tiger: Habitats, Life Cycles, Food Chains, Threats . Austin, Tex.: Raintree. 0739809466.