Dickens & Rumi
Cover of The Tiger Rising

film

The Tiger Rising

2022

When 12-year-old Rob Horton discovers a caged tiger in the woods near his home, his imagination runs wild and life begins to change in the most unexpected ways. With the help of a wise and mysterious maid, Willie May and the stubborn new girl in school, he must navigate through childhood memories, heartache, and wondrous adventures.

Ages 10+Source checked

Why this age? The film is generally family-oriented but includes bereavement, bullying, a caged and later shot tiger, an armed confrontation, and emotionally intense grief. Younger children may need support discussing loss and animal harm. This is guidance, not a safety guarantee; reading level and family context may differ.

Quick view

At a glance

Recommended age10+

Strongest cautions

  • Death of a character3/5
  • Frightening scenes3/5
  • Violence3/5

Strongest positives

  • Positive messages4/5
  • Courage & resilience3/5
  • Creativity & curiosity3/5

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What’s in it?

Death of a character3/5
Why this rating?

The film centers on the off-screen death of the protagonist's mother and the on-screen shooting death of a tiger.

Graphic injury1/5
Why this rating?

The death of the tiger is depicted but is not overly graphic or bloody.

Strong language1/5
Why this rating?

Occasional mild language and name-calling typical of school bullying.

Religious themes1/5
Why this rating?

No religious practice, though a mention of the Sistine Chapel occurs as a proper noun.

Romance1/5
Why this rating?

Features a platonic, developing friendship between two pre-teens.

Frightening scenes3/5
Why this rating?

Children encounter a caged tiger, release it, hear a gunshot, and face an armed confrontation. The tiger’s death adds danger and distress, though the film is family-rated.

Violence3/5
Why this rating?

Bullying and harassment occur repeatedly; children fight back, a father grapples with an armed man, and a tiger is shot.

What’s good in it?

Courage & resilience3/5
Why this rating?

Children confront bullying, grief, abandonment, and a dangerous captive tiger while trying to act according to their convictions.

Creativity & curiosity3/5
Why this rating?

Imagination, drawing, wood carving, art, memory, and inventive emotional imagery are important ways characters understand and cope with life.

Diverse representation2/5
Why this rating?

Features diverse characters, though the narrative focus is specifically on the leads' trauma.

Educational value2/5
Why this rating?

It introduces Michelangelo, the Sistine Chapel, art techniques, and emotional vocabulary, though education is not its primary purpose.

Kindness & empathy3/5
Why this rating?

Friendship, advocacy, caring adults, emotional support, and helping others through grief are central to the story.

Positive messages4/5
Why this rating?

Strong themes of emotional healing, the importance of expressing grief, and empathy.

Good role models3/5
Why this rating?

The children grow through their challenges; adults are flawed but show character growth.

Family discussion

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Conversation starters based on this title’s published content notes.

  1. What message do you think the story most wants you to remember?
  2. How did the story approach death or loss? What helped the characters cope?
  3. Which choice in The Tiger Rising would you have made differently, and why?
  4. Who changed the most in The Tiger Rising, and what caused that change?
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These content notes are a starting point, not a guarantee. Review the evidence and use your own judgment before choosing a title.

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