Megan Offerman

Dear Kate DiCamillo,

Have you ever tried to lock all of your thoughts, feelings, and memories locked inside you forever? Have you tried not to let anything escape?

I have. In your book, The Tiger Rising, Rob Horton keeps all of his feelings, memories, and thoughts locked inside of him like a suitcase. After reading your book, I became like Rob; I also learned how to open my suitcase.

Rob discovers the importance of good friends when he meets Sistine, who is new to town. They develop a special friendship and share their feelings and memories. A good friend is someone you can share your feelings and other suitcase contents with.

I also have good friends I can share my suitcase contents with. Friends are important to me because they are special people who will always listen to anything that comes from your suitcase.

I felt glad as I read the part of your book where Rob and Sistine set the tiger free. But the glad feeling lasted a mere second. It quickly turned to shock and sorrow because I wasn't expecting the tiger to be shot and killed.

The tiger in your book represents the dog I used to have. I had been delighted to finally have a four-legged friend. But one day it left me and was gone forever.

Losing my dog made me open my suitcase Losing the tiger made Rob open his suitcase. Rob and I were both able to let our sorrow escape. We both learned to deal with our grief; Rob learned to deal with losing his mother years before, as well as losing his tiger.
 
Reading your book has inspired me to reflect on my own suitcase, along with my desire to empty its contents. Now I feel that I can let all (or at least most of) my feelings escape. I have found good friends to share its contents with.

Now I know that not everything can, or should, stay inside me anymore.

Sincerely,
Megan Offerman