Reviews

When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller

checkplease's review

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4.0

4.5 Stars

breakfastgrey's review

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5.0

Delay your publication date to 2021, middle grade writers, because Tae Keller has locked down 2020. If this is not in the Newbery conversation, there is no justice in this world. This book is absolutely beautiful--strong characters, engaging plot, moving emotional beats. Keller weaves everything together absolutely masterfully. Highly recommended.

whatsthestorywishbone's review

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4.0

Listened to this with Reid at his insistence for our Newbery bingo. I thought it might be too sad/old for him and tried to steer him away but surprisingly he got 99% of it. The ending of the tiger thread of the book is a bit abstract and a little hard to grasp even for me, but what this book does REALLY well is understand a introverted person’s inner workings. I really related to Lily. It also tackles cancer and death in a very straightforward way, that while unavoidably sad is also hopeful and realistic. The reader of the audiobook was amazing. I am glad I didn’t try to read this aloud as I would have pronounced all the Korean words incorrectly. The only reason I gave it 4 stars is because I felt like there were some gaps in the tiger stories, but maybe that just makes them more true to the ramblings of bedtime stories?

reganross's review

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Too young & not gripping. Reader overpronunciated 

bickie's review

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4.0

"Heartbreak is often messy" p. 284
"I thought I have to hide my heart, because I feel too much. And I thought I have to hide my story, because I think if I tell it, it is who I am forever...But when I keep it tight-tight, it eat me up. I don't see the love, all around me." p. 270

thefireandblood's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

hellorocketship's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

elsa_panda_kitten's review

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adventurous challenging emotional informative mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

It was a really good book I enjoyed it.... 3.75☄

missychristo's review against another edition

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emotional reflective

5.0

optimisticbooknerd's review

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4.0

4.5⭐
This was such a beautiful book and I definitely teared up at the end, I loved every second