Reviews with content warning for Grief - When You Trap a Tiger

I don't typically read middle grade books as there aren't any children in my family, however, I usually try to get in one or two in March. I had been eyeballing this one for a while and finally decided to pick it up. I am so happy I did as it might be one of my best reads of the month!

When You Trap A Tiger follows a young girl named Lily as she copes with her grandmother/halmoni's terminal illness. While it is designed to be understandable for a child, it is something that I think will also resonate with adults.

One of the things that I most loved about this book was the way that Korean culture was mixed in to the story. There are some folklore elements that weave in and out of the narrative, but that isn't the only bit. We get Korean words, food, and cultural practices as well. It really created a rich character background and provides a bit of education on Korean culture.

I also really loved the relationship between Lily and her halmoni. This is the sort of relationship I think most people would be/would have been happy to have with their own grandmother. When Lily is scared or upset, halmoni takes the time to understand her and make her feel seen. When halmoni is ailing, Lily is trying everything in her mind to help her.

The themes covered in this book are really great as well. The primary theme is dealing with a terminal illness, but it also explores grief, fitting in, speaking kindly, apologizing when we make mistakes, the dangers of stereotyping, and the bonds between family members. It's all remarkably written in ways that would be understandable for kids.

All in all, I really highly recommend this for anyone looking for an age appropriate book about grief and death. I could see this being a good book for a family to read together and maybe discuss after.

Content Warnings

melancholymegs's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-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

4.75

Content Warnings

marywahlmeierbracciano's review

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emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

When You Trap a Tiger is a lovely book that focuses on familial bonds and is guided by Korean folklore. The main character, Lily, has just moved to a new place, and making friends isn’t easy for her. Her grandmother is experiencing illness and memory loss, her sister is struggling with grief for their father (whom Lily doesn’t remember), and her mom is stressed and preoccupied. Lily processes her complicated feelings through interactions with a giant, magical tiger that appears only to her. Amidst beautiful symbolism, she learns that stories are powerful, and change is inevitable. This book shines like the stars in the sky.

Content Warnings

amandalorianxo's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

This reads as a middle grade novel (I’m assuming this is) or super young adult however it’s deeply impactful and I would recommend this to anyone who has a fifth, sixth or seventh grader looking to branch out in their reading. Some parts may have needed to be tightened or a little bit more consistent but overall, a stand-alone that holds its own.

Content Warnings

rieviolet's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful 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

5.0

It's been quite some time since I read a middle-grade book but this one came highly recommended and I really needed a lovely and magical story to cheer me up.
It really is a lovely and magical story, although it also deals with some difficult and sad topics and the ending made me shed many tears. Still, it is nice sometimes to have a bit of a cathartic crying session and to come out of it feeling a bit more hopeful and encouraged.

I really liked the characterization and the interactions between characters. I thought that the author did a wonderful job of translating Lily's feelings and fears on the page.

Also, I really appreciated the author's note, it was very nice and moving to learn more about the story's origins and the writing process.

"Take your history, undestand where you came from and who you are - then find your own story. Create the story of who you are yet to be".

...maybe this is how healing starts - small bits of happiness waking up inside you, until maybe one day it spreads through your whole self.

Content Warnings

clarabooksit's review

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emotional 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

4.0

Content Warnings

atamano's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Content Warnings

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