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story_sanctuary's review against another edition
5.0
I feel like this book slipped right into my TBR calendar almost as elusively as the Tasmanian tigers in the story. I’d never heard of a Tasmanian tiger or Thylacine until reading MUSIC FOR TIGERS. As I read descriptions of them– the stiff tail, dog-like face, tiger stripes– my curiosity only grew until I had to look online and get a visual for it. I found some video footage of the last Tasmanian tiger in captivity. It’s pretty wild looking!
In terms of the story, I loved Louisa from the getgo. I loved her passion for her music and felt a kinship with her over her battle with anxiety. I loved the way her relationship with her uncle developed as well as with her neighbor, Colin, who is possibly my favorite character in the whole book. I definitely identified with his mom and her heartbreak over Colin’s hurts and loneliness. She so wants him to find his people, and I absolutely feel like I get that.
The plot was not what drove the story for me. I think I kept wanting them to come up with a way to save the camp or raise awareness of the animals that destroying it endangered. But that wasn’t really the story. It was more an internal growth story about Louisa coming to understand her family and fall in love with things she didn’t expect to, which I really love, but it’s hard to make that as compelling a plot as something more concrete.
On the whole, I’m super glad I read this book and really enjoyed it. I think fans of BE LIGHT LIKE A BIRD or CHIRP will enjoy MUSIC FOR TIGERS. I know I’ll be recommending it!
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
In terms of the story, I loved Louisa from the getgo. I loved her passion for her music and felt a kinship with her over her battle with anxiety. I loved the way her relationship with her uncle developed as well as with her neighbor, Colin, who is possibly my favorite character in the whole book. I definitely identified with his mom and her heartbreak over Colin’s hurts and loneliness. She so wants him to find his people, and I absolutely feel like I get that.
The plot was not what drove the story for me. I think I kept wanting them to come up with a way to save the camp or raise awareness of the animals that destroying it endangered. But that wasn’t really the story. It was more an internal growth story about Louisa coming to understand her family and fall in love with things she didn’t expect to, which I really love, but it’s hard to make that as compelling a plot as something more concrete.
On the whole, I’m super glad I read this book and really enjoyed it. I think fans of BE LIGHT LIKE A BIRD or CHIRP will enjoy MUSIC FOR TIGERS. I know I’ll be recommending it!
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
ceabooks's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
fast-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
3.75
lifewithmisskate's review against another edition
5.0
In a single word: brilliant.
From start to finish, Music for Tigers is absolutely brilliant.
The power of Kadarusman's story telling of Louisa discovering truths of her family, world, and self, is intricately interwoven with discussions of deforestation, species extinction, effects of mining, neurodiversity and the difficulties that arise from being neurally diverse, childhood anxiety, normalizing cognitve behavioral therapy, the strength of family, friends, and nature.
Music for Tigers is a book for all ages, we are blessed to have Michelle Kadarusman's voice speaking to our next generation of readers. By far one of my favorite reads of the year.
Buy this as a gift for every young or young at heart person you know, and pick up a copy for yourself while you're at it.
From start to finish, Music for Tigers is absolutely brilliant.
The power of Kadarusman's story telling of Louisa discovering truths of her family, world, and self, is intricately interwoven with discussions of deforestation, species extinction, effects of mining, neurodiversity and the difficulties that arise from being neurally diverse, childhood anxiety, normalizing cognitve behavioral therapy, the strength of family, friends, and nature.
Music for Tigers is a book for all ages, we are blessed to have Michelle Kadarusman's voice speaking to our next generation of readers. By far one of my favorite reads of the year.
Buy this as a gift for every young or young at heart person you know, and pick up a copy for yourself while you're at it.
pratt_kat23's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
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
4.0
jeanettesonya's review against another edition
5.0
Forest of Reading, Silver Birch Fiction Nominee. Read aloud and recorded, cover to cover, for my students, since access to paper copies is tough this year with quarantine protocols. Will they appreciate my efforts? Who knows. I appreciate the publisher and author for granting me permission to create these recordings!
The book itself was fantastic. The setting was gorgeous. the plot had just enough in it to propel the reader forward. I thought the theme of neurodiversity and friendship was well handled, though I am not an expert and will need to read a few reviews to confirm that.
The book itself was fantastic. The setting was gorgeous. the plot had just enough in it to propel the reader forward. I thought the theme of neurodiversity and friendship was well handled, though I am not an expert and will need to read a few reviews to confirm that.
lauriehnatiuk's review against another edition
5.0
Thank you to the publisher for an ARC of this book for #bookportage.
I loved spending time and getting to know not only Louisa but her extended family in Tasmania Canadian author @michellekadarusman’s upcoming novel Music for Tigers will be a wonderful addition to classrooms and librarians and will be of interest to a wide range of readers which is one of its many strengths.
Louisa lives in Toronto but is being sent to Tasmania to spend the summer with her mother’s brother. Louisa does not want to go. She is a violinist and has an upcoming audition and going to an off the beaten path residence is not appealing at all.
Upon her arrival Louisa has to make adjustments. Her uncle is focused on a dying pig-footed bandicoot rather than her, she is isolated in the middle of the Tasmanian jungle surrounded by all kinds of creatures, noises and unwanted smells and her nearest neighbour is a mother and her son Colin, who is autistic and is a jeep ride away.
Despite all the sudden changes, it is her own family’s history of her great grandmother Eleanor and her tie to the animals ,in particular the Tasmanian Tiger that allows her to open her eyes and her heart to the rainforest. Colin also comes to stay with her uncle and takes Louisa on hikes and shares his knowledge of the animals and plants that live there and the two become friends. Louisa learns that her great grandmother too was a musician and it was her music that played a role with the Tasmanian Tiger and helped repopulate them. Louisa learns and begins to understand the deep rooted connection her uncle and family has with the animals and the land. In the same way, her grandmother’s music helped the Tasmanian Tiger, she too has the chance to use her music to possibly save a Tasmanian Tiger thought to be extinct.
Themes of animals, protecting the environment, music or playing an instrument, wonder how to make friends, autism, anxiety, fitting in, family relationships are all covered in this moving story - there is something for everyone to identify and connect with in this story. I loved how the friendship Colin and Louisa developed and how they both supported one another (especially the camera scene). As an animal lover I enjoyed learning more about unfamiliar animals and appreciated the presence of the Aboriginals and the important role they had in the story. Preorder or look for it April 28.
I loved spending time and getting to know not only Louisa but her extended family in Tasmania Canadian author @michellekadarusman’s upcoming novel Music for Tigers will be a wonderful addition to classrooms and librarians and will be of interest to a wide range of readers which is one of its many strengths.
Louisa lives in Toronto but is being sent to Tasmania to spend the summer with her mother’s brother. Louisa does not want to go. She is a violinist and has an upcoming audition and going to an off the beaten path residence is not appealing at all.
Upon her arrival Louisa has to make adjustments. Her uncle is focused on a dying pig-footed bandicoot rather than her, she is isolated in the middle of the Tasmanian jungle surrounded by all kinds of creatures, noises and unwanted smells and her nearest neighbour is a mother and her son Colin, who is autistic and is a jeep ride away.
Despite all the sudden changes, it is her own family’s history of her great grandmother Eleanor and her tie to the animals ,in particular the Tasmanian Tiger that allows her to open her eyes and her heart to the rainforest. Colin also comes to stay with her uncle and takes Louisa on hikes and shares his knowledge of the animals and plants that live there and the two become friends. Louisa learns that her great grandmother too was a musician and it was her music that played a role with the Tasmanian Tiger and helped repopulate them. Louisa learns and begins to understand the deep rooted connection her uncle and family has with the animals and the land. In the same way, her grandmother’s music helped the Tasmanian Tiger, she too has the chance to use her music to possibly save a Tasmanian Tiger thought to be extinct.
Themes of animals, protecting the environment, music or playing an instrument, wonder how to make friends, autism, anxiety, fitting in, family relationships are all covered in this moving story - there is something for everyone to identify and connect with in this story. I loved how the friendship Colin and Louisa developed and how they both supported one another (especially the camera scene). As an animal lover I enjoyed learning more about unfamiliar animals and appreciated the presence of the Aboriginals and the important role they had in the story. Preorder or look for it April 28.
jenniefallis's review against another edition
2.0
Winter in Australia is in June-August. January is like the hottest month of the year. I think this book confused the seasons, but it says the author is from Australia, so she would know.
I found this book boring. The big action is trapping a Tasmanian Tiger - but the readers do not even really see it happen. I kept waiting for her to find a deed to the land or something saying they could keep the camp? Or have a stand off with the councilors? But that never happened. Everyone just accepts that the bulldozers are coming. I also did not understand the point of including the camp having the fire? I wish there had been more of a mystery there.
I found this book boring. The big action is trapping a Tasmanian Tiger - but the readers do not even really see it happen. I kept waiting for her to find a deed to the land or something saying they could keep the camp? Or have a stand off with the councilors? But that never happened. Everyone just accepts that the bulldozers are coming. I also did not understand the point of including the camp having the fire? I wish there had been more of a mystery there.
anjreading's review against another edition
4.0
This was a really interesting middle-grade novel that sent me to Wikipedia multiple times to look up extinct Tasmanian animals. I always love when I’m learning something new and interesting from a novel. Louisa has been shipped halfway around the world to spend the summer with her mother’s eccentric brother at a rustic camp in the remote Tasmanian rainforest. All Louisa cares about is practicing her violin for an upcoming youth orchestra audition, but at the camp, she is drawn in to her family’s history with the supposedly extinct Tasmanian tiger. She also befriends neighbor boy Colin, who is on the autism spectrum and helps stoke her newfound interest in nature. A heart-warming coming of age story.
kmspedden's review against another edition
5.0
*I received a free ARC of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Music for Tigers is a fantastic coming of age story. There are many different things dealt with In the novel and they all flow together so well. It’s crazy knowing that there were animals that were abundant at one time and people deciding they were pests killed them off. And yes you know that there aren’t really tigers running around Tasmania and that no one has noticed them yet but it is a wonderful thought thinking they could be out there somewhere. That people cared enough about the animals to protect them. It also handles autism and anxiety very well. There are some stories that slap that label on people and don’t do much other then write a character as ‘socially awkward; or something like that but Coli is so well rounded. He’s someone that knows his limits and has moments where he’s overwhelmed and has ways to self calm just like someone does in real life.
It’s such a realistic portrayal that I think it’s perfect for a middle grade book when kids are starting to really see things and there are always the problems with bullying. It shows that he’s not ‘odd’ or ‘weird’ (words used in the book to say what he isn’t) but a child that’s different just like everyone else. I would fully recommend this book both for it’s characters and it’s story. I really enjoyed it.
Music for Tigers is a fantastic coming of age story. There are many different things dealt with In the novel and they all flow together so well. It’s crazy knowing that there were animals that were abundant at one time and people deciding they were pests killed them off. And yes you know that there aren’t really tigers running around Tasmania and that no one has noticed them yet but it is a wonderful thought thinking they could be out there somewhere. That people cared enough about the animals to protect them. It also handles autism and anxiety very well. There are some stories that slap that label on people and don’t do much other then write a character as ‘socially awkward; or something like that but Coli is so well rounded. He’s someone that knows his limits and has moments where he’s overwhelmed and has ways to self calm just like someone does in real life.
It’s such a realistic portrayal that I think it’s perfect for a middle grade book when kids are starting to really see things and there are always the problems with bullying. It shows that he’s not ‘odd’ or ‘weird’ (words used in the book to say what he isn’t) but a child that’s different just like everyone else. I would fully recommend this book both for it’s characters and it’s story. I really enjoyed it.
rkapur8's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0