A review by shirleytupperfreeman
When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller

I have mixed emotions about this 2021 Newbery winner. The story is told by a reserved, 6th grade girl experiencing several changes at once: moving to a new state to care for her sick grandmother, her teenage sister changing from a warm fuzzy to a cold prickly and several Tiger sightings that feel very real. I liked the exposure to Korean culture, the way the grandmother approached death and the eventual resolution of the sibling and family relationships. I’m not a fan of magical realism so part of the story just didn’t resonate with me. I can see where the book might be a good conversation starter in a family or classroom.