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A review by bandysbooks
When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-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
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.
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
Moderate: Car accident, Death, Dementia, Grief, Cancer, and Chronic illness
Minor: Death of parent