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When you trap a tiger
307 pages
A tender, folklore-infused journey about finding the courage to face the shadows of family history and the inevitability of loss.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like sitting beside a warm hearth while a storm brews just outside the window. It is a steady, deeply atmospheric experience that seamlessly blends the everyday anxieties of growing up with the mythic weight of Korean folklore. The prose is lyrical and tender, carrying the rhythmic cadence of an old story passed down through generations, yet it remains firmly anchored in the emotional reality of a young girl facing her grandmother's declining health. The mood is bittersweet and magical, wrapping the reader in a cozy but shadowed world where stories have tangible power. It delights readers who crave gentle magical realism, offering a deeply moving exploration of intergenerational healing, the complexity of grief, and the quiet bravery required to finally claim your own voice.
- Mood
- magical
- bittersweet
- atmospheric
- shadowed
- Tone
- earnest
- tender
- hopeful
- reflective
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- power of storytelling · intergenerational healing · facing grief · finding your voice · family heritage
- The writing
- Lyrical and accessible, weaving the rhythmic, mythic cadence of traditional folklore into grounded, contemporary narration.
- The arc
- Moves from quiet anxiety and a desire to hide, through the messy process of uncovering painful truths, to a courageous acceptance of life's complex, bittersweet nature.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love gentle magical realism and emotionally resonant stories about family, heritage, and the courage it takes to speak up.
Content notes
- terminal illness of a grandparent
- grief
- anxiety
About the book
Would you make a deal with a magical tiger? This uplifting story brings Korean folklore to life as a girl goes on a quest to unlock the power of stories and save her grandmother. Some stories refuse to stay bottled up. When Lily and her family move in with her sick grandmother, a magical tiger straight out of her Halmoni's Korean folktales arrives, prompting Lily to unravel a secret family history. Long, long ago, Halmoni stole something from the tigers. Now they want it back. And when one of the tigers approaches Lily with a deal -- return what her grandmother stole in exchange for Halmoni's health -- Lily is tempted to agree. But deals with tigers are never what they seem! With the help of her sister and her new friend Ricky, Lily must find her voice and the courage to face a tiger. Tae Keller, the award-winning author of The Science of Breakable Things, shares a sparkling tale about the power of stories and the magic of family. Think Walk Two Moons meets Where the Mountain Meets the Moon! - Publisher.
Description from Open Library.
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