Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Jan 2020
304 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
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!
The John Newbery Medal, 2021
"[Keller's] journey through Korean mythology begins with a fantastical quest and slowly transforms into a tale about letting go and the immortality that story can allow." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Roars to life with just a touch of magic." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"A heartfelt reminder of the wonder and beauty in our everyday lives." — Booklist (starred review)
"Deeply moving... vulnerable and mythic storytelling in the vein of Erin Entrada Kelly and Kacen Callender." —School Library Journal (starred review)
"It's a complex, satisfying story, one that foregrounds family and healing alongside a love for Korean folklore." — The Bulletin (starred review)
"This beautiful book reminds us that, even in a world filled with stolen stars, crafty tigers, and family secrets that spring from folklore, the most powerful magic of storytelling is the story we decide to tell about ourselves." — Kat Yeh, author of The Truth About Twinkie Pie
"An intoxicating mix of folktale, fantasy, friendship and love (and tigers!). Through a series of challenges--and also a lot of laughter--Lily (a.k.a. Lily Bean, Eggi, Little Egg) finds out what she is made of. She is a character who'll stay with me--and whom I already miss!" — Marie Myung-Ok Lee, author of Finding My Voice and Somebody's Daughter
"An ambitious and bewitching brew of Korean folklore, magical realism, and classic coming-of-age story, When You Trap a Tiger is a tender tale as unique as it is universal. Keller's writing shimmers with magic, heart, and hope." — Ali Standish, author of Before I Was Ethan
This information about When You Trap a Tiger was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Tae Keller was born and raised in Honolulu, where she grew up on purple rice, Spam musubi, and her halmoni's tiger stories. She is the Newbery Medal-winning author of When You Trap a Tiger and The Science of Breakable Things. She lives in Seattle. Visit her at TaeKeller.com
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