Tae Keller
Random House, 2020
304 pages
Grades 4-7
Realistic Fiction
On the road to move in with her elderly halmoni (grandmother) Lily sees a tiger. She is unable to speak up in the car containing her noisy older sister and widowed mother, but confesses the sighting to Halmoni, who is unsurprised. Halmoni has often told Lily and her sister Korean tales of tigers and their powers and now offers a confession. Her health is slipping because many years ago she stole stars containing stories and the tigers want them back. Lily is determined to release the stars in trade for Halmoni's health. but how can a QAG (quiet Asian girl) accomplish such a big task? Enter new friend, Ricky. Lily meets outgoing Ricky at the library (Yay!) and the two become instant friends. He agrees to join her in trying to trap the tiger. Will they be able to accomplish this overwhelming task? Will Lily be able to save Halmoni? And most of all, will Lily find her voice?
Tae infuses Korean folklore with contemporary fiction to create this atmospheric story that has just won the 2021 Newbery medal. The Pacific Northwest setting is fully realized and readers will know exactly what it must be like to move into Halmoni's house on the top of the hill with a million stairs leading up to it. Reads will also understand what it is like to feel invisible and to struggle with changing relationships with teen siblings and aging grandparents. Lily is powerless, yet finds her inner strength as she attempts to save her grandmother. She also learns about friendship and discovering her place within her family. The writing is beautiful, especially the folklore excerpts, and I understand why it won the Newbery. The main reason I did not read it, even though it had excellent reviews across the board and I purchased it for my library, is that the cover did not excite me. Young readers may have the same problem and the quiet and serious nature of the story may only hold the attention of the right reader. The book is technically labeled as "Fantasy" or "Magical Realism". Keller is vague about whether the tiger actually exists or is part of Lily's imagination, leaving this up to the reader. Keller ties up loose ends, although not always as expected, resulting in a satisfying read with much to ponder over when after the cover closes.
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