When You Trap a Tiger

Would you make a deal with a magical tiger? This uplifting story brings 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!

“Deeply moving....vulnerable and mythic storytelling in the vein of Erin Entrada Kelly and Kacen Callender.” School Library Journal (Starred Review)

“If stories were written in the stars....this wondrous tale would be one of the brightest.” Booklist (Starred Review)

“Roars to life with just a touch of magic.” Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)

Tae Keller was born and raised in Honolulu, where she grew up on purple rice, Spam musubi, and her halmoni’s tiger stories. After high school, she moved in search of snow, and now lives in New York City. She is also the author of The Science of Breakable Things. Visit her at TaeKeller.com, follow her monthly love letters at bit.ly/lovetae, and find her on Twitter and Instagram.