by Tae Keller
First published 2020
Lily moves with her family to care for her sick halmoni. A tiger from her grandmother's Korean folktales appears, no longer confined to stories. The creature reveals that long ago, Halmoni took something belonging to the tigers. Now they want it back. The tiger offers Lily a bargain: return the stolen item and her grandmother will recover her health. Lily feels torn between protecting her family's secrets and saving her halmoni's life. She knows that agreements with magical creatures carry hidden dangers. Her sister and new friend Ricky stand ready to help, but Lily must discover her own strength. She needs to speak up for herself and confront the tiger directly. The choice will test everything Lily believes about family, truth, and finding the bravery to do what feels right.
Genres: family-life, fantasy, contemporary, magical-realism
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: bargain-with-magical-creature, found-family
Setting: Korea
297 pages · Hardcover · Random House Books for Young Readers