When You Trap a Tiger
by Tae Keller
Contains a subtle non-graphic LGBTQ+ theme at the end of the story.
Grades 4-7; Genre - Fiction; GRL V; AR pts. 8.0
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. The plot contains a lesbian element.
Comprehension Questions
Chapter 1
- How does this sorry begin? Lily, Sam and their mom are driving from California to Washington state to live with their grandma (halmoni); their father has passed away; Sam and their mom fight a lot and Sam didn’t want to leave California; it’s raining; Lily feels invisible p.1
Chapter 2
- What’s a good memory Lily has of her halmoni? Listening to her stories p.9
Chapter 3
- Why is Sam difficult? She doesn’t seem to like anything; she’s angry and critical; she rocks the boat in their family; she’s selfish p.18
Chapter 4
- Explain what kosa is? A Korean tradition; lay food out for the ones who’ve gone before p.30
- Why does Halmoni hiss when Lily tells her about the tiger? She believes the tiger is coming to get her because she stole something from them p.33
Chapter 5
- Summarize the story in this chapter. Two little girls lived with their halmoni; the halmoni went to the village and bought rice cakes but a tiger came, ate her and pretended to be the halmoni; the girls opened the door to the tiger and the tiger chased them; the sky god made one the sun and the other the moon; the younger sister was first the moon but didn’t like being stared at, so the older sister who was the sun traded her p.36
Chapter 6
- Why was the main character confused? Her halmoni told her the basement had been flooded, but she found it wasn’t true; she found her halmoni throwing up p.43
Chapter 7
- Why did Lily feel like a bad granddaughter? She didn’t jump in to help Halmoni when she was throwing up p.46
Chapter 8
- What did Halmoni steal? The stars; the bad stories p.50
Chapter 9
- Why is Lily anger at her mom? She doesn’t know the real Lily p.58
Chapter 10
- Describe Jensen. A girl around Sam's age; works at the library; optimistic and friendly; accepting and tries to be helpful p.63
Chapter 11
- Who did Lily run into at the library? Describe him. A boy named Ricky who’s friendly and being tutored by Jensen p.70
Chapter 12
- How does Sam feel about Halmoni? She loves her but thinks she’s crazy p.82
- What advice does Halmoni give Ricky’s dad? During hard times family should come together p.88
Chapter 13
- What does Lily mean, when she thinks, “it’s ok, I’ll be the moon”? Lily wants her sister to comfort and help her like the older sister did in the story in chapter 5 p.92
Chapter 14
- Do you think Lily should have made the deal with the tiger? Listen to your child’s answer p.98
Chapter 15
- What illness does Halmoni have? Brain cancer p.103
- Why is Lily hopeful that Halmoni can be cured? She thinks the tiger can cure her p.105
Chapter 16
- What do Ricky and Lily agree to in this chapter? To build a tiger cage/trap p.115
- Why is Sam mad? Lily ran out when they were talking p.116
Chapter 17
- What does it mean when the author describes someone as “sticky“? People are attracted to them; they’re likable and make friends easily p.117
- What does Lily struggle with? Her self-esteem p.117
Chapter 18
- What is significance of the jars? Halmoni put the star stories into them p.130
Chapter 19
- What makes Ricky worried that Lily thinks he’s stupid? She got frustrated at him when he brought up his comic book stories p.132
- What will Lily use as bait? The jars p.137
Chapter 20
- Using two examples, list how Sam and Lily remember the story differently. Sam- sees it from the eyes of the protective older sister, Lily- sees it through the eyes of the younger sister and that they're going through the trial together; Sam- the older sister is supposed to protect her younger sister and instead puts her in danger of the tiger; Sam- the older sister opened the window, Lily- the younger sister opening the door; Sam- a sad story, Lily- a happy story; Sam- the sisters are alone and can only wave to each other across the sky, Lily- the sisters are safe and escape the tiger forever p.141
Chapter 21
- What bargain did Lily accept from the tiger? The tiger will heal Lily’s halmoni if she returns the stories and listens to them p.147
- Do you think this will heal Halmoni? Listen to your child’s answer
Chapter 22
- What does it mean when the tiger said, “there are consequences to telling the truth”? Telling the truth is good, but bad things can come along with p.155
Chapter 23
- What’s Alzheimer’s disease? A progressive disease that destroys memory and other important mental functions.
- Why did the server think Halmoni has Alzheimer’s? Halmoni forgot where she was and what they were doing p.164
Chapter 24
- Describe the drive home from the restaurant. Sad; mom explained the doctor doesn’t know how long Halmoni will live, so they want to make the best of what they have p.169
Chapter 25
- Describe Lily’s experience at Ricky’s house. Her mom knows his dad; he lives in a mansion; she and Ricky make their own rendition of rice cakes p.173
Chapter 26
- What are the sisters doing in this chapter? They both have something separate they’re doing but promise not to tell on each other; Lily is going down the stairs to the tiger and Sam is going down the rope outside p.182
Chapter 27
- What happened in the story and what was Lily’s reaction? It was a continuation of the first story; the granddaughter was still cursed being half human, half tiger; she turned into a tiger and ran away; the halmoni looked everywhere for her and filled jars with love; she released a jar into the ocean each full moon; she feels a connection to the granddaughter p.186
Chapter 28
- How does Lily’s mom try to comfort her? She hugs her; they share a late-night snack; tells her she wishes she could protect her p.193
Chapter 29
- List two similarities between the story and what’s going on at Lily’s home? The pendant, the white streak, Halmoni thinking her granddaughter’s a tiger p.199
Chapter 30
- Why does Lily feel betrayed by Ricky? He didn’t defend her Halmoni and told his friends about her sickness p.209
Chapter 31
- What did the tiger mean when she said, “it seems you have a tiger side after all”? She’s got a wild side, tricking Ricky p.214
Chapter 32
- Why is Lily’s mom upset that she put mud in Ricky’s pudding cup? Ricky’s dad offered her a job; it wasn’t nice of her to do p.219
Chapter 33
- Why isn’t the tiger in the basement? Lily told her to leave her alone p.227
Chapter 34
- How does Ricky respond to Lily’s apology? He apologizes for saying mean things about Halmoni p.232
Chapter 35
- Why is it important for Halmoni to tell Lily her sad stories? People can’t bury the past, we need to know what happened to learn and be better p.241
- Why has Halmoni given up? She’s at peace with dying and knows it’s her time p.244
Chapter 36
- Summarize this chapter. Lily goes back to the attic, Sam comes in the window; Lily throws the jars against the wall and they shatter; she’s wondering if she’s imagined everything p.245
Chapter 37
- Describe the imagery the author uses to describe how Lily’s feeling when she smashed the blue jar. The explosion made a supernova of Lily’s emotions; anger, fear, lost hope p.249
Chapter 38
- Why does Sam think it’s her fault that Halmoni’s going to the hospital? She said she hoped Halmoni would die soon p.253
- What’s Sam been doing to show she still believes? Scattering rice outside p.253
Chapter 39
- Do you agree with Lily? Are stories meant to be told? Listen to your child’s answer p.257
- Predict what you think Lily’s idea is. Listen to your child’s answer p.258
Chapter 40
- Why did Lily break into the library? To find the tiger and ask for her magic p.262
Chapter 41
- Who is the tiger? Halmoni’s mom p.268
Chapter 42
- What has Halmoni been scared of her entire life? The tiger inside of her p.270
- How has this hurt her? She doesn’t see the love around her and doesn’t realize she can be both the tiger and the human p.270
Chapter 43
- How does the story Lily told reflect her relationship with Sam? It tells of the journey they’ve been on as sisters and that they’re not alone p.276
Chapter 44
- How did the stories save Halmoni? They reminded her that she could be anything and that she was everything to her family p.278
Chapter 45
- What connection does Halmoni have to the library? It was one of her projects; she painted it and added cheesy posters p.282
Chapter 46
- Describe how this story ends. The bake sale turned into a kosa for Halmoni; Joe forgives Lily; Sam and Jensen are a couple; Ricky passed his language arts test and will be in the same grade as Lily; Sam asks Lily to tell her a story p.283