TIG

A once-neglected child forges connections.

Eleven-year-old narrator Tig (short for Tigger, a nickname her mother bestowed on the bouncy child) finds it difficult to trust the comfort and safety of her new home. Her mother abandoned the family several harrowing months before, running off with the boyfriend who physically and emotionally bullied Tig for years. Tig relied on big brother Peter, named for her late father, to figure out how to keep warm and fed in the cold, empty house. Now Peter helps her adapt to an unfamiliar situation. She’s wary, defensive, and angry as she navigates the first weeks with Uncle Scott and his partner, Manny. The couple adopt a bull terrier for Tig and are steadfast in the face of Tig’s rage and hurt. Tig’s voice is convincing and intelligent, with notes of longing, sadness, and hope. The narrative doesn’t address whether Tig’s mother will face legal consequences and only fleetingly mentions contact with a social worker, but it’s clear that her new home with Uncle Scott and Manny is a permanent one. New friends Jacob and Jonah, Guten Morgen the dog, and Tig’s ambition to become the cheese-rolling champion of Wensleydale all help develop a sense of belonging. Jacob and Jonah are Filipino; Tig and her family are implied white.

A moving, accessible tale of trauma, laced with a compelling sense of optimism.