Eleven-year-old Tig has lived with her older brother Peter ever since their mother, an alcoholic, ran off with her abusive boyfriend. Now, Tig must adjust to life with their Uncle Scott and his partner Manny, who live in a much more upscale part of town. Tig, who is cued as neurodivergent, finds it understandably hard to trust adults; her mother’s boyfriend had physically and verbally abused her. Tig tries to cope with her new circumstances in a variety of ways, including a desire to become a competitive cheese-roller. Her antics may sometimes bring a smile, but this is really a story of moving through loss and trauma, as Tig gradually makes friends and starts to let down her guard.
Author Heather Smith paints a sympathetic but not pitying portrait of Tig and her world, adding a twist at the end (that I won’t spoil) that underscores the depth of what she has been through. Parts of the story are heartbreaking, but we also see Tig start to put some of her own heart’s pieces back together. Highly recommended.
Tig and her family are White.
Content warning: Physical and verbal abuse; alcoholism.
