Tig and Peter have been left, first by their father, then later by their mother. But they have each other and survive by their wits, scavenging in dump bins, avoiding people, and using public amenities when the power and water in their home is disconnected – a home that has become increasingly squalid through their months of abandonment. When their plight is discovered, they must move to live with their uncle Scott and partner Manny in a warm and loving home.

For Tig the change is overwhelming. Suspicious of what this means for her, for Peter and for her mother and used to fending for themselves, Tig rebels, unwilling to trust and adapt to this new life, this belonging. Emotions blaze. Tig fights for the only life she has ever known, driven by self-preservation and the dwindling hope that her mother will return.

In Tig, Heather Smith has created a complex, strong-willed, and courageous character who is a knot of contradictions, anger and hurt. Tig is torn by her own conflicting dreams, and motivations, not wanting to accept her new family but, simultaneously, craving the unconditional love and protection her uncle and Manny symbolise. Peter, always in the background, but always with Tig, further illuminates Tig’s fortitude and fierce spirit while signaling her emotional insecurity and enduring anguish.

Tig is a heartwarming story that sensitively explores loss, anger, and the redeeming power of belonging. Highly recommended for readers aged 9+.

Find Tig on the library catalogue.

Kay: Content Development Librarian: Children’s and Young Adult