Tig, written by Heather Smith. tundra, Penguin Random House. 2024. $23.99 ages 10 and up

 

"I gave Eddy dirty looks all the time. If there 
was a category in the Guinness World Records 
for the Meanest Look of All Time, my face 
would be next to it. If there was a record for 
the Scaredest Person of All Time, I'd hold 
that too. Because you can have a mean face
and be scared all at the same time. 

Eddy smelled like spring before it's fully 
sprung, when the snow has melted and 
the earth smells damp and rotten. 

Manny smelled like spring when summer 
was on its way and everything smells fresh 
and good. 
I'm glad I didn't punch Manny in the eye."

I waited a while until I read this brilliant book again. It is not something that I do often. My TBR pile keeps getting taller rather than shorter. When I finished it the first time, I sat and did my best to take it all in. I have such love for Tig and her story. She has lived a life of insecurity and abuse and has recently been abandoned by her alcoholic mother. Her imaginary brother Peter has been her rock since she was 6 years old and first suffered at the hands of her mother's boyfriend, who bullied Tig regularly. Peter has been there to provide solace and support when she needed it most. For four months, she has lived alone and done her best to survive with Peter at her side. 

Tig's new home with her Uncle Scoot and his partner Manny should be just what she needs. Peter does his best to help her adapt, to control her anger, and to face the worry that it will never last. Scott and Manny do their very best to provide comfort and safety for Tig as she rages and does all she can to hurt them. They adopt a dog named Guten Morgen to provide her with comfort and unconditional love. With new friends and the will to be a cheese-rolling champion, she begins to feel a sense of community - something she has never felt in her lifetime.

Tig's narration is authentic, filled with sadness and a yearning for better times. It's hard for her to give over to the idea that Scott and Manny will provide the love and permanence that she so badly needs.  It takes a great deal of patience, unconditional love, and full understanding of Tig's reluctance to trust. Heartbreaking to read, yet beautifully written. The characters are real, and so memorable. Not an easy read, but worth the tears!