Thank you to #NetGalley, Rebecca Lim, and the publisher of the book for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wen and her best friend Henry are the only children of Chinese immigrants who don't feel like they are very lucky. They both want to escape their homes and the pressure and unhappiness that seems to be there. How can they do it? By sitting for an entrance exam that would take them far from their homes. But when tragedy strikes her best friend, will their plan to get out be ruined?

A beautiful but painful at times story about finding your voice and learning to speak up for yourself. I hope students see themselves in this story and know that they matter and there's always light at the end of the tunnel!

This book was so good, I loved hearing about the different culture and how the racism and sexism and everything in between works in families different than mine! I also loved how the father had a change of heart at the end. I hope there's another book in the series coming!

Fantastic middle grade read that touches on important topics.

Wen, the protagonist, lives with her mother and father in Australia. They are Chinese immigrants struggling to get by. Wen's father gave up on his dream to be a surgeon and has many rules for her and her mother. Fear is a motivating factor in everything her mother does.

Henry's family are also Chinese immigrants, but more recent. His mom is depressed and commits suicide. The struggles she thought she faced were too overwhelming.

Wen and Henry are studying to get into a prestigious school far away that they *know* will give them an opportunity at a better life and 'break the cycle'. They deal with discrimination, racism, pressures of fitting in, pressure to do well in school, trying to meet parents' expectations and fit in. They bond because they are the only 2 Chinese immigrants at their school and others (teachers, druggist, other community members) know that their families are struggling but don't want to overstep and get involved.

Poignant story that I would highly recommend to anyone, including adults!

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Henry Xiao and Wen Zhou are both immigrants from China, living with their parents in Australia. Things are difficult. Not only do they live in a neighborhood that isn't exactly safe, their parents have struggled with being in a new country and have manifested this difficulty in different ways. Henry's father works long hours delivering produce to markets, and his mother, who doesn't speak English well, is alone all day and is very depressed. She finds it difficult to care for Henry. Wen's father was a doctor, but works as a manager in a Chinese restaurant. Her mother is at home, and tries to live up to the almost impossible expecatations the father has. She must be perfectly turned out, even though her ten year old skirt suits from her previous life are threadbare. She must have eight dishes of perfectly cooked foo on the table even though there is little money. She must walk Wen back and forth from school, but be home when the father telephones the landline at exactly 4:00 p.m. Wen is never allowed to question anything, and her father is very mean to her because she doesn't do well at math in school, and is very strict. She isn't allowed to snack, lest she become "fat", she can't go to activities at other people's houses, and if she talks back at all, her father has violent outbursts. Wen is in an English as a Second Language class at school even though her English is fine; she is there to support Henry, who still struggles. The two are working together to take an entrance exam to a better school that Henry is sure will help them so better. When Henry's mother kills herself, Wen wants to help, but her father forbids it. She sneaks some food to his house, and makes her mother go to the house with her so that she can drop off homework from school. Her friends from school, who are from different areas of Sudan, even bring clothes they have collected for Henry. Even though her mother tries to echo her father's line that Henry's family is disgraced and they can have nothing to do with him, she takes pity on the boy and his father and brings food to them, even though she barely has enough money to do so. She also gets involved at the local pharmacy when an older Chinese woman collapses, and the owner, Mrs. Xenakis, asks her to help. Wen manages to cover for her mother when her father calls. Mrs. Xenakis is so glad of the help that she approaches Mrs. Zhou with an offer of work. Mrs. Zhou would like to do something to be helpful and get out of the house, but she knows that the father would be furious. When Mr. Zhou loses his job for dumping food on a customer who uses a racial slur, Mrs. Zhou decides to stand up despite the risks. While Wen hasn't told her parents about the exam, when her mother finds out, she is all for it. Mr. Xiao is so grateful for all of the help that he offers to drive Wen along with Henry. Even though life is very difficult, it becomes easier when the families band together and accept help from each other.
Strengths: This was a harrowing book, but offers a very illuminating look at how some people might struggle in a new country, especially when they have parents who area unhappy with their own lives. Many middle school students have trouble understanding that not everyone's lives are exactly like their own, in the same way that they don't understand that the world has not always been the way that it is now, and being able to offer a look into another time, place, or experience is very valuable. Wen is a motivated and kind hearted soul, and she knows that not all parents have the same expectations or dynamics that her own do. She knows she shouldn't anger her father, but also knows that there are some things, like taking care of Henry, that are worth risking it. It was a palpable relief at the end of the book when her father talks to Mr. Xiao and starts to see that he needs help, and that Wen and her mother need more freedom. I like to have books like this to give to students who don't want to read anything; not only do they often engage with books like this, but I hope they also make them more empathetic and grateful for their own lives.
Weaknesses: There are some aspects of this that are particularly Australian, but I think that if students are made aware of this, they'll understand. The story is very harrowing, so I don't know that I would give it to readers younger than 6th grade without supervision.
What I really think: Years ago, I took a continuing education class about school environment. The teacher told us that we might be the first person in the student's day to interact with them in a positive fashion. Tiger Daughter was a good reminder of this. While not all of Henry and Wen's teachers were supportive, there were a few who made a difference. This book was difficult to read, but definitely important. It reminded me a bit of Lai's Pie in the Sky. Definitely purchasing.

Tiger Daughter by Rebecca Lim was a realistic story about being an immigrant. The real struggles of living up to who you were before you left your home and who you are in a new land. The fight between who you want to be and who your parents expect you to be.
Making your own decisions and meeting expectations!
#ilovetoread #kidliterature

This just did not grab me. There were parts that were inspiring and rewarding to read. But, it did not read smoothly. There are better immigrant stories to read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this novel.

I thought this was an amazing tribute to the strength of friendship, and of one child's will to do the right thing for her friend, even convincing her mother to join her. The strict household in which she grows up is certainly not every immigrant's experience, but I do think many children will (in some cases, unfortunately), be able to relate to the rigidity of her father and her house.

Overall, this book was okay. I get the different themes it touched on, but I feel like there should have been more to the story.

Rebecca Lim's "Tiger Daughter" is a story of compassion, courage and friendship. Wen Zhou's is chafing under her parents' strict rules and high expectations. She longs to find her own agency, while her father refuses to accept that she has any. She and her best friend Henry, however, have dreams greater than their parents can envision. When a family tragedy befalls Henry, Wen must decide how to best support her friend.

I loved this book. Wen and Henry's friendship and mutual support are a fitting model for students who may not have the support that they need at home. The message of the importance of community is also timely. This book is a reminder that people are capable of change and there is always hope.

There is a lot going on in this story and the author does a good job of keeping it all going. I enjoyed the characters and found the relationship between Wen and her mother to be the focal point of the story. The ending was a little to quick and neat and tied up in a bow for me, but, overall, I enjoyed the story. I look forward to seeing it on library shelves and in the hands of readers.

I recieved a free eARC of this book. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

Wen and Henry are Chinese immigrants in Australia. Studying hard to try to get into a selective high school. Wen's father has a stack of rulea for Wen and her mother, enforced by fear. Henry's mother suffers from depression.

Tiger's daughter is a beautiful, hard to read book. Wen and Henry both are struggling in different ways. Their teachers, the local pharmacist, the community are aware, but yet kind of let it happen. While most kids hopefully don't deal with the same situations, I think many will see themselves in Wen's story. And I hope that maybe they'll look around and realize what their classmates may be dealing with as well.

This is the kind of book that really needs to be read, discussed, and included at school. The kind that makes the reader think, the kind that makes them feel. I truly hope it gets that opportunity.