PERHAPS A GIFT VOUCHER FOR MUM?: MOTHER'S DAY

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English
Pajama Press
01 June 2021
Age range 9 to 12

A young violinist discovers her mother's family secretly harbour a sanctuary for extinct Tasmanian tigers in the remote Australian rainforest.

From Governor General's Literary Award finalist Michelle Kadarusman comes a novel about a young violinist who discovers her mother's family secretly harbour a sanctuary for extinct Tasmanian tigers in the remote Australian rainforest.

Shipped halfway around the world to spend the summer with her mom's eccentric Australian relatives, middle schooler and passionate violinist Louisa is prepared to be resentful. But life at the family's remote camp in the Tasmanian rainforest is intriguing, to say the least. There are pig-footed bandicoots, scary spiders, weird noises and odors in the night, and a quirky boy named Colin who cooks the most amazing meals. Not the least strange is her Uncle Ruff, with his unusual pet and veiled hints about something named Convict Rock. 

Finally, Louisa learns the truth: Convict Rock is a sanctuary established by her great-grandmother Eleanor-a sanctuary for Tasmanian tigers, Australia's huge marsupials that were famously hunted into extinction almost a hundred years ago. Or so the world believes. Hidden in the rainforest at Convict Rock, one tiger remains. But now the sanctuary is threatened by a mining operation, and the last Tasmanian tiger must be lured deeper into the forest. The problem is, not since her great-grandmother has a member of the family been able to earn the shy tigers' trust. 

As the summer progresses, Louisa forges unexpected connections with Colin, with the forest, and-through Eleanor's journal-with her great-grandmother. She begins to suspect the key to saving the tiger is her very own music. But will her plan work? Or will the enigmatic Tasmanian tiger disappear once again, this time forever? 

A moving coming-of-age story wrapped up in the moss, leaves, and blue gums of the Tasmanian rainforest where, hidden under giant ferns, crouches its most beloved, and lost, creature.

By:  
Imprint:   Pajama Press
Country of Publication:   Canada
Edition:   New edition
Dimensions:   Height: 203mm,  Width: 140mm,  Spine: 14mm
Weight:   200g
ISBN:   9781772781892
ISBN 10:   1772781894
Pages:   192
Publication Date:  
Recommended Age:   From 8 to 12 years
Audience:   Children/juvenile ,  English as a second language
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active

Michelle Kadarusman grew up in Melbourne, Australia, and also lived many years throughout her father’s homeland of Indonesia before moving to Toronto in 2000. Her books have earned numerous nominations, including the Governor General’s Literary Awards, the Ontario Library Association Silver Birch Awards, and the Green Earth Book Award. Her novels include The Theory of Hummingbirds, Girl of the Southern Sea, and Music for Tigers. Her first picture book, Room for More, published in 2022. Michelle lives in Toronto, Canada and Byron Bay, Australia. 

Reviews for Music for Tigers

Praise for Music for Tigers A 2021 USBBY Outstanding International Book A 2021 White Raven Selection A 2020 Washington Post KidsPost Summer Book Club selection! 2020 Northern Lights Book Awards: Middle-Grade Cultural Category Winner 2021 Green Earth Book Award longlist 2021-2022 Cypress Fairbanks ISD Horned Toad Tales shortlist 2021 Forest of Reading Silver Birch Fiction Award nominee A 2020 Kirkus Reviews Best Middle Grade Book of the Year 2022 MYRCA Sundogs Award nominee A CBC Books The best Canadian YA and middle-grade books of 2020 selection 2020 Quill & Quire Books of the Year Honourable Mention 2020 CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens selection 2020 Junior Library Guild selection 2020 OLA Best Bets List selection 2020 CBC Books 12 middle-grade and YA books to read this summer selection 2021 Hamilton Review of Books' Independently Published Bestseller List: October, Kids #1 STARRED REVIEW Kadarusman masterfully creates a lush, magical world where issues associated with conservation, neurodiversity, and history intersect in surprising and authentic ways....Crucially, the author acknowledges the original, Indigenous inhabitants of the land as experts...A beautiful conservation story told in a rich setting and peopled with memorable characters. -Kirkus Reviews Starred Review STARRED REVIEW Incorporating themes of diversity and environmental preservation into her adventure, Kadarusman (Girl of the Southern Sea) creates a story straight out of adolescent daydreams....Compassionate and endearing, Music for Tigers hits all the right notes. -Shelf Awareness Starred Review STARRED REVIEW A stirring tale that will inspire young readers to take to heart our collective responsibility as stewards of the planet, Music for Tigers is a coming-of-age story with a conservation twist. -Foreword Reviews Starred Review STARRED REVIEW In her third outstanding middle-grade novel - after Theory of Hummingbirds and Girl of the Southern Sea - Kadarusman continues to be a clear, insightful, and humourous guide to unfamiliar experiences and settings, and in this case species. She's unearthed the fascinating history of an extinct animal and entwined it with a heartfelt story of a dedicated family whose good deeds have run up against the ever-encroaching, commerce-driven modern world. -Quill & Quire Starred Review Throughout Music for Tigers, Kadarusman provides interesting information about Tasmania's Tarkine rainforest, its original human inhabitants and the variety of wildlife that has lived there, before and after European settlers destroyed a way of life. -Washington Post KidsPost Author Michelle Kadarusman deftly incorporates Australian history into this middle-grade book that reads like a love letter to the unique flora and fauna of the Tasmanian Tarkine....Music for Tigers is perfect for young readers interested in ecology and preservation. -Booklist A well-told and timely story, which gently but firmly addresses topics such as environmental impact, endangered species, neurodiversity, friendship, bullying, and being your best self....A solid choice for middle grade collections providing a balanced and comprehensible voice to the environmental discussion for young people. -School Library Journal Michelle Kadarusman engages young readers with a carefully laid trail of compelling tidbits....This is a book about the wonders of nature, the importance of conservation supported by indigenous connections to the land, and the need for persistence in the face of adversity. -Canadian Children's Book News A good story in an unusual setting. Written for readers 8-12 years of age, especially animal lovers. -Winnipeg Free Press In this new novel for kids aged nine to 12 years, author Michelle Kadarusman imagines the Tasmanian tiger having survived at a secret sanctuary in the remote Tarkine rainforest. -The West Australian Conjuring up a lush rainforest-y world that radiates an almost magical atmosphere, the author successfully combines historical facts with an engaging tale about topical issues, such as the threat to the Australian flora and fauna by mining and logging companies. -The White Ravens Verdict: Students who enjoy nature stories, especially those who are interested in cryptid species, will enjoy this book....This character and setting driven plot appeals on many levels and introduces a setting not well represented in children's books in the United States. I recommend it for middle school and public libraries. -Oregon Coast Youth Book Preview Center [P]rovides an uncommon but insightful blending of science and art....[A] fun, engaging read for middle grade children, one that will appeal to many different readers because of its diverse themes and subjects. Louisa's relationships with Colin and Rufus are delightful to read, and the novel covers important topics with delicacy and grace. Music for Tigers is a heartwarming story of personal growth and friendship that will draw readers in with its charm. Highly Recommended. -CM Magazine A vividly descriptive Middle-Grade work with an ecological focus-enriched by elements of music, friendship, and atypical neurology....I would readily recommend this for young contemporary fiction and nature lovers. There's some great potential here for building empathy, educating on species extinction, and expanding familiarity with neurological diversity-all while steeping readers in the atmosphere of an incredibly unique biome. -YA Books Central There is art within the pages of Music for Tigers....Music for Tigers is a statement, albeit a songful one, of our impact on the natural world for our own purposes, destroying critical habitats and species. It implores us to step up and put conservation and preservation measures in place... -CanLit for LittleCanadians Michelle Kadarusman has captured the essence and detail of the Australian bush in every word and detail of the story. Her magnificent writing makes it easy to imagine the imagery of the Talkine rainforests. -Kids' Book Review Nature, preserving wildlife and family are the key ingredients across the book that are woven together in short chapters. The book flowed effortlessly and Kadarusman is a wonderful writer. -Blue Fairy Tales Kadarusman has woven a story with beautiful use of language that captivates from the first sentence... Music for Tigers contains something very special: the magic of a story well told, that not only demands to be read from cover to cover, but ensures the gently presented messages wrapped within the text remain in the memory for a long time. -Blue Wolf Reviews [Kadarusman's] style of writing and her unique three dimensional characters allowed the plot to flow effortlessly. I highly recommend picking up any of the author's other books. -bookishuniversee


  • Commended for A CBC Books The best Canadian YA and middle-grade books of 2020 selection 2020 (Canada)
  • Commended for CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens selection 2020 (Canada)
  • Commended for Junior Library Guild selection 2020 (United States)
  • Commended for Kirkus Reviews Best Middle Grade Books of the Year 2020 (United States)
  • Commended for Quill & Quire Books of the Year Honourable Mention 2020 (Canada)
  • Commended for Washington Post KidsPost Summer Book Club selection 2020 (United States)
  • Short-listed for Forest of Reading Silver Birch Fiction Award 2021 (Canada)

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