TYGER, by SF Said and Dave McKean, Penguin Workshop, July 1, 2025, Hardcover, $18.99, Paperback, $9.99 (ages 9-12)
A boy discovers a mystical animal in a London junkyard in Tyger, a middle-grade fantasy written by SF Said and illustrated Dave McKean.
There are three doors that I may show you. You will find a different kind of power behind each one…
Adam has found something incredible in a rubbish dump in London. A mysterious, mythical, magical animal. A tyger. And the tyger is in danger.
Adam and his friend Zadie are determined to help, but it isn’t just the tyger’s life at stake. Their whole world is on the verge of destruction. Can they learn to use their powers before it’s too late? —Synopsis provided by Penguin Workshop
Tyger is one of the most surprising reads I’ve had this year, and that’s a good thing. Everything about it — from the plot to the characters to the illustrations — is superb.
The book is set in an alternate historical world where the British Empire still exists. It’s a world of prejudice and the haves and have nots. A world of Londoners and foreigners and slaves. It’s a world where tigers as we know them no longer exist.
So, when Adam comes across a tyger, he knows she is something special. And it turns out she is. She’s a magical creature that needs help.
Adam and his friend Zadie are wonderfully realized characters who, with the tyger’s help, grow right before your eyes.
Author SF Said has crafted a world that’s layered and nuanced. It’s richly imagined in great detail while still being accessible for a middle-grade audience. Said’s plot and pacing are strong. You truly care about his characters. And his magical elements are equally enchanting.
What takes Tyger over the top, though, is Dave McKean’s stunning black-and-white illustrations. His use of movement and perspective make the illustrations practically jump off the page. His artwork is full of energy and imagination.
Tyger is a dynamic read that would be perfect at home or in a classroom.
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