Tears of a Tiger

Reader Response:  Tears of a Tiger was definitely a page turner that pulled me back to the reality of how one wrong decision can effect you for the rest of your life. As a reader, I was fully empathizing with the main character, Andy. I could feel his guilt and regret as a drunk driver of a car that once crashed resulted in the death of his best friend, Robbie. The author uses many perspectives of young high school students to discuss  three very pressing issues that effect many adolescents today: drunk driving, suicide, and depression. I found myself reading the book to enjoy it rather and  thinking about those who have found themselves depressed before. It led me to understand and internalize how many can feel alone and by themselves through difficult times. Having read this book a second time, I appreciate the character's authenticity and the author's realistic approach to tackling tough issues facing young adults.

Elevator Response: Tears of a Tiger is a book that deals with complicated issues, but is not written as such. Young Adult readers can dive into this book and feel as if they are a student attending Hazelwood High. Young readers are also able to experience many different perspectives as the narrator alternate throughout the story. Lastly, the book has a general tone of sadness which can be seen as one of the book's weaknesses. Majority of the book is grim and depressing which can turn young readers away. Overall.the book is about hard issues that teenagers face, and the books tone mirrors that.

Teacher Response: If you are really interested in books like Tears of a Tiger. Try out the rest of the books in the Hazelwood High Trilogy titled: Forged By Fire and Darkness Before Dawn. The book are a contination of the story told in Tears of a Tiger and see how other members are responding to the tragic suicide of Andy. Lastly, the Bluford Series books are great books around similar topics, written from the perspective of teenagers at Bluford High. There are twently books in this series.

Literacy Coach Response: This is a great book to have students reflect. If teaching this book in Literacy, I highly recommend having students keep a Literacy Journal so that can stop and respond to the characters in the book. A couple activities that a teacher can have students do are: Teenage Issues Brochures, Role Playing Scenarios, and having scholars creating Drinking and Driving Posters.
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