When You Trap a Tiger Quotes

“Everybody have good and bad in them. But sometimes they so focused on sad, scary stories in life that they forget the good. When that happen, you don't tell them they are bad. That only make it worse. You remind them of the good.”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“Does it get easier? Does the sadness go away? The sadness fades, yeah. Eventually. But the missing ... I don't know if that ever does.”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“Sometimes, no matter how much you want people to stay, you have to let them go.”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“Side effects. Consequences. Why does hope always come at a price?”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“Story magic is powerful, powerful enough to change someone. And when a story is locked away, its magic only grows. Sometimes it grows sour. The magic becomes a kind of poison.”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“He’s quiet, because I think he knows: Sometimes, with the hard things, you don’t want to talk about it. You just want someone to know it’s happening.”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“I am a girl who sees invisible things, but I am not invisible.”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“But I believe in me. When you believe, that is you being brave. Sometime, believing is the bravest thing of all" -Halmoni”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“If you are strong, you can hold more than one truth in your heart" -the tiger”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“A cure is not about what we want. It's about what we need. The same is true for stories.”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“Even if things aren't perfect, they can still be good.”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“As you get older, you collect more information and you see things from different perspectives. So, naturally, sometimes the stories you tell yourself…can change.”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“You don’t have to say sorry. Everyone says sorry, but that doesn’t help, because it’s not their fault and they can’t fix it.”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“I accept it, and warmth spreads up my fingertips and through my body. A small part of me perks up, smiles. And I'm not sure the smiles reaches my face, but maybe this is how healing starts - small bits of happiness waking up inside you, until maybe one day it spreads through your whole self" -Lily”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“Maybe it's scary to tell stories and share their truths—but I'd rather face them than run.”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“And maybe it would be nice to have some help—from someone who isn’t all that bothered by the why of things.”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“Sometimes, with the hard things, you don’t want to talk about it. You just want someone to know it’s happening.”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“All my life, I spend so much time, so much energy, hiding my heart. I am scare of tigers. But more, I am scare of the tiger in me,” she says. “I thought I have to hide my words, because my English not so good. I thought I have to hide my heart, because I feel too much. And I thought I have to hide my story, because I think if I tell it, it is who I am forever.” She takes a shallow breath. “But when I keep it tight-tight, it eat me up. I don’t see the love, all around me.”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“It's hard to breathe. I know now: The moment when everything really falls apart--it's not during the big explosion. It's in the quiet after. And the feeling is not a shattering. Not quite”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“If you put things off for later, you'll never do them. They'll become harder and scarier, and one day you'll realize you've run out of time.”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“I think that’s how you figure out who you are,” Ricky says. “You do new, brave things, and you find out who you is in not-you situations.”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“Lily, I told you I would heal my Ae-Cha, but healing is not always about curing illness. Often, it is about understanding. And when you face your whole story, you can understand your whole heart.”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“I thought I have to hide my words, because my English not so good. I thought I have to hide my heart, because I feel too much. And I thought I have to hide my story, because I think if I tell it, it is who I am forever. But when I keep it tight-tight, it eat me up. I don’t see the love, all around me.”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“Adding me to this mix is like throwing a carrot into a bowl of fruit salad and hoping nobody notices the difference.”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“Some people, friends just stick to them. Like Sam. Even though she’s mean sometimes, she always has a cloud of people around her. She has infinite texts to respond”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“Everybody have good and bad in them. But sometimes they so focused on sad, scary stories in life that they forget the good. When that happen, you don’t tell them they are bad. That only make it worse. You remind them of the good.”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“I apologize for judging your culture and for being intolerant of other beliefs. I created a hostile environment, and…” He frowns, like he’s trying to remember his lines. Then he sighs and crumples, looking at me with pain on his face. “I really am sorry. My friends and I can be kind of the worst sometimes. I know my dad thinks that. And I’m sure my teachers do. And…you know, everyone.” I bite my lip. Ricky’s dad seems nicer than he did in the grocery store, but it’s still sad that Ricky feels that way. He takes a breath and continues. “But we really do think your hall-money is cool. Everybody in town does. And I feel really bad that she’s sick. I feel really bad that I said she’s sick. Sometimes my mouth keeps talking even when my brain knows it shouldn’t.” I can’t help but smile. “Thanks,” I say. I didn’t realize how much I was hoping to hear that. How much of a relief it is to know he doesn’t think Halmoni is creepy or scary or whatever. “I don’t think you’re the worst. And I shouldn’t have fed you mud.” I mean this, mostly. But if Halmoni’s right about the spell, it might not be so bad for him. He shrugs. “Mud has vitamins, probably. I’ve eaten worse.” “Oh.” “A worm,” he says. “Only once, though. And also another time, a Raisinet that definitely was not a Raisinet. I’m still not sure…Well, never mind.” I wait to see if he’s joking, but he’s serious. I fight back a smile. “But still. Sorry. It’s not like me to do that.” Then I correct myself. “Or, I guess it is? But I didn’t know that until now.” “It’s okay,” he says. “Let’s stop apologizing now. Apologizing is awkward.” I tug at one of my braids. “Do your friends hate me?” He laughs. “They think you’re supercool. They kept referring to you as Witch Girl. But not in a bad way. Anyone who does something like that is probably worth knowing.” I sneak a glance at him. He’s staring at me, but he looks away fast. His cheeks go splotchy. In that moment, I don’t feel like an invisible girl. But I also don’t want to be known for putting mud in someone’s pudding. I wonder if there’s a way to be a visible person and a good person at the same time. “Is that going to be my reputation in school now?” I ask. He tilts his head, thinking. “Well, yeah. But only until the next big thing.” Then after a moment, he adds, “I think it’s nice that you’re doing something to help your halmoni.” He still says it wrong, like hail-money, but he’s trying, and I appreciate it.”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“She rolls her eyes again. "Whatever. You always make me the bad guy, just because I speak my mind. You don't have to be so afraid to rock the boat, you know."
What Sam doesn't realize is that she's already rocking our boat. If I rock it, too, the boat will flip. We'll drown.”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“Lily, when I tell my story, I am sad. So much of our family story is sad. And more than that: so much of Korean people story is sad. Long, long ago, Japan and United States people do wrong things to our country. But I don’t want to give you sad, angry stories. I don’t want to pass you those bad feelings.” Listening to her talk, I realize there is so much of the world that I don’t know. So much of my history, and so much of me. But I will learn it. Because even though the tiger’s stories upset me, I’m glad I heard them. They made me feel like the world is huge, and I’m filled up with it. Like I could hear the stars, and listen.”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger

“curl up in bed with her, one of us on each side, like bookends.”
― Tae Keller, When You Trap a Tiger