Tiger Flowers

by Patricia Quinlan, Janet Wilson (Illustrations)

Joel adores his uncle Michael Together they build a tree house and root their favourite teams at baseball games Then Michael comes to live with Joel's family because he has AIDS, and they grow even closer When Michael dies, Joel is heartsick - until he learns to find comfort in the wonderful memories of his beloved uncle Janet Wilson's evocative and memorable painting highlight Patricia Quinlan's moving story about a family who finds consolation together after the untimely death of a loved one

Genres: Picture Books, Family, Death, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1994

Reviews

[Maddy Gebhardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Tiger Flowers" by Patricia Quinlan is a story which takes and unexpected turn and teaches the readers how to cope with heartbreak. The main character in the story, Joel, is a young boy who adores his uncle, who is named Michael. Joe and Michael are very close and spend a lot of time together. Later on in the story, Michael develops a condition called AIDS. Even though Joe is quite young to understand the condition his uncle suffers from, he automatically becomes closer when Michael moves in with Joe and his family. Not that long after, Michael passes away, leaving Joe heartbroken and distraught. Losing a loved one can be traumatic for someone of any age, but for Joe, Michael’s death is even more heartbreaking because of the twos close relationship. Joe, however, learns to cope with the loss of his beloved uncle by remembering all the great memories they shared together.
“Tiger Flowers” is categorized as a controversial read because the content deals with adversity not usually mentioned in children’s books. Not only is the context mature, but the book also explains how to manage the symptoms of grief and think positively.
I think that this book is one I would recommend to students experiencing loss like Joe did because the story successfully addresses the normality of emotions following a death, but it also explains how to move on and be okay. Therefore, I think it would be a helpful tool for someone struggling with loss, but I don’t think it is necessarily a book that every student in an elementary classroom must read because it’s not relevant for each individual. Another reason why I would not recommend this book to all students is because the content matter is mature and depending on the students’ experiences with loss, it may be more fitting for some and not others, who haven’t ever dealt with death.

[Betsy Ellor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a moving book and it seems like to would have filled an important place when it was written in the early '90s. Now it feels a little dated, but it is still touching. I also think it would be relatable to other children with adults in their life living out a terminal illness. It also speaks to the ways we remember those we've lost.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet, compassionate story. It is a gentle story about a boy’s Uncle Michael whose partner died of AIDS. Michael then also got sick and died of the same disease. Joel remembers him fondly. Gorgeous illustrations.

[Edward Creter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book won me over at a time when I could use inspiration in my own life, what with all the bs from my church proclaiming that AIDS was God's judgment on us as human beings who sin. I never caught onto that message, and I have no need to, and this book has helped. A small boy deals with the death of his beloved Uncle, a humble homosexual (the book doesn't say so, nor does it need to) and afflicted with the AIDS virus, yet full of life to the very end, and still loving his nephew even as he wastes away to nothing. It's a kind, gentle way of allowing kids to grieve for gay and lesbian parents doomed with this disease and to love anyone sick, which means everyone. Jesus never wanted the physically perfect to come to Him for help, but the very sick and sad. We all are imperfect. And God does love all of us. Doesn't it make sense to love one another, even though some may have chosen a life that is not our own? Let's not condemn anyone, gay or straight, but let's read books like this one. Maybe we can learn to love too.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was written in 1994 when AIDS was a death sentence. Now with medication people can still live good long lives.

At first, I thought this book was just about dealing with the death of a loved one. It didn't originally say what Uncle Michael died from. I ws thinking cancer or a car accident.

Then as the book goes on and eludes to Uncle Micheal's 'friend' Peter who died first of a disease called AIDS. Then Uncle Michael got sick with the same disease Peter had.

It does talk about how you can't get AIDS like the chicken pox. But what I took out of this book is that death of loved one is hard and it is important to remember them and the good times. Time heals the hurt inside. Michael likes Tiger Lillies but his niece called them Tiger Flowers and "Michael like that' name better.

If you need to talk about AIDS and the death of someone from AIDS this is a good book. But what I really think one should take away from this
dealing with death.

[Ashley Enlow · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would not have this as a book in my classroom. Mostly because AIDS are a touchy subject in some homes and at a young age I do not think they need to be learning that from their teachers. However if a parent asked about a book for this reason this is the only one I know at the moment but would continue to do research.

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I first read this 12 or more years ago. It always devastates me. So I rarely read it. But it’s one of my all-time favorites and it reminds me doubly how much I love all of my campers from Camp Hope.

[Major · Rating 2 out of 5]

Joel loves his Uncle Michael. They plant a garden, go to baseball games, and build a treehouse together. When Michael gets sick with AIDS, he goes to live with Joel's family. When Michael dies, Joel is very lonely. He finds comfort in the flowers that they planted together.

[Chelsea Kimmey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would not recommend this to children of younger ages due to the topic. The topic of aids is sensitive in some households

[Kiley DeBruyne]

This book is on the list of challenged/controversial books because it is about a young boy whose uncle dies of AIDS. Joel, the main character, is remembering his uncle before he died and sharing how his uncle's close friend died of AIDS only shortly before he did. When the book was published in 1994 AIDS was a more controversial topic as they did not know as much about it as we do today. The book also touches on the concept of grieving as Joel misses his uncle and is learning how to go through life without him. I would use this in an upper elementary classroom to possibly bring up both the topics of AIDS and death and grieving. I love the idea of this story and how it was told from a child's point of view as he shares memories of his uncle. I think that a lot of students could relate to Joel and what he is experiencing in the story. Although the book is controversial because it brings up AIDS, I think that disease, including AIDS, are a part of life and it is good to expose students to that and for them to see that they can miss people that they have lost in their life.