Tigers, Not Daughters

Share this book

1. Magical realism is a way to add a little magic to reality. Talk with students about how Tigers, Not Daughters differs from fantasy and in what ways its supernatural elements help to illustrate a more deep and true reality.
2. Have students stage scenes from the book or realistic scenes of their own--a portrait, landscape, or still life of everyday objects--and take photos. Then using digital art and photo editing tools, have them digitally add elements of fantasy to their photos to transform their scenes. Share their edited photos on a large screen and ask students to discuss and interpret what they see.

Questions for Discussion or Reflective Writing

1. The title Tigers, Not Daughters comes from a line in Shakespeare’s King Lear, where King Lear’s daughters are decried as barbaric for their treatment of their father. What does the title suggest about the Torres sisters? How does this title relate to the relationship the sisters have with their dad? How are the sisters like or not like tigers?
2. The Torres sisters mourn Ana’s death in different ways and are disconnected in their grief. What are some of the ways that each sister copes with her loss? What do you learn about each sister through the unique ways her grief is displayed?
3. Magical realism is when a story includes fantastic events within a realistic narrative. Where did you find threads of magical realism in this book? How does the author make the magical elements in this novel credible? What are some other books featuring magical realism that you’ve enjoyed? 
4. The book ends with “It could’ve meant anything” referring to a piece of paper Rosa finds which has two legible words: “I want.” What does “I want'' mean for Rosa? What do you think it means for each of her sisters? 

Related Resources

• Magic Realism Introduction from Shmoop
• Teaching Students About Death and Grief from Edutopia