The day of Hamra’s 13th birthday begins without fanfare. Her mother is still at work at the hospital, her father is exhausted from delivering food to families isolated by the pandemic, she both worries about and is irritated by her aging grandfather and dementia-challenged grandmother, and she’s facing a day of remote school at the dining room table. This contemporary novel set in Malaysia slips into fantasy when Hamra walks into the nearby jungle later that morning without following her family’s established protocol: Ask permission before entry, never take something that isn’t yours, and “If you hear someone calling your name, never, ever look behind you.” In a rush, Hamra doesn’t ask permission, the mango she takes isn’t hers, and the thing that calls her name is an enchanted tiger. Soon Hamra (Malay) and her best friend, Ilyas (Malay/Chinese), have embarked on a multi-staged, riddled quest: If Hamra and Ilyas help return the tiger to his human form, he will restore her grandmother’s slipping memory. A swiftly paced story studded with harrowing adventure and near escapes from disaster sees Hamra, who is Muslim, emerge with a new and deeper understanding of friendship, family, loyalty, and trust. (Ages 9-12)

A Malaysian spin on Little Red Riding Hood from the critically acclaimed author of The Girl and the Ghost, Hanna Alkaf.

Courage is the strongest magic there is.

On Hamra's thirteenth birthday, she receives nothing but endless nagging and yet another errand to run in the Langkawi jungle that looms behind her home.

No one has remembered her special day.

And so, stifled and angry, Hamra ignores something she shouldn’t: the rules of the jungle.

Always ask permission before you enter. Hamra walks boldly in.

Never take what isn’t yours. Hamra finds the most perfect jambu and picks it.

Of course, rules exist for a reason, and soon an enormous weretiger is stalking her dreams, demanding payment for her crimes—and Hamra embarks on a quest deep into the jungle to set things right.

For fans of Ikegna and A Tale Dark and Grimm comes a story of a brave heroine, a beguiling villain, fantastical worlds, magical adventures, and a journey that will remind you that hope, friendship, and love endures all.