This middle grade contemporary fantasy, from the critically acclaimed author of The Girl and the Ghost, puts a Malaysian spin on Little Red Riding Hood. Called “a dream in the best possible way” by NYT bestselling author Roseanne A. Brown and “a necessary purchase” in a starred review from SLJ.

"An adventure full of rich cultural legends that also poignantly captures the feeling of loss in a post-COVID world."—Xiran Jay Zhao, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“A fantastical adventure.”—Anne Ursu, author of The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy

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—or her entire family will suffer.

With her almost-best friend Ilyas by her side, Hamra embarks on a quest deep into the jungle to set things right. Along the way she’ll encounter creatures she thought only existed in legends, uncover the weretiger’s secret history, and most important of all, discover the courage to become the hero of her own story.

For fans of Ikenga and A Tale Dark and Grimm comes a tale 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.