Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Andy tackles his guilt and grief in the first book of Sharon M. Draper's award-winning Hazelwood High trilogy.

Tigers don't cry--or do they? After the death of his longtime friend and fellow Hazelwood Tiger in a car accident, Andy, the driver, blames himself and cannot get past his guilt and pain. While his other friends have managed to work through their grief and move on, Andy allows death to become the focus of his life. In the months that follow the accident, the lives of Andy and his friends are traced through a series of letters, articles, homework assignments, and dialogues, and it becomes clear that Tigers do indeed need to cry.

Excerpt provided by Syndetics

1. Crash, Fire, PainCRASH, FIRE, PAIN Newspaper Article NOVEMBER 8 TEEN BASKETBALL STAR KILLED IN FIERY CRASH Nov. 8 -- Robert Washington, age 17, captain of the Hazelwood High School basketball team, was killed last night in a fiery automobile accident on 1-75. Witnesses say the car, driven by Andrew Jackson, 17, also of the Hazelwood team, had been noticeably weaving across the lanes of the expressway just before it hit a retaining wall and burst into flames. Jackson, who police said had been drinking, was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital, where he is being treated for burns and bruises. He is listed in good condition. Two other Hazelwood students, B. J. Carson, 16, and Tyrone Mills, 17, who were also in the car, were treated and released. The three students who escaped serious injury were able to jump from the four-door Chevy immediately after the accident, say witnesses. Washington, however, who was sitting in the front seat next to the driver, had his feet on the dashboard. The force of the crash sent his feet through the windshield, pinning him inside the automobile. The car's gas tank then exploded. Although Jackson tried frantically to rescue Washington, he and his friends watched helplessly as Robert Washington burned to death. Excerpted from Tears of a Tiger by Sharon M. Draper All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

Draper's ambitious first novel tackles teenage drinking, suicidal depression and other front-page topics-and relates the action through dialogue or compositions ``by'' the characters. Exuberant after a high-school basketball victory, athletic stars Andy and Robert down a few beers with friends and then ride around in Andy's car. When Robert is killed in an expressway accident, Andy assumes what turns out to be an unbearable burden of guilt. Short chapters in the form of newspaper articles, diary entries and school writing assignments telegraph the community's reactions and Andy's own feelings; these latter are amplified through Andy's conversations with his coach, with his girlfriend and-poignantly-with the psychologist his concerned parents send him to. This quick-cutting, MTV-like approach allows insights into a number of different viewpoints, ranging from Andy's wrenching internal monologues to the ghastly perkiness of the school's ``grief counselor.'' Casting most of the protagonists as African American, Draper also makes some telling (though not terribly new) points about race and racism. Though the issue-oriented plot can get a bit preachy, the combination of raw energy and intense emotion should stimulate readers. Ages 12-up. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

School Library Journal Review

Gr 7 Up-In the second book of Sharon M. Draper's trilogy (Atheneum, 1994) about teens faced with grim and realistic situations in a contemporary urban high school, star basketball player Andy Jackson can't recover from the depression building in him after his drunk driving resulted in the death of his friend, Rob. About half a dozen actors share the reading of this emotionally taut narrative which unfolds in conversations, notes, reports, and other documents. Andy, his teammates, his girlfriend, his parents, and his little brother each present both their observations and their concerns as Andy moves from shock to depression and finally to suicide in the wake of his grief. The revelation of Andy's failed attempts to get help for himself is especially keen, and the relationships among these variously mature characters is insightfully genuine. While Draper's characters are distinct and well realized, the cast of readers alternate between assuming specific roles and reading full passages in a single voice without regard to its variety of characters, making it difficult for listeners to associate specific tones and rhythms with these characters. To further muddy listener perceptions, the audio publisher has released the three titles in the trilogy (Forged by Fire, Tears of a Tiger, and Darkness Before Dawn) in a different chronology and makes reference on the packaging that this title is the first. The trailer at the end of the recording suggests listeners might want to listen to Cry, the Beloved Country or Harriet Tubman next, odd alternatives in place of Darkness Before Dawn (Recorded Books, 2002) which begins where this novel ends. Strong reading and Draper's excellent storytelling, however, outweigh the inattention to detail, making this an audiobook important to all collections for teens.-Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

Gr. 7-10. When star basketball player Robert Washington and his three closest friends mix drinking and driving in a postgame victory celebration, Robert is killed in an auto accident. The driver, Andy Jackson, is unable to resolve his feelings of guilt and remorse. Neither Andy's parents nor his psychologist accurately perceive the depth of Andy's depression, with tragic results--Andy, at the end, commits suicide. The story emerges through newspaper articles, journal entries, homework assignments, letters, and conversations that give the book immediacy; the teenage conversational idiom is contemporary and well written. Andy's perceptions of the racism directed toward young black males--by teachers, guidance counselors, and clerks in shopping malls--will be recognized by African American YAs. Although some heavy-handed didacticism detracts from the novel's impact, the characters and their experiences will captivate teen readers. The novel is also suitable for use in curricular units dealing with alcohol abuse, suicide, and racism. ~--Merri Monks

Horn Book Review

Written in the form of conversations, journals, letters, and homework assignments, the book contains students' reactions to a high school basketball star's death in an automobile accident. Similar in format to Avi's 'Nothing but the Truth' (Orchard), the book is occasionally awkward, but it is intense and truthful in its exploration of suicide, drinking, and other potent issues. From HORN BOOK 1994, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.