Saber-Tooth

A Novel in Verse

From Robin Gow, the award–winning author of Dear Mothman, comes a gripping middle–grade novel in verse about a boy who digs up and loses control of a saber-toothed tiger

Jasper’s favorite person is his older brother, Callan. They go on fossil–finding missions and stay up late while their parents work nights. Callan even helped Jasper pick out his new name when he came out as trans.

But Callan starts to grow distant and leaves for college without taking Jasper on a promised fossil dig. Jasper feels abandoned—and angry. Who needs Callan? He will dig by himself, in his backyard. As he digs, he hears a voice: the bones of a saber–toothed tiger. He’s buried deep, and he wants Jasper to DIG.

Jasper is sure a discovery like this could change the world, or at least get Callan to text him back. But as the saber-toothed tiger finds freedom, Jasper realizes he may have unleashed a monster that no one was ready for, and that anger can empower you—or destroy you.

©2026 Robin Gow