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4.19 AVERAGE
4.19 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Samantha and Caitlin move from Los Angeles to Oregon to live with their aunt and her wife in a house in the woods. Sam insists that the new living arrangement is temporary, and she's desperate to get her old life back. As Sam discovers a magical secret that could be her way back home, the reality of the abusive household that she and her sister fled from is slowly revealed in bits of memories and in the sisters' own survival responses. Sam hides and Caitlin does everything she can to please the adults around her.
This story is heartbreaking in bunches of small details and quiet moments, but it is ultimately about hope and the finding of a family that is centered on love.
The magical fox and his game of ever-changing rules provides a powerful metaphor for domestic abuse, and serves as the challenge that Sam must overcome to begin her recovery.
This story has a great supporting cast and a well-balanced mix of the magical and the real, with just the right amount of blurring of the lines between the two.
This story is heartbreaking in bunches of small details and quiet moments, but it is ultimately about hope and the finding of a family that is centered on love.
The magical fox and his game of ever-changing rules provides a powerful metaphor for domestic abuse, and serves as the challenge that Sam must overcome to begin her recovery.
This story has a great supporting cast and a well-balanced mix of the magical and the real, with just the right amount of blurring of the lines between the two.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse
Minor: Animal death
This reminded me about Jumanji in where the character is part of a fantasy game, but the abuse element makes this story more complex and interesting. Seeing the abused child’s perspective was wonderful and I highly recommend this to anyone grades 5+.
Samantha loves fantasy books, and is applying adventure skills (don't eat the food and you won't have to stay) to her new surroundings at her aunt's house, but nothing seems to work. She finds a game in which the object is to appease the fox and his moods, but the fox keeps changing the rules. He promises her a way home, but Sam begins to realize maybe returning to the environment she left isn't the best idea.
The book does a great job of describing a dysfunctional household and the cycle of abuse in a way that is appropriate for kids, and (no surprise) the game has to turn cooperative to win. Aunt Vickie and her wife Hannah are great, and I enjoyed Arman and his son Lucas as well.
The book does a great job of describing a dysfunctional household and the cycle of abuse in a way that is appropriate for kids, and (no surprise) the game has to turn cooperative to win. Aunt Vickie and her wife Hannah are great, and I enjoyed Arman and his son Lucas as well.
2.5 Star read. I picked this up because it was set in Oregon and I wanted to do some Oregon research, but there wasn't too much world building I could glean on, so it was a little disappointing. Overall, it was a slim and fast paced read that gives kids an important message on abuse/manipulation in a way that was accessible through the magical, animal aspect. I felt like there was too much telling instead of showing, and I didn't really appreciate some of the content within. The illustrations were nice, though!
I absolutely loved this book. It will be a fall read aloud for my sixth grade class. Highly recommend for classrooms— grade 4-8.
TW: Child Abuse, Abuse
Please excuse my ugly crying.
UGH. Why do I begin with this book? It's truly a book that will tug on the heartstrings on the reader, regardless if they have experience childhood abuse or not.
I found some of the flashbacks in the book to be slightly triggering but I knew the subject matter before starting. So it's not like I was blind sighted. But I think it goes to show how well a job Reese did in writing this story and describing the toll childhood abuse can take.
Please excuse my ugly crying.
UGH. Why do I begin with this book? It's truly a book that will tug on the heartstrings on the reader, regardless if they have experience childhood abuse or not.
I found some of the flashbacks in the book to be slightly triggering but I knew the subject matter before starting. So it's not like I was blind sighted. But I think it goes to show how well a job Reese did in writing this story and describing the toll childhood abuse can take.
This is SO GOOD. Perfect kids’ read mixing fantasy elements with a tough subject. Trigger warning for child abuse, but likely very therapeutic.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Spoilers ahead
Two sisters are taken away from an abusive home and end up finding themselves with an aunt they've never really known before.
What a beautiful, sad, and authentic story. The author did a wonderful job depicting really serious issues, like child abuse, trauma and blending it into this magical world that the main character (Sam) creates. This world, with it's villains and heroes, clearly represents Sam's parents and advocates, but it's done in such a subtle, brilliant way.
Along the way, Sam experiences two very different parenting styles and is constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. It shows how conditioned she and her sister are because of their abusive parents. The idea that love can be unconditional is mind blowing to her... and to the reader.
Overall, the book gives kids a voice and I really enjoyed listening and spending time with them.
Two sisters are taken away from an abusive home and end up finding themselves with an aunt they've never really known before.
What a beautiful, sad, and authentic story. The author did a wonderful job depicting really serious issues, like child abuse, trauma and blending it into this magical world that the main character (Sam) creates. This world, with it's villains and heroes, clearly represents Sam's parents and advocates, but it's done in such a subtle, brilliant way.
Along the way, Sam experiences two very different parenting styles and is constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. It shows how conditioned she and her sister are because of their abusive parents. The idea that love can be unconditional is mind blowing to her... and to the reader.
Overall, the book gives kids a voice and I really enjoyed listening and spending time with them.
Ah, this was so good. Sweet and sad and hopeful, and just great writing. Actually cried a little bit at the end. SO GOOD.