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ritajlwang's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Ableism, and Bullying
darumachan's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, and Bullying
Moderate: Grief, Violence, Ableism, Animal death, Adult/minor relationship, Terminal illness, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Blood and Kidnapping
booksnbones13's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
SPOILER-FREE REVIEW: "Scary Stories for Young Foxes" is an exploration of the wild, natural world through the eyes of some adventurous fox kits. The premise follows a litter of baby foxes who seek out a spooky storyteller living deep in the woods. As the storyteller regales them with a series of scary stories, the kits test their bravery. With rich imagery weaving multiple narratives together, Heidicker creates an adventure full of dark whimsy, life lessons, and poignant explorations of love, loss, and grief. Although the book contains discussions of difficult themes, they are presented and written in a way that is palatable both to the intended middle-grade audience and to older readers. Exploring mature themes (death, abuse, sacrifice, disability, etc.) through the eyes of the animal world presents a unique perspective that I think makes a great introduction to these topics for this age group. Middle grade can be tricky to define in literature, as it is meant to appeal to kids/preteens who may not be ready for YA themes but have outgrown childish books. I think that by addressing these topics while maintaining a level of separation and whimsy with the animal perspective, Heidicker executed the blend of horror, hope, and overarching lessons very well. His writing style and use of rich, descriptive imagery makes the book even more enjoyable. I loved that the horror elements were less outright jump scares or gore but instead centered on the buildup and character's reactions/feelings. To me, the world of the foxes is reminiscent of the tv show "Over the Garden Wall" — spooky atmosphere, shrouded mysteries that slowly unravel, characters that are not always as they seem, disguised dangers, and blurred lines between magic and reality. There are also small threads that gradually connected the individual scary tales and wove a rich, cohesive narrative together throughout the book. All in all, this book has beautiful writing, characters you root for and want to succeed, and lovely sentiments hidden amidst the horror.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Moderate: Abandonment, Ableism, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic relationship
seanaia's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Ableism and Domestic abuse
biacedbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I liked this book, but honestly it was pretty messed up. 10 year old me would have loved it however, as i wanted to read as many scary books as I could
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Blood
Moderate: Domestic abuse
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