Reviews

Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker

mbenzz's review

5.0

I just loved this little book! While picking my son up from his elementary schools after-school Library Club, I noticed this book on the 'New Releases' shelf. I picked it up, read the blurb, and bought it on my Kindle that night.

This is a creepy story, but not super dark or terrifying. It's just the right amount of scary for elementary aged children.

What I loved most about this book is how timeless it felt. I don't know how to classify it...it's not as dark as a Grimm Fairy Tale, and it's not as sweet and sugary as a Traditional Fairy Tale...it's somewhere right in the middle.

No location is given, nor is there a year, so these little foxes could exist anywhere in the world at any time, and that's what I loved. Even though this is a new book, it easily felt like the story could have been written 150 years ago.

So glad I saw this and picked it up on a whim. I definitely recommend this for elementary/middle grade readers. Great story!

eruanna317's review

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

remie_bourque's review

4.0

Nice, creepy book I read when I was younger, gave me chills would recommend but might not be as interesting for 13+

rosatulipan's review

4.0

“I could get a den nearby,” he said. “I could come say hi sometimes, and we could go hunting or something…”

antiqueyouth's review

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.75

meevees's review

4.0

A fun and spooky tale exploring the role that stories, and fear, play in our lives. Listened to the audiobook, and while I can't speak to the author's intentions in my opinion this is absolutely the way the book is meant to be experienced.

roseleaf24's review

3.0

This book was not for me. The dangerous situations that the foxes found themselves in were very real dangers for foxes, combined with very real dangers for human children, so as an adult reader this was tragic and anxiety- ridden, not horror that borders on fun. I am not sure how to judge which children would love this book, but I am sure they are out there. For my kids, though, I think Beatrix Potter and am abusive father as the villains would be too difficult to process in time to sleep well at night.

It is, though, very well written, with extremely strong characters and setting. It's a beautiful book.

karleighreads's review

4.0

My friend was pushing me to read this after she had and I wish I had read this sooner. This is the spookiest and emotionally destroying middle grade I've ever read. Loved every moment.

breakfastgrey's review

4.0

Super cool, super disturbing read. I really dug it. My biggest issue is that the stakes vanish for the middle 150 pages because the cast is down to just the 2 leads, which makes the horrors they go through tamer than the opening tales where anyone can die at any moment. The re-envisioning of the horror canon from the viewpoint of foxes was inspired, though, even if some of the tales felt a bit Watership Down. Rabies as a zombie story? (Chef’s kiss).

lavenderminty's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5