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4.24 AVERAGE
4.24 AVERAGE
Seven little foxes go to visit the storyteller who lives deep in the woods in Bog Cavern in search of a truly scary story. The stories they hear aren't just terrifying for foxes, but were scary to me too! Dealing with complex themes like loss and abuse, each story shows foxes dealing with very real fox problems, from rabies to traps to the course of life in the wild. The stories are woven together expertly, getting the reader so attached to the characters that the ominous warning "Not all kits will survive to the end" strikes real fear into the readers hearts.
The artwork is beautiful. The cover is all in grayscale except for the foxes' red fur and the sinister red lettering, which perfectly suits the ominous mood. Inside, each story is prefaced by another grayscale illustration. The use of shadows and the color choice amplifies the sinister mood of the stories.
This book would be best for 5th grade and up. The stories are really very scary and contain disturbing elements. However, it would be a great read-aloud near Halloween for those older students!
The artwork is beautiful. The cover is all in grayscale except for the foxes' red fur and the sinister red lettering, which perfectly suits the ominous mood. Inside, each story is prefaced by another grayscale illustration. The use of shadows and the color choice amplifies the sinister mood of the stories.
This book would be best for 5th grade and up. The stories are really very scary and contain disturbing elements. However, it would be a great read-aloud near Halloween for those older students!
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is a great book that isn't too scary (it definitely won't faze my older students) but will be perfect for my younger students who keep trying to read books that are just a tad too much for them.
**mild spoilers**
I initially didn't realize that the stories were going to be interconnected, but I enjoyed how they came together and I found ending satisfying, though predictable. The stories contained taut writing that really emphasized the suspense and I found myself wanting to find out what happens next.
**mild spoilers**
I initially didn't realize that the stories were going to be interconnected, but I enjoyed how they came together and I found ending satisfying, though predictable. The stories contained taut writing that really emphasized the suspense and I found myself wanting to find out what happens next.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Well that was a nice read! I am so glad to have stumbled across an ad for this somewhere. It was easy to read and follow along. My 6th grader has said she is reading it next. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves foxes, loves YA books or just loves a good book to relax with a cup of coffee in a comfy chair.
Yes. Yes, yes, yes!
This was a fun, clever, dark and unique story. The review on the dust cover claiming to be the next Watership Down - a very bold statement, but not entirely misguided.
This book has the perfect balance of dark, spooky, heart warming moments and charm that all Animal Fantasy books should have, and you can't help but love the main Hero / Heroine duo for all that they are.
I cant wait for the 2nd installment. Finding Animal Fantasy is hard enough, but finding Animal Fantasy in the same vein as Watership Down? You don't want to miss this.
This was a fun, clever, dark and unique story. The review on the dust cover claiming to be the next Watership Down - a very bold statement, but not entirely misguided.
This book has the perfect balance of dark, spooky, heart warming moments and charm that all Animal Fantasy books should have, and you can't help but love the main Hero / Heroine duo for all that they are.
I cant wait for the 2nd installment. Finding Animal Fantasy is hard enough, but finding Animal Fantasy in the same vein as Watership Down? You don't want to miss this.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Abandonment
Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief
Minor: Blood, Kidnapping
Find my original review on my blog: https://wp.me/p8jcuj-2dU
A group of young brave fox kits want scarier stories than their mother typically tells. She sends them to the old fox storyteller. The dubious kits know that this storyteller is not going to scare them. When she begins telling the tale of Mia and Uly, the kits quickly learn that they may not be as fearless as they thought. Mia's family is broken up by a strange yellow sickness, leading further and further into danger. Uly has a twisted forepaw, which his sisters constantly bully him about. He is forced away from his family and soon his path crosses with Mia's. Will the kits of the story in the story ever find safety?
This book was well crafted and the award was well deserved. The writing was fantastic and the references to other classic works and peoples were compelling and solid. This book will not have wide appeal. It was creepy! I am still a little quavery. The kits meet very real scary challenges. Kits die throughout this novel and there is danger at every turn. While this kept me on the edge of my seat, sensitive readers and even a few others will have trouble making it through this book without crying and having nightmares. As I said in my post about the winners, you will need to know your reader before recommending it. I liked this book because I am still haunted by it.
A group of young brave fox kits want scarier stories than their mother typically tells. She sends them to the old fox storyteller. The dubious kits know that this storyteller is not going to scare them. When she begins telling the tale of Mia and Uly, the kits quickly learn that they may not be as fearless as they thought. Mia's family is broken up by a strange yellow sickness, leading further and further into danger. Uly has a twisted forepaw, which his sisters constantly bully him about. He is forced away from his family and soon his path crosses with Mia's. Will the kits of the story in the story ever find safety?
This book was well crafted and the award was well deserved. The writing was fantastic and the references to other classic works and peoples were compelling and solid. This book will not have wide appeal. It was creepy! I am still a little quavery. The kits meet very real scary challenges. Kits die throughout this novel and there is danger at every turn. While this kept me on the edge of my seat, sensitive readers and even a few others will have trouble making it through this book without crying and having nightmares. As I said in my post about the winners, you will need to know your reader before recommending it. I liked this book because I am still haunted by it.
THIS IS FOR KIDS?? I'M TWENTY-NINE AND NOW I'M TERRIFIED OF BEATRIX POTTER COMING TO STEAL MY SOUL
I glanced at the cover without reading the synopsis and thought, "Oh, cute. A bunch of spooky stories told by foxes." But it turned out this thing was pure, unleaded nightmare fuel. I couldn't stop reading. I had to get to the end to see how all this horror was going to turn out. I didn't expect this to be so bloody and enjoyable!
Excellent use of the story-within-a-story trope, AND the parallel stories format. The premise is some fox kits want a scary story, so they go find the Storyteller who takes them through eight connected tales. Which kits will chicken out? And then of course the stories themselves starts with genuinely terrifying zombies and gets darker from there.
Five stars, would read again. Give this to kids who love foxes and are prepared to stop sleeping.
I glanced at the cover without reading the synopsis and thought, "Oh, cute. A bunch of spooky stories told by foxes." But it turned out this thing was pure, unleaded nightmare fuel. I couldn't stop reading. I had to get to the end to see how all this horror was going to turn out. I didn't expect this to be so bloody and enjoyable!
Excellent use of the story-within-a-story trope, AND the parallel stories format. The premise is some fox kits want a scary story, so they go find the Storyteller who takes them through eight connected tales. Which kits will chicken out? And then of course the stories themselves starts with genuinely terrifying zombies and gets darker from there.
Five stars, would read again. Give this to kids who love foxes and are prepared to stop sleeping.