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4.24 AVERAGE
4.24 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Exactly what the title says. Great illustrations to go with the scary stories, too.
I love this book, but I’m not sure who the best audience would be. I’d want to make sure the 9-11 year old I shared it with could handle stories about family trauma, including abuse or neglect, and general spookiness. But it is so well written that I want to find that reader. It has such depth and complexity for a middle grade novel, and the emotional warmth typical of books for those readers.
Age: 4th-7th grade
Animals: Foxes
Award: 2020 Newbery Honor
It's so refreshing to see a scary story get national recognition--probably due to the incredible writing. Heidicker holds no bars with this creepy, action-packed horror story, treating his designated audience with the maturity they crave. Fans of Goosebumps and A Series of Unfortunate Events will wolf this down. Non-horror fans should stay away.
Animals: Foxes
Award: 2020 Newbery Honor
It's so refreshing to see a scary story get national recognition--probably due to the incredible writing. Heidicker holds no bars with this creepy, action-packed horror story, treating his designated audience with the maturity they crave. Fans of Goosebumps and A Series of Unfortunate Events will wolf this down. Non-horror fans should stay away.
adventurous
dark
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
General disclaimer: this is less of a review and more of my notes so i can describe the book in the future.
a creepy, heart-pounding middle grade novel about young foxes trying to survive the harsh wilderness, told through the framing device of another group of young foxes trying to make it through the scariest stories
a creepy, heart-pounding middle grade novel about young foxes trying to survive the harsh wilderness, told through the framing device of another group of young foxes trying to make it through the scariest stories
- this book pulls no punches! seriously, many young foxes die, and I was never assured of the remaining foxes safety, so the danger feels immediate
- great worldbuilding; the foxes have a culture that makes sense with the way animal lifecycles work, and it feels very developed/lived in
- great job of not anthropomorphizing the animals
the beatrix potter reveal knocked me out! and speaks to the last bullet point about not anthropomorphizing animals - the framing device was helpful for reducing tension for a quick breather, especially when there wasn't space in the scary stories themselves for a breath
- but aren't long enough to mess with the overall momentum of the stories
This was very different from what I was expecting (I'm very glad I read this first before reading it with my kids). I know it says scary stories, but I found most of the story to be disturbing rather than scary. I did like the ending, so there's that, but overall it wasn't my kind of book and I definitely wouldn't read it to my kids until they are much, much older.
*minor spoilers ahead* This book definitely isn’t one I would have picked for myself, but someone my dad works with raved about it so highly that I decided to give it a go. I’m glad I did. It was fun getting out of my reading comfort zone and indulging in a little spookiness. And though I didn’t love it as much as the person who recommended it, I had to round up to four stars simply because the writing is so effortlessly beautiful. It was like reading the grace of a ballerina.
I also have to commend the author for so successfully walking the line between “heartwarmingly adorable” and “genuinely creepy.” The story drew on classic horror elements, which often made me hold my breath and clench my teeth, but I never felt like it became so dark that it was no longer age appropriate. It was never scary for the sake of being scary, either — every chapter fed into wider themes of personal growth, friendship, bravery and how the truly terrible things don’t always lurk in the dark. And it all pulled together so sweetly and satisfyingly by the end.
The story felt a little slow and even a tad predictable at times, though those patches never lasted long. (And that’s not to say there weren’t a few great twists, too.) I also didn’t totally understand the arc with Mia’s mom. Mia felt abandoned by her mother even though her mother fought for her and didn’t leave her until she had very good reason to believe Mia was dead. I kept hoping for a scene where they’d meet again and reconcile, but perhaps Heidicker’s point was that life and nature aren’t always fair.
A lovely read for kids and adults alike, perfect for a late night while the wind is blowing. This one’s Newberry medal is well deserved.
I also have to commend the author for so successfully walking the line between “heartwarmingly adorable” and “genuinely creepy.” The story drew on classic horror elements, which often made me hold my breath and clench my teeth, but I never felt like it became so dark that it was no longer age appropriate. It was never scary for the sake of being scary, either — every chapter fed into wider themes of personal growth, friendship, bravery and how the truly terrible things don’t always lurk in the dark. And it all pulled together so sweetly and satisfyingly by the end.
The story felt a little slow and even a tad predictable at times, though those patches never lasted long. (And that’s not to say there weren’t a few great twists, too.) I also didn’t totally understand the arc with Mia’s mom. Mia felt abandoned by her mother even though her mother fought for her and didn’t leave her until she had very good reason to believe Mia was dead. I kept hoping for a scene where they’d meet again and reconcile, but perhaps Heidicker’s point was that life and nature aren’t always fair.
A lovely read for kids and adults alike, perfect for a late night while the wind is blowing. This one’s Newberry medal is well deserved.
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes