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Maybe a Fox
Worlds collide in a spectacular way when Newbery and National Book Award finalist Kathi Appelt and Pulitzer Prize nominee and #1 New York Times bestseller Alison McGhee team up to create a fantastical, heartbreaking, and gorgeous tale about two sisters, a fox cub, and what happens when one of the sisters disappears forever.
Sylvie and Jules, Jules and Sylvie. Better than just sisters, more than best friends, they’d be identical twins if only they’d been born in the same year. And if only Sylvie wasn’t such a fast—faster than fast—runner. But Sylvie is too fast, and when she runs to the river they’re not supposed to go anywhere near to throw a wish rock just before the school bus comes on a snowy morning, she runs so fast that no one sees what happens…and no one ever sees her again. Jules is devastated, but she refuses to believe what all the others believe, that—like their mother—her sister is gone forever.
At the very same time, in the shadow world, a shadow fox is born—half of the spirit world, half of the animal world. She too is fast—faster than fast—and she senses danger. She’s too young to know exactly what she senses, but she knows something is very wrong. And when Jules believes one last wish rock for Sylvie needs to be thrown into the river, the human and shadow worlds collide.
Writing in alternate voices—one Jules’s, the other the fox’s—Kathi Appelt and Alison McGhee tell the searingly beautiful tale of one small family’s moment of heartbreak, a moment that unfolds into one that is epic, mythic, shimmering, and most of all, hopeful.
Sylvie and Jules, Jules and Sylvie. Better than just sisters, more than best friends, they’d be identical twins if only they’d been born in the same year. And if only Sylvie wasn’t such a fast—faster than fast—runner. But Sylvie is too fast, and when she runs to the river they’re not supposed to go anywhere near to throw a wish rock just before the school bus comes on a snowy morning, she runs so fast that no one sees what happens…and no one ever sees her again. Jules is devastated, but she refuses to believe what all the others believe, that—like their mother—her sister is gone forever.
At the very same time, in the shadow world, a shadow fox is born—half of the spirit world, half of the animal world. She too is fast—faster than fast—and she senses danger. She’s too young to know exactly what she senses, but she knows something is very wrong. And when Jules believes one last wish rock for Sylvie needs to be thrown into the river, the human and shadow worlds collide.
Writing in alternate voices—one Jules’s, the other the fox’s—Kathi Appelt and Alison McGhee tell the searingly beautiful tale of one small family’s moment of heartbreak, a moment that unfolds into one that is epic, mythic, shimmering, and most of all, hopeful.
288 pages, Paperback
First published March 8, 2016
130 people are currently reading
4871 people want to read
About the author
Kathi Appelt
55 books551 followersLives in College Station, TX with husband Ken and four adorable cats.
Two sons, both musicians.
Serves on the faculty at Vermont College of Fine Arts in the MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults Program.
Two sons, both musicians.
Serves on the faculty at Vermont College of Fine Arts in the MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults Program.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 874 reviews
September 30, 2018
MORE HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GREG!!!
3.5 rounding up to 4 because this book wasn't written for old ladies like me with no juice left in their hearts.
it's a sweetly sad middle grade novel about grief and the coping mechanisms and magical thinking we cling to in order to carry on living in the aftermath of devastating loss. and also, magical animals.
let's be clear - i read this because of the fox on the cover, thinking it would be like Pax. and surface-level it is - it's a sad book that involves a fox, but it didn't do much for me, as a reader. which is fine - i'm not the target audience, and while there are middle grade books i love - books that i read as a child and have residual nostalgic feels for and others i've read as an adult, i'm not gonna respond to all of them here in the chilly autumn of my life.
it's about two sisters: eleven-year-old jules and twelve-year-old sylvie, living in vermont, being raised by their father after their mother died from a complication of an undiagnosed heart defect when jules was only five.
Mostly what Jules remembered about her mother was the mustard jar, and how it had fallen from the bag of groceries that her mother was carrying and burst open at the foot of the porch steps, scattering pieces of yellow-smeared glass on the gravelly walk, and how her mother had said, "Oh!" in surprise just before she crumpled, her body folded in on itself.
jules is jealous of the way sylvie and her father have been able to hold on to memories of the woman they all loved, while jules only remembers that broken jar. she's also jealous that sylvie resembles their red-headed mother, seeing it as one more connection she's been denied. despite this jealousy, the sisters are close - they bicker, as sisters do, but they are always there for each other, sharing the rituals of wish rocks; stones upon which they write their burning wishes before tossing them into the slip, a dangerous oddity of the whippoorwill river:
According to Sam's dad, who was a forest ranger, it was a freak of geology, the result of a seismic shift, a small earthquake that forced the river's bed to disappear into a large cavern that was hiding there all along, opened up by the shifting earth. A hundred yards downstream it bubbled back up into the open air and formed a quiet pool before it remembered that it was a river and needed to ramble its way southward.
it is also one of their father's DO NOTs - as in DO NOT go near the slip. but they do, often, to throw the stones holding their most precious wishes, which for sylvie is always "to run faster." she's already the star of the track team, but she is not satisfied - she wants to run fast as a comet, a stingray, a fireball, but she won't tell jules why.
one snowy morning, waiting for the school bus to come, they make a little snow family before sylvie runs off down the path to throw in just one more wish before the bus arrives, despite jules' insistence that she stay.
and sylvie never comes back.
from that point on, everything is After Sylvie, as jules desperately tries to set her world right again - trying to find the secret cavern that local lore claims has magical powers, trying to figure out why sylvie wanted to run so fast, trying to adjust to school and her father and the new shape of their family. she shares small poignant moments with her friend sam's older brother, just back from serving overseas, where he also lost someone, and she begins a strange relationship with a fox who seems drawn to her for some reason, unafraid to approach her, giving her small gifts that are connected to sylvie. there are pov chapters from senna, the fox, but the bulk of the story is jules'.
and it's a good story - well-written, with an authentic voice and a journey through the grieving process that isn't cloying or melodramatic, but it just didn't bore into me the way it probably would to someone with a more developed sense of readerly emotional response. or to its intended audience, whose feeling-parts haven't yet turned into armor. i definitely felt a nice chill when sylvie's running-wish motivation was revealed, and even though i saw the ending coming a mile away, it was executed well, and i wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to others. i'm just a little too removed from its charms to have more than a medium reaction to it.
and probably jealous that no fox has ever brought me anything.
come to my blog!
3.5 rounding up to 4 because this book wasn't written for old ladies like me with no juice left in their hearts.
it's a sweetly sad middle grade novel about grief and the coping mechanisms and magical thinking we cling to in order to carry on living in the aftermath of devastating loss. and also, magical animals.
let's be clear - i read this because of the fox on the cover, thinking it would be like Pax. and surface-level it is - it's a sad book that involves a fox, but it didn't do much for me, as a reader. which is fine - i'm not the target audience, and while there are middle grade books i love - books that i read as a child and have residual nostalgic feels for and others i've read as an adult, i'm not gonna respond to all of them here in the chilly autumn of my life.
it's about two sisters: eleven-year-old jules and twelve-year-old sylvie, living in vermont, being raised by their father after their mother died from a complication of an undiagnosed heart defect when jules was only five.
Mostly what Jules remembered about her mother was the mustard jar, and how it had fallen from the bag of groceries that her mother was carrying and burst open at the foot of the porch steps, scattering pieces of yellow-smeared glass on the gravelly walk, and how her mother had said, "Oh!" in surprise just before she crumpled, her body folded in on itself.
jules is jealous of the way sylvie and her father have been able to hold on to memories of the woman they all loved, while jules only remembers that broken jar. she's also jealous that sylvie resembles their red-headed mother, seeing it as one more connection she's been denied. despite this jealousy, the sisters are close - they bicker, as sisters do, but they are always there for each other, sharing the rituals of wish rocks; stones upon which they write their burning wishes before tossing them into the slip, a dangerous oddity of the whippoorwill river:
According to Sam's dad, who was a forest ranger, it was a freak of geology, the result of a seismic shift, a small earthquake that forced the river's bed to disappear into a large cavern that was hiding there all along, opened up by the shifting earth. A hundred yards downstream it bubbled back up into the open air and formed a quiet pool before it remembered that it was a river and needed to ramble its way southward.
it is also one of their father's DO NOTs - as in DO NOT go near the slip. but they do, often, to throw the stones holding their most precious wishes, which for sylvie is always "to run faster." she's already the star of the track team, but she is not satisfied - she wants to run fast as a comet, a stingray, a fireball, but she won't tell jules why.
one snowy morning, waiting for the school bus to come, they make a little snow family before sylvie runs off down the path to throw in just one more wish before the bus arrives, despite jules' insistence that she stay.
and sylvie never comes back.
from that point on, everything is After Sylvie, as jules desperately tries to set her world right again - trying to find the secret cavern that local lore claims has magical powers, trying to figure out why sylvie wanted to run so fast, trying to adjust to school and her father and the new shape of their family. she shares small poignant moments with her friend sam's older brother, just back from serving overseas, where he also lost someone, and she begins a strange relationship with a fox who seems drawn to her for some reason, unafraid to approach her, giving her small gifts that are connected to sylvie. there are pov chapters from senna, the fox, but the bulk of the story is jules'.
and it's a good story - well-written, with an authentic voice and a journey through the grieving process that isn't cloying or melodramatic, but it just didn't bore into me the way it probably would to someone with a more developed sense of readerly emotional response. or to its intended audience, whose feeling-parts haven't yet turned into armor. i definitely felt a nice chill when sylvie's running-wish motivation was revealed, and even though i saw the ending coming a mile away, it was executed well, and i wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to others. i'm just a little too removed from its charms to have more than a medium reaction to it.
and probably jealous that no fox has ever brought me anything.
come to my blog!
August 19, 2016
“Maybe A Fox” is an absolutely beautiful book that I have no doubt will be in the running, and will most likely win, many prestigious awards. It’s one of the rare children’s books that present the issues they live with in a frank manner, thereby avoiding the patronizing attitude with which children’s literature so often suffers.
Somehow, there is whimsy and hope mixed in amongst the realities of war and death. The resilience of family is a central theme, along with the promise of hope in even the darkest situations. Everyone needs to read “Maybe A Fox.” It’s the type of story that will stay with children, as well as adults, throughout their lifetimes.
I’m not crying. You’re crying.
This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Somehow, there is whimsy and hope mixed in amongst the realities of war and death. The resilience of family is a central theme, along with the promise of hope in even the darkest situations. Everyone needs to read “Maybe A Fox.” It’s the type of story that will stay with children, as well as adults, throughout their lifetimes.
I’m not crying. You’re crying.
This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 3, 2016
Well...there went my heart.
THIS BOOK HONESTLY CRUSHED MY SOUL LIKE A GRAPE. I can't even tell you how emotional this made me.
I would give it five stars if not for some...odd spiritual stuff in it. The book talked a lot about creatures being "linked" to nature and other such things, and I wasn't all that fond of that. However, the writing was just lovely and laced with raw emotion. I WANT TO HUG ALL THE PRECIOUS, HURTING CHARACTERS. <3
Now if you'll excuse me, I'll just be trying to piece my heart back together.
THIS BOOK HONESTLY CRUSHED MY SOUL LIKE A GRAPE. I can't even tell you how emotional this made me.
I would give it five stars if not for some...odd spiritual stuff in it. The book talked a lot about creatures being "linked" to nature and other such things, and I wasn't all that fond of that. However, the writing was just lovely and laced with raw emotion. I WANT TO HUG ALL THE PRECIOUS, HURTING CHARACTERS. <3
Now if you'll excuse me, I'll just be trying to piece my heart back together.
April 24, 2016
Second read. Just as heart wrenching and beautiful as the first time.
March 23, 2016
Maybe a Fox . . . Maybe a Newbery . . . if I had a vote.
Yup, it's that good! Yup, a book with two authors is eligible for a Newbery (I know, not because I'm a kennen, but because I checked the criteria). The only Newbery problem I foresee is there is not enough space for a sticker on the cover without covering something important.
This book is so loving, so emotional, so beautifully written. All of which leaves me in awe, but especially the beautifully written part--how in the world could TWO authors write a book that is so seamless, that vibrates with ONE strong voice? I don't know how, but Appelt and McGhee did--in an amazing way they did.
I loved the characters, I loved the fox, I loved the way the human world and the animal/nature world intersect, I loved the way death and grief (yes, Jules' beloved sister Sylvie dies early in the book) are treated with dignity and grace and love. I cried and cried again. I felt this book in my core. I will think about it for a long time. It is a gift!
Yup, it's that good! Yup, a book with two authors is eligible for a Newbery (I know, not because I'm a kennen, but because I checked the criteria). The only Newbery problem I foresee is there is not enough space for a sticker on the cover without covering something important.
This book is so loving, so emotional, so beautifully written. All of which leaves me in awe, but especially the beautifully written part--how in the world could TWO authors write a book that is so seamless, that vibrates with ONE strong voice? I don't know how, but Appelt and McGhee did--in an amazing way they did.
I loved the characters, I loved the fox, I loved the way the human world and the animal/nature world intersect, I loved the way death and grief (yes, Jules' beloved sister Sylvie dies early in the book) are treated with dignity and grace and love. I cried and cried again. I felt this book in my core. I will think about it for a long time. It is a gift!
May 9, 2018
Maybe a Fox is a deeply emotional middle grade book, dealing with relationships, burning wishes, and loss. It is the kind of middle grade that will pull you in and won't let you go until you're finished, the kind that will absolutely devastate you, and you will emerge feeling somehow bereft and hopeful all at once, and with a feeling of gladness for having read it.
It's about a family that does its best to carry on after being suddenly downgraded to a single-parent family.
The rest of this review can be found HERE!
It's about a family that does its best to carry on after being suddenly downgraded to a single-parent family.
And somehow, knowing that he claimed them like that helped to take up the space that their mother had left. For her, anyway, if not for Sylvie. For Dad was living and breathing and right there with them, to remind them of the the Do Nots and to sign off on their homework and to make sure they ate their dinners and did their chores. To count on them and to take care of them.About the time these sisters spend together, on the family property surrounded by woods.
Making miniature snow families was something they had started long ago: teensy snow fathers and snow children, little families like theirs grouped around the house. Some of the snow families included friends, like the Porters, who lived across the river from them. According to Sylvie, it had been their mother who'd started the tradition. Tiny snow people, easy for tiny humans to make with only a little help.The discussions these sisters have after the loss of their mother.
It was then that they made up the Maybe game. It always started with the same question:
What happens after you die?
Then they took turns answering.
Maybe you turn into wind.
Maybe you turn into stars.
Maybe you go to another world.
The rest of this review can be found HERE!
June 10, 2017
This was totally a cover buy, I absolutely love foxes 🦊.
Maybe a fox is a quick, easy, adorable read. I love the relationship between the sisters its real and raw and heartbreaking. The chapters that are from the foxes perspective were my favorite, i think i need a pet fox now ever more. Sam, Jules and Sylvie are very likable characters and have great personalities.
Sylvie. Senna. Run. Faster.
Beautiful story.
December 6, 2016
Maybe a Fox is a beautiful, charismatic, charming, emotional book about the bond that two young sisters have, even in the after world.
Jules and Sylvie are sisters. It has been just them and their dad since their mum died many years before. Jules is eleven. She is just like her dad. They both love collecting rocks, and are very sensible. Twelve year old Sylvie looks just like her mum, much to the annoyance of Jules. Sylvie is full of energy, and buzzing with adrenaline. She also likes to run, really fast.
Whilst out in the garden, building a snow family, the two girls are having fun until Sylvie runs off, to go and throw a wish stone in the river. This was the last time that Jules ever got to see her sister, for Sylvie never came back.
At the same time that Sylvie goes missing, a beautiful vixen has just been born. She too is full of energy and likes to run, very fast. When Jules and the fox cross paths, Jules thinks that maybe, just maybe, her big sister has been reborn – this time as a fox.
The book is told from the alternating views of Jules, and the inner voice of the fox, and is split into two parts. I found it quite tough-going, yet addictive. The story, plot, characters and scenery are just perfect, and I was hooked from the first few sentences.
It is a very emotional book, and that is why I knocked one star off. Not that I don’t feel that it deserves five stars, it does for the excellent writing alone. I knocked it off because the book made me feel quite upset at one point, and that feeling stayed with me for hours. I just couldn’t shift it. I kept on playing the scene over and over in my mind, and I really didn’t like feeling like that. In one sense this is a credit to the authors, but in another I do wonder how children may cope with this kind of feeling.
The book will have children questioning their beliefs on whether we do come back as something else once we have died, such as a star, a snowflake or maybe a fox.
Reviewed by Stacey at www.whisperingstories.com
Jules and Sylvie are sisters. It has been just them and their dad since their mum died many years before. Jules is eleven. She is just like her dad. They both love collecting rocks, and are very sensible. Twelve year old Sylvie looks just like her mum, much to the annoyance of Jules. Sylvie is full of energy, and buzzing with adrenaline. She also likes to run, really fast.
Whilst out in the garden, building a snow family, the two girls are having fun until Sylvie runs off, to go and throw a wish stone in the river. This was the last time that Jules ever got to see her sister, for Sylvie never came back.
At the same time that Sylvie goes missing, a beautiful vixen has just been born. She too is full of energy and likes to run, very fast. When Jules and the fox cross paths, Jules thinks that maybe, just maybe, her big sister has been reborn – this time as a fox.
The book is told from the alternating views of Jules, and the inner voice of the fox, and is split into two parts. I found it quite tough-going, yet addictive. The story, plot, characters and scenery are just perfect, and I was hooked from the first few sentences.
It is a very emotional book, and that is why I knocked one star off. Not that I don’t feel that it deserves five stars, it does for the excellent writing alone. I knocked it off because the book made me feel quite upset at one point, and that feeling stayed with me for hours. I just couldn’t shift it. I kept on playing the scene over and over in my mind, and I really didn’t like feeling like that. In one sense this is a credit to the authors, but in another I do wonder how children may cope with this kind of feeling.
The book will have children questioning their beliefs on whether we do come back as something else once we have died, such as a star, a snowflake or maybe a fox.
Reviewed by Stacey at www.whisperingstories.com
March 22, 2016
Thanks for ripping my heart out again!!! Wow! Grab the tissues for this one, it's beautiful!!! I was reading this book while waiting for my son at driver's ed, and cried like a baby in my car. (I hope nobody saw me. That would be embarrassing!) Then, when my son got in the car, I told him about the story and cried again! How am I supposed to booktalk this book with out breaking down into a messy puddle?!?!?!? This is a wonderful story of sisters Sylvie and Jules, but like always with Appelt there is a spiritual/otherworldly element to this story that ties it together in such an enchanting way. Appelt has been one of my favorite authors for a long time, and with this book she continues to be a top favorite!
October 27, 2016
Lovely little book about life and death and dealing with grief. Not too heavy for kids (the intended audience) for once, and very nice use of animals and nature as characters, rather than METAPHORS, CHILDREN. I can see why this is getting a lot of awards buzz.
December 26, 2018
Beautiful but heart-breaking, this thoughtful examination of sisterly love and loss from co-authors Kathi Appelt and Alison McGhee follows the story of Jules, a young rock-hound whose deep bond with her elder sister Sylvie has been a mainstay in her life, since the death of their mother some time before. When Sylvie, whose 'burning wish' is always to run faster, falls into the Slip - the point at which the local river goes briefly underground - and is never seen again, Jules and her father must once again face the terrible grief of losing a family member. Trying to deal with her own guilt - why didn't she stop Sylvie that day, when she disobeyed their father's rules, and sprinted to the forbidden Slip? - Jules must also contend with her best friend Sam, whose elder brother Elk is newly returned from the war in Afghanistan, and her promise to find the 'Grotto,' a legendary local cave where grieving people have been reputed for generations to leave offerings of rocks for their lost loved ones. Parallel to Jules' story, is that of Senna, a young fox who is born one of the 'Kennen' - special animals with a strong bond to the spirits, who come into the world to accomplish some specific purpose, usually involving a human being. As Jules and Senna's paths converge, tragedy and transcendence is not far behind, and the reader learns the significance of Sylvie's burning wish, and just who Senna is...
I finished Maybe a Fox on the uptown A-train, with tears trickling down my face. As is usually the case when I am deeply moved, it took me some time to process my feelings, and to marshal my thoughts for a review. I was attracted to the story initially because of the fox character - the depiction of foxes in children's literature is one of my research areas - but found the humans every bit as compelling. The co-authors here capture the strength of a sister's devotion, and the depth of pain at a sister's loss. They also, through the story of Elk, offer a sensitive depiction of the trauma of returning home from war. I was intrigued (naturally) by the character of Senna, and the idea of the 'Kennen.' Kennen is, of course, the German verb 'to know,' something the authors must surely have been aware of, and Senna is a fox with a heightened sense of knowing - of connection to the natural world, whether that be the forest, the catamount (Sam's obsession) or the bear. She is also a fox with a special connection to one human - Jules - just as the catamount has a special connection to Elk. I had certain preconceptions about what that would turn out to mean - I assumed that Senna was meant to be a kind of guide, something that is becoming more common, in fox stories. Instead, she is a sort of , and her self-sacrifice at the end of the book has a power and truth that I was not expecting.
A beautiful, beautiful book, Maybe a Fox is a book I will be pondering for some time. I would recommend it to fans of Appelt's other books - apparently some of its themes have also been explored in her previous titles - and to young readers interested in stories featuring family and close friend dynamics, and in the human connection to the natural world.
I finished Maybe a Fox on the uptown A-train, with tears trickling down my face. As is usually the case when I am deeply moved, it took me some time to process my feelings, and to marshal my thoughts for a review. I was attracted to the story initially because of the fox character - the depiction of foxes in children's literature is one of my research areas - but found the humans every bit as compelling. The co-authors here capture the strength of a sister's devotion, and the depth of pain at a sister's loss. They also, through the story of Elk, offer a sensitive depiction of the trauma of returning home from war. I was intrigued (naturally) by the character of Senna, and the idea of the 'Kennen.' Kennen is, of course, the German verb 'to know,' something the authors must surely have been aware of, and Senna is a fox with a heightened sense of knowing - of connection to the natural world, whether that be the forest, the catamount (Sam's obsession) or the bear. She is also a fox with a special connection to one human - Jules - just as the catamount has a special connection to Elk. I had certain preconceptions about what that would turn out to mean - I assumed that Senna was meant to be a kind of guide, something that is becoming more common, in fox stories. Instead, she is a sort of , and her self-sacrifice at the end of the book has a power and truth that I was not expecting.
A beautiful, beautiful book, Maybe a Fox is a book I will be pondering for some time. I would recommend it to fans of Appelt's other books - apparently some of its themes have also been explored in her previous titles - and to young readers interested in stories featuring family and close friend dynamics, and in the human connection to the natural world.
April 12, 2016
Maybe a Fox definitely has a good chance of winning the Newbery for 2017. Original and so, so good. Cover art is extraordinary, btw. Reminds me of the incredible dust jacket art of my youth. Phenomenal.
June 4, 2016
Wow. This book just gutted me. It was haunting and magical; sad and heart-wrenching, yet amazingly beautiful. A definite must read. I've put this one high on my list to receive multiple awards next year.
January 6, 2017
Gees woman (you know who you are!) you ask so much of me.
We know it's hard to cope with grief, to allow time to heal.
Hurts.
We know it's hard to cope with grief, to allow time to heal.
Hurts.
April 20, 2016
Is 2016 shaping up to be the Year of Sad or what? (See: Raymie Nightingale and Pax.)
By the way, total tangent, I unofficially dubbed 2015 the Year of the Grandparent: Listen, Slowly, Circus Mirandus, Goodbye Stranger, Gone Crazy in Alabama, Bayou Magic, Sunny Side Up, The Lightning Queen, Great Ball of Light, In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse, Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer, and saving the best for (ahem) last, Last Stop on Market Street.
That was fun! I'd much rather list books I enjoyed last year than dwell on how depressed I am by this year's books. Honestly, Maybe a Fox isn't a bad book. Raymie and Pax aren't bad books either. But they're all so depressing. (Though not one of them actually made me cry, and I'm a crier.)
So here we go. This is a book about grieving. There are not one, not two, not three, but four deaths in this story. ()
There's a unique kind of spiritualism running through this book. You can call it mythic. You can call is animism. You can call it fantasy. It's hard to pin down and I suppose that's what makes it interesting. Jules and Sylvie often like to guess at what happens when you die. Maybe you turn into a star. Maybe you disappear. Maybe you fly to another planet. I don't think they ever say, "Maybe you go to heaven," or "Maybe you turn into a ghost," like one would expect. The clue to what actually happens in this book is right there in the title.
This is undoubtedly beautifully written, especially if you're into Appelt's signature style of simple, poetic repetitive phrasing. It did leave some loose ends dangling () but the main plot ties up in a mostly satisfying way. I think this will be appealing to fans of The Underneath but I doubt I'll be recommending it unless a kid comes into the library and says, "Do you have any good books for morbid animal lovers?"
I listened to the audiobook, which I thought was very well done as read by Allison McGhee.
By the way, total tangent, I unofficially dubbed 2015 the Year of the Grandparent: Listen, Slowly, Circus Mirandus, Goodbye Stranger, Gone Crazy in Alabama, Bayou Magic, Sunny Side Up, The Lightning Queen, Great Ball of Light, In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse, Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer, and saving the best for (ahem) last, Last Stop on Market Street.
That was fun! I'd much rather list books I enjoyed last year than dwell on how depressed I am by this year's books. Honestly, Maybe a Fox isn't a bad book. Raymie and Pax aren't bad books either. But they're all so depressing. (Though not one of them actually made me cry, and I'm a crier.)
So here we go. This is a book about grieving. There are not one, not two, not three, but four deaths in this story. ()
There's a unique kind of spiritualism running through this book. You can call it mythic. You can call is animism. You can call it fantasy. It's hard to pin down and I suppose that's what makes it interesting. Jules and Sylvie often like to guess at what happens when you die. Maybe you turn into a star. Maybe you disappear. Maybe you fly to another planet. I don't think they ever say, "Maybe you go to heaven," or "Maybe you turn into a ghost," like one would expect. The clue to what actually happens in this book is right there in the title.
This is undoubtedly beautifully written, especially if you're into Appelt's signature style of simple, poetic repetitive phrasing. It did leave some loose ends dangling () but the main plot ties up in a mostly satisfying way. I think this will be appealing to fans of The Underneath but I doubt I'll be recommending it unless a kid comes into the library and says, "Do you have any good books for morbid animal lovers?"
I listened to the audiobook, which I thought was very well done as read by Allison McGhee.
November 27, 2015
I'd rate this book 3.5 - 3.75 stars, but I just couldn't justify giving it four "official" stars. It is lovely. It is beautiful. It is poignant. It is also going to be a very tough sell for the average reader.
It deals with Jules, an adolescent girl, who loses her big sister/best friend Sylvie after she falls into a river and is never seen again. Their best friend Sam and his big brother Elk are also mourning losses: the loss of Elk's best friend Zeke, who went off to war with Elk but didn't follow him back; also the loss of Elk's innocent pre-war life. Jules, Sylvie, Sam, Elk, & Zeke all had their own "burning wishes" and shared an obsession with the legendary Grotto, a local cave that is said to be a sacred place for granting wishes. So now Jules, Sam, and Elk have to pick up the pieces of their previous lives and help each other cope. BUT! After Sylvie disappears, a fox is born: her name is Senna and she feels some sort of deep connection with the sad girl who lives at the edge of the woods. She knows she has been born for some special purpose, and has to figure out how to help the girl.
Teachers would love this book as a read-aloud. It's very gentle and literary, but I think some children would be put off by these qualities. It's definitely one that would gain from being talked about and discussed in a family or group setting, but otherwise I think I will find it difficult to hand sell this one.
It deals with Jules, an adolescent girl, who loses her big sister/best friend Sylvie after she falls into a river and is never seen again. Their best friend Sam and his big brother Elk are also mourning losses: the loss of Elk's best friend Zeke, who went off to war with Elk but didn't follow him back; also the loss of Elk's innocent pre-war life. Jules, Sylvie, Sam, Elk, & Zeke all had their own "burning wishes" and shared an obsession with the legendary Grotto, a local cave that is said to be a sacred place for granting wishes. So now Jules, Sam, and Elk have to pick up the pieces of their previous lives and help each other cope. BUT! After Sylvie disappears, a fox is born: her name is Senna and she feels some sort of deep connection with the sad girl who lives at the edge of the woods. She knows she has been born for some special purpose, and has to figure out how to help the girl.
Teachers would love this book as a read-aloud. It's very gentle and literary, but I think some children would be put off by these qualities. It's definitely one that would gain from being talked about and discussed in a family or group setting, but otherwise I think I will find it difficult to hand sell this one.
April 30, 2018
If you like this, you might also like The Underneath (which I did) and Pax (which was somewhat of a disappointment to me).
A few aspects of this seemed, to me, a bit contrived for the sake of the story (beyond the big implausibilities, of course). But mostly it was worth it. I love the philosophical discussion aka the Maybe Game. I love Super Friend Sam, and the authors' reminder that other people grieve, too. I don't love Wishing rocks.
A few aspects of this seemed, to me, a bit contrived for the sake of the story (beyond the big implausibilities, of course). But mostly it was worth it. I love the philosophical discussion aka the Maybe Game. I love Super Friend Sam, and the authors' reminder that other people grieve, too. I don't love Wishing rocks.
November 14, 2016
A beautiful magical story is about two sisters and a fox. Author Alison McGhee was inspired by writing this book as Alison and her daughter witnessed a a fox In Wirth Park long ago. I love this cover as I actually have a jumper with a fox on and my grandson loves it. I loved the poem by Patricia Fargnoli at the beginning of Maybe a Fox. I would like to thank the publisher for sending me this touching and powerful contemporary story of sisterly love and grief, with a twist of magical realism book.
April 10, 2017
Wow. Give this short but powerful novel about grief and healing to your students/ patrons who love sad books. It is achingly sad, beautifully written and peopled by complex, memorable characters. Its Vermont setting is vividly drawn as well.
June 16, 2016
On an ordinary wintry school day like so many others, while sisters twelve-year-old Sylvie and eleven-year-old Jules are waiting for the school bus, Sylvie runs into the woods and disappears. Why would she go? They were forbidden to go on this path leading to the Slip, a small geological formation in which the river bed disappears into an open cavern and forms a small pool. A shadow fox cub, both animal and spirit, known to be lucky, is born at the same time, somehow linking their lives together. This heartfelt novel for tweens is sad but hopeful, combining hash reality with magical mysticism. It profoundly affected me long after I closed the book’s covers.
sharyn h. / Marathon County Public Library
Find this book in our library catalog.
February 6, 2017
This book is honestly such a beautiful and amazing books. It was one of those books thats relatable but not relatable at the same time. It was strange for me to read a book with an animal as a protagonist but I throughly enjoyed it. An easy read that kept me reading on and on. It was given to me by the owner of the book store I work at - as a book to read and review... I was reading the back of the book and it made reference to all different children books and I was very suprised at how moving and mature it was without being over the top. Still a great read for any age though!! Highly recommend for those who aren't big on reading but would love to read an contempary novel.
January 7, 2017
WARNING:
This is a very very sad book...
(I cried at least three times during my reading)
:(
This is a very very sad book...
(I cried at least three times during my reading)
:(
Read
May 16, 2024explosionnn
March 30, 2017
Very mythical, lyrically written read. I think this an objectively good book but it was hard for me to enjoy. Could have been the timing a bit but it just seemed overly sad (2 deaths in a family of 4 is rough and seemed possibly unnecessary for the themes explored). Also got a bit bogged down with the pacing. I think I needed more to happen. But I do love animal books and all the classical children's lit themes of loss, grief and family gave me plenty of feels. This is also a book that will be an easy sell to a lot of families here at my library now that love feels and family.
March 29, 2016
In some ways this book reminded me of John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany in that one of the two main characters has a sense that their skills will be called upon in a life or death moment and this sense is so strong that it is carried with this character in human and animal form.
Sisters Sylvie and Jules live with their Dad in Vermont and each is defined by their singular interests: Sylvie is passionate about running while Jules cares deeply about geology. The book reads in three parts with the first part giving an entire back story on past family tragedies while a new tragedy takes place. The second part shows the aftermath of the tragedy that took place in part 1 and a new central character, a fox named Senna, is born. In part 3 Senna and Jules' stories intersect for a dramatic conclusion.
The story is incredibly sad and the sadness is still lingering in the end, even though the epic conclusion could've been much sadder and the sacrifice that takes place is beautiful and heart-warming. There is no getting away from the fact that this book is a tearjerker. The way the story is woven together and the pieces all fit reads very well. The secondary characters are pretty well realized, though their stories read as though they could be their own books which gave me the feeling that their stories had more to say. The description of setting gives readers a vivid picture of the Vermont winter and quite a bit of detail regarding the woods such that readers are able to develop a solid mental map in which the story takes place.
This could very well be a Newbery favorite this season. Recommended for grades 5-8.
Sisters Sylvie and Jules live with their Dad in Vermont and each is defined by their singular interests: Sylvie is passionate about running while Jules cares deeply about geology. The book reads in three parts with the first part giving an entire back story on past family tragedies while a new tragedy takes place. The second part shows the aftermath of the tragedy that took place in part 1 and a new central character, a fox named Senna, is born. In part 3 Senna and Jules' stories intersect for a dramatic conclusion.
The story is incredibly sad and the sadness is still lingering in the end, even though the epic conclusion could've been much sadder and the sacrifice that takes place is beautiful and heart-warming. There is no getting away from the fact that this book is a tearjerker. The way the story is woven together and the pieces all fit reads very well. The secondary characters are pretty well realized, though their stories read as though they could be their own books which gave me the feeling that their stories had more to say. The description of setting gives readers a vivid picture of the Vermont winter and quite a bit of detail regarding the woods such that readers are able to develop a solid mental map in which the story takes place.
This could very well be a Newbery favorite this season. Recommended for grades 5-8.
April 25, 2018
“Slow and fast. Thick and thin. Eleven and twelve. Jules and Sylvie. Thick as thieves, their dad called them.”
Sisters Jules and Sylvie are only one year apart. 12 year old Sylvie is the runner and also the more impulsive of the Sherman sisters. Jules, on the other hand, is a year younger and more sensible. She is an avid rock collector and steady as a rock.
On a snowy day, right before the school bus comes, Sylvie darts off to throw a wishing rock into the Slip, a treacherous area of the fast moving creek and underground river that runs through their Vermont property. The Slip is strictly forbidden by their father but inexplicably draws Sylvie near. That morning is the very last time that Sylvie is ever seen again.
Somewhere in the woods, a beautiful little shadow fox named Senna, both spirit and animal is born. Senna realizes that she is different from her brothers. She is mystically drawn to humans. Senna is linked to Jules and their lives are fatefully intertwined.
Lost in despair over her sister’s disappearance, can Senna help Jules overcome her grief?
This beautifully written story of sisterly love, grief and connections will stay with you long after the last page is turned.
Reviewed by: Jane Khaytin, Youth and School Services, Vernon Area Public Library
Sisters Jules and Sylvie are only one year apart. 12 year old Sylvie is the runner and also the more impulsive of the Sherman sisters. Jules, on the other hand, is a year younger and more sensible. She is an avid rock collector and steady as a rock.
On a snowy day, right before the school bus comes, Sylvie darts off to throw a wishing rock into the Slip, a treacherous area of the fast moving creek and underground river that runs through their Vermont property. The Slip is strictly forbidden by their father but inexplicably draws Sylvie near. That morning is the very last time that Sylvie is ever seen again.
Somewhere in the woods, a beautiful little shadow fox named Senna, both spirit and animal is born. Senna realizes that she is different from her brothers. She is mystically drawn to humans. Senna is linked to Jules and their lives are fatefully intertwined.
Lost in despair over her sister’s disappearance, can Senna help Jules overcome her grief?
This beautifully written story of sisterly love, grief and connections will stay with you long after the last page is turned.
Reviewed by: Jane Khaytin, Youth and School Services, Vernon Area Public Library
May 30, 2016
Maybe a Fox by Kathi Appelt might just be the next Bridge to Terabithia.
So beautiful and yet so sad. Jules and Sophie, two sisters close in age, live in the rural, unspoiled Vermont woods. They always squish into the bus seat with their neighbor Sam. They are both so full of personality, yet very different from each other. Author Kathi Appelt captures the love and frustration of siblings in this middle grade novel. The reader gets to know the sisters, their neighbor Sam and his brother Elk, all while able to picture the Vermont woods they share. You must read this book. I sense another Newbery award.
So beautiful and yet so sad. Jules and Sophie, two sisters close in age, live in the rural, unspoiled Vermont woods. They always squish into the bus seat with their neighbor Sam. They are both so full of personality, yet very different from each other. Author Kathi Appelt captures the love and frustration of siblings in this middle grade novel. The reader gets to know the sisters, their neighbor Sam and his brother Elk, all while able to picture the Vermont woods they share. You must read this book. I sense another Newbery award.
May 21, 2016
Maybe a Fox by Kathi Appelt and Allison McGhee is maybe one of the best books I've read all year! Sylvie and Jules are sisters living in the backwoods of Vermont. Sylvie loves to run fast, and Jules loves her rock collection. One morning before school, Sylvie runs into the woods and promises Jules she will be back in time to ride the bus, only she doesn't return. At the same time Sylvie goes missing, a fox, Senna, is born. Senna knows she was born with a special purpose, and eventually feels a connection with a sad girl in the woods, and is determined to help her out. What an emotional story about family, friendship, grief, and healing! Definitely a Newbery contender in my book!
June 24, 2016
There are often so many unanswered questions in life. But if you could somehow magically find the answer to the question that has been tormenting you, would you really want to know? Maybe A Fox explores the universal desire for answers when the going gets tough. It's a sad book, a dark book. Many characters have been touched by tragedy. Each are dealing with the aftermath in their own way. In the story, something bordering on the miraculous occurs to help the main character, Jules, find her answers. We may not all be so fortunate to have the aid of a mystical forest creature. But when we do find our answers, it is miraculous nonetheless.
October 31, 2017
This heartbreakingly beautiful story merges grief, fantasy, yearning and growing-up into a wondrous celebration of sisterhood, family and catharsis. Soulmate sisters Sylvie and Jules are ripped apart when Sylvie vanishes. Jules and her father must find their lives again and redefine their relationship to the Vermont farmland setting that plays a crucial role in this tale. A quirky fantasy element pervades this book forcing to the reader to reconcile their emotions with the animals streams and woods who are a part of Jules’s life. Luminous writing and poetic lyricism pervade this lovely little novel.
Pull out the tissue and enjoy.
Pull out the tissue and enjoy.
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