Finding the Fox

The Shapeshifter #1

by Ali Sparkes

Dax Jones is an ordinary schoolboy . . . until something extraordinary happens one day. Whilst frightened for his life, he inexplicably changes into a fox! Before long, both a government agent and an ambitious young journalist are on his tail. The agent tells him that he is one of several children with special powers and he's been offered a place at a secret government school where he can develop, and learn to control, these powers. If Dax accepts, on no account can he tell anybody, especially not the journalist. Dax jumps at the chance of attending the boarding school. His home life is unhappy and he would do anything to escape it. And when he gets to the school, he is amazed to find himself amongst kids with all sorts of talents, from the ability to levitate to the ability to move things using only the mind. Dax immediately feels at home. But first the journalist tracks him down. And then he begins to wonder who exactly is behind the school, and what they want from the pupils there. Suddenly Dax's fox senses are on high alert . . .

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Childrens, Fiction, Shapeshifters, Audiobook

336 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2006

About the author

Ali Sparkes (born 1966) is a British children's author.

Reviews

[Gergana]

Worst bit about this book: Harry Potter / X-men crossover.
Best bit about this book: Harry Potter / X-men crossover.

I absolutely adored Ali Sparkes's Wishful Thinking, a book about a boy whose uneventful and "pathetic" existence is turned upside down when a Celtic Deity decides to "fix" his life. It's the funniest, most charming children book I've ever read, so naturally I had high expectations for Finding the Fox too.

What I expected was a cute little story about a boy's adventures and mishaps caused by his uncanny ability to turn into a fox. Lots of comedy and humor.
What I got was "a kid with special powers goes to a top secret school for gifted children".

So Dax, our protagonist, finds out one day that, under a certain amount of stress, he is able to transform into a fox. This doesn't go unnoticed by the British government and he is quickly whisked away to the middle of nowhere (I think it was Cornwall?), where telekinetics, telepaths, healers, illusionists, clairvoyants and other kids with special gifts are attending school in "peace". Needless to say, having classmates who can move objects with their minds, forward messages from your dead relatives on pink notes and vanish in a blink, can be quite exciting, but Dax is too busy dealing with his own inability to control his transformation and the nagging feeling that not everything in this place is as perfect as it seems.

I have to admit, I wasn't sure whether I liked the direction this book was heading at first. Once Dax was taken to the school, my mind kept screaming "Harry Potter but with X-men" for a few chapters. Thankfully, after a while the story sucks you in and you stop noticing the similarities. In fact, Finding The Fox has enough memorable moments and characters to make it worth checking out.

If you enjoy reading children books, make sure to check out:


Kids with super-powers:


Enjoy!

[Dimitris Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another special-boy/girl-gets-picked-up-by-special-school story in the vain of Harry Potter. With Lexicon and Idlewild, I feel like I've been reading loads of these lately, yet I have strangely forgotten to grow tired of them. However, it has to be said that Finding the Fox was different from these books: it was simple. Easy to follow, easy to visualize, but beautiful nonetheless. I have a soft spot for beautiful simplicity as a concept, what can I do. And I also have a soft spot for people turning into animals and very detailed descriptions of what it feels like it to be a fox.

I don't even have to tell you the story: Finding the Fox is almost exactly like Harry Potter, the protagonist himself even more so (quasi-orphan, living with his step-parents and calling a glorified cupboard his room, special powers suddenly emerging, special school comes a-looking, special school is awesome, best part of book is exploring wonders of special school and its students). It doesn't matter that it's a book for preteens or early teens, I enjoyed it just the same, similarly, I expect, to how I would've enjoyed Harry Potter if I read it for the first time at 26.

Did I mention it's all just so English, in the same way Harry Potter is just so sine qua non English? It couldn't be any other way, either, similarly to when Spaced tried to be American and it realised it couldn't bring itself to ever passably drive on the right, or say "like, like, like..." nearly annoyingly enough.

Thanks go to Daphne for spotting this in a pile in one of many second-hand book shops in Monastiraki.

[Katherine B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, but this was so cute! I wasn't sure how I'd feel about it when I started it, but I loved it. Excuse me while I go start book two!

[S.J. Higbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Dax, who has certainly drawn the short straw when a happy family life was handed out. His mother died when he was four years old and his stepmother dislikes him and makes no secret of the fact. As for his father – he’s away working most of the time and doesn’t make much of an effort to bond with his son, anyway. Is he angry about it? Oh for sure – but Dax has learnt not to show it, so he buries his anger. Until it manifests… differently.

Sparkes is really clever at depicting realistic, rounded characters which is why she is such a firm favourite with me. I was right alongside Dax, rooting for the quiet, wary boy who learnt far too young that the world is often a cruel, uncaring place. But that also gives him an advantage – he isn’t easily taken in. And that distrust gives him a vital edge when someone means him harm. I also liked the supporting cast – this is the start of a six-book series, so part of the task is to establish some of the main characters, such as Gideon, Dax’s new friend and some of the teachers who will clearly be featuring in coming adventures. The denouement of this adventure is genuinely gripping, and instead of carrying on with my chores, I sat down to listen, not willing to miss any of the action. This gripping read is recommended for children, particularly boys, aged 9-11who enjoy fast-paced fiction with a fantasy twist.
9/10

[Isabella Tjepkema · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ik las dit boek voor het eerst toen ik denk ik 8(?) was. Ik ben nu 22 en ik snap wel waarom het een van mijn favorieten was! Super nostalgisch 😄

[Helen Bendell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shapeshifter was my favourite book series when I was a kid. I was absolutely obsessed. Every story I wrote when I was 8 contained characters called Gideon and Mia and Dax. I forced my friends to play games where we were all shapeshifters. It was the first book that I became properly obsessed with. I adored this series so, so much.

I haven’t read this book since I was, maybe, 9. It’s always dangerous to return to things you loved in your childhood. Will it live up to expectations? I was worried adult-me would only be able to find flaws and not be able to look at this book with child-like wonder.

Luckily, I loved it just as much as I did when I was a kid.

Maybe it’s nostalgia talking, but reading this brought back so many memories. I loved being back in the college - a place I desperately wanted to live (and still do). I loved reuniting with the characters. Gideon was always my favourite and I think he still might be. He has a charm to him that is instantly loveable. Mia was fantastic and I know she’s given more story in future books so I’m excited to dive into that again. I don’t think I gave Lisa enough love when I was a child but I really enjoyed her character this time around. And, of course, I loved Dax. I don’t think I’ll ever get bored of stories about ordinary kids realising they are actually extraordinary.

This book is in the list of things I’m definitely going to read to my future children and I’d recommend it to anyone - young and old - who love fantasy stories and magical schools.

I’m looking forward to reading the other books again. I hope they’re all still as wonderful as this one.

[Enfys · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shapeshifter: Finding the Fox tells the story of Dax, an ordinary boy - until, cornered in a shed with no escape, he shifts. Now he journeys to a secret government school for COLA. He meets new friends and enjoys himself - but are all the people in charge really on his side?

I thought that the characters were very well written with great interactions between them. The plot was very well written, keeping it as a single book, while still lending itself to being in a series. The story was a little too predictable, with a few too many 'seeds' planted. I thought it was a very good book.

9/10

[Elzevera · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the read, though it's clearly a book aimed at children. It had a hint of Harry Potter (only way less complex) and there are a great deal of questions left unanswered which make me want to read the next book(s) in the series. I was impressed by the description of Dax's experiences as a fox, which is part of what made this such a lovely book. A definite recommendation for children who like suspense, magic and animals, and an amusing, light read for the (young) adults among us :)

[15paule · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book!! Once I started to read it, I could not put it down! I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a great adventure and a great page turner!

[Hailey Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not gonna lie, I've been wanting to get around to this for quite a while. Was it worth all that waiting?

(Dax Jones is an ordinary schoolboy . . . until something extraordinary happens one day. Whilst frightened for his life, he inexplicably changes into a fox! Before long, both a government agent and an ambitious young journalist are on his tail. The agent tells him that he is one of several children with special powers and he's been offered a place at a secret government school where he can develop, and learn to control, these powers. If Dax accepts, on no account can he tell anybody, especially not the journalist. Dax jumps at the chance of attending the boarding school. His home life is unhappy and he would do anything to escape it. And when he gets to the school, he is amazed to find himself amongst kids with all sorts of talents, from the ability to levitate to the ability to move things using only the mind. Dax immediately feels at home. But first the journalist tracks him down. And then he begins to wonder who exactly is behind the school, and what they want from the pupils there. Suddenly Dax's fox senses are on high alert . . .) ~ Blurb from Goodreads

Now, I know what you're probably thinking. "It just sounds like the author just took a good chunk of the plot from the first Harry Potter book and switched out magic for shapeshifting and stuff. So what?" But, keep reading.

So chapters two and three were certainly intriguing. In these chapters, Dax experiences being a fox for the first time and the way that these experiences are written are pretty cool. From the way the fox moves to how it perceives the world and beyond, the novel really allows the reader to view the world through the eyes of a fox and really captures the excitement of someone experiencing this for the first time. Not only that, but the way this information is conveyed makes the reader just as confused, but just as exhilarated as Dax.

I loved how the shapeshifting system evolved as Dax evolved. So at first, in order for Dax to be able to shapeshift, it seems like the only way to do so is for his life to be in danger in some capacity (i.e heat stroke, self-defense situations, being poisoned, etc) and the only way to reverse it is by sleeping. But as Dax learns more about his power, he discovers easier ways of activating and deactivating his power (including imagining the smell of fox and earth, as well as a cool breeze). Not only was it a bit different compared to the shapeshifting systems in other stories I've read, but while Dax can still shapeshift when pressed, the shapeshifting system maintains a strong sense of consistency nevertheless.

I found Gideon to be great. Not gonna lie. He was a pretty intriguing character. Yes, he can be rambunctious and go a little too far, but he always has good intentions and is legitimately supportive of Dax. Oh and he also loves chocolate.

Lisa was pretty interesting. Unlike the other students at the special government school Dax attends, Lisa doesn't want to be there because she had a good life back home, doesn't interact much with the other students, and doesn't go to classes that will help her develop her psychic powers, which consist of being bombarded by messages from the dead and no matter how hard she tries, she can't fully escape them on her own. Throughout the story, she opens up to Dax, who helps her pass on the messages, which seem to quiet them. Despite being a more minor character, I really like how she has her own struggles and her own character arc, as it definitely helped her feel more like a real person.

I did not care for one of the twists in this. No spoiler tags for this part. It's not worth it. So the twist I'm talking about involves the principal of the school named Patrick Wood. He basically has the ability to use glamor and such to get people to like and listen to him. At first, he's presented as a genuinely nice and trustworthy guy in spite of this. But then it turns out "Oh no! He was a bad guy this whole time!" In other words, it's a "Twist Villain" kind of twist. Like I said in my review on The Guest List, I've seen this twist so many times, like in Coco, The Bad Guys, and so on, it's not even funny. Now to be fair, this novel did come out in 2006, long before the works in question. But it still doesn't take away the fact that the twist involving the principal is still presented in the most obvious and telegraphed way possible. Like seriously, I could see this twist coming from ten miles away. To be honest, I think a better twist would've been to have nobody be the villain. See, despite the presence of supernatural elements, this is very much a laidback, slice of life kind of story. So having the "Nobody is a villain" twist would've fit much better with this type of story.

Overall, Finding the Fox may not have the most original premise out there, but it still managed to squeeze in some creativity, some fun, and great characters. Consider me interested in the next installment.

Overall Grade: A-

[Emery Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very medium book.

Of course it contains a lot of stereotypes (terrible stepmother, school for magic kids, etc), but some of those stereotypes it leans into well, like the kids all having dead mothers. I thought that was pretty clever of the author to do.

I feel like the book really lost its footing in the middle. Before that it had been Dax discovering his powers and being whisked away to this magical school and after that, of course, was the ending, which I actually really enjoyed. I would give the ending on its own 4.5 stars. It was still pretty stereotypical, but in a great way that I always love reading. Anyways, getting back to the middle it just didn’t really have a point. It was halfway between Dax discovering the school and establishing the setting and him working with his new powers to control them; however, in the end it just didn’t really do either. There was no focus for it, so the book just floundered through a bunch of scenes strung together in a certain order.

I’ll probably check out the other few books from the library just for that ending. It’s like when I read the Alex Rider series. It’s not good or bad, it’s just nostalgia for the type books I read when I was younger and the few that delved into darker subjects than many chose to.

I wish there had been more scenes of Dax as a fox. That’s what I was looking for and I think that’s why I enjoyed the end more. More fox scenes :)

[Artemis Crescent · Rating 3 out of 5]

2021 EDIT: It must have been fifteen years since I last read 'Finding the Fox'.

Funny how things, but most prominently adults, in books, might seem cool to child readers; but when you're an adult reader, suddenly those things appear, in fact, creepy and even sinister. Owen Hind, and a lot of the other adult characters, are so untrustworthy and borderline abusive. Is the kidnapping and gaslighting Owen really a good guy, when his words and actions make him look just as bad as the actual, obvious bad guy at Tregarren College? How often does he physically and psychologically harm young Dax to force him to change from a boy into a fox, and back again, for his "own good"? Dax is at least twelve years old!

'Finding the Fox' seriously isn't as innocent and simple a children's book as it seems, appropriately enough.

Other things that bothered me are:

Dax's cartoonishly evil stepmother (wow that trope is incredibly harmful), and his stereotypically girly and pink-and-doll-loving little half-sister;

The plot holes at the beginning: Why doesn't Dax try to break a window in the garden shed he is trapped in? Why didn't he think beforehand to prop something up against the shed door if it's known to slam itself shut in the wind, in October, in England? This is where Dax first transforms into a fox, and so he squeezes through a hole in the back of the shed to escape - but then, later, when he needs to go back inside as a boy before his stepmother catches him, why doesn't he just go in by the door and trap himself again, instead of wasting time breaking the same hole to make it bigger for him to crawl through?;

I still find Dax's Cola friend Gideon to be funny, but he can be a thoughtless git and, like the adults, borderline abusive - on page 114 of my copy, he actually gives Dax a Chinese burn, suddenly and non-consensually, just to prove that a Cola healer can heal him! I'm sure Dax would have taken you at your word, Gid! Or you could have given yourself a slight burn or cut to be healed, without hurting your new friend whom you've just met and whom your first encounter with involved you "accidently" hitting him in the face with a football when he'd woken up in bed. Little dick;

Poor Lisa. She really doesn't receive enough sympathy. The majority of the characters in this book are kind of mean, and sullen, moody and antisocial Lisa, ironically, is one of the least mean. The eleven-to-twelve-year-old girl is traumatised, her life is in ruins, her "gift" is a curse. She needs a hug;

There's the lack of deep worldbuilding when it comes to the mediums and psychics in the Cola Club. Like, ghosts, sprits and the afterlife are a regular feature to them and everyone else in the school - messages "from the other side" are passed to students all the time - so where does that leave the people with different faiths and religions there? Or the people without either? Aren't anyone's beliefs being questioned and challenged on a huge scale by this revelation? Faith and worship are mentioned on page 269, but it's only in relation to Dax having faith in people again after joining the Cola Club. Nothing else about it is explored;

And, on the subject of death, conveniently none of the Cola kids can contact their dead mothers' spirits. Maybe the reasons for why this is, and why they have no living mothers to begin with, are explained in a sequel. While we're at it, why did the weather in their areas turn absolutely mad and stormy at the time of their births? Most pressing of all: where do Dax's clothes go whenever he transforms into a fox, that magically reappear when he turns back into a boy? I'm sure the reasons for why these kids are so special will turn out to be very silly.

'Finding the Fox' is fun for younger audiences, however. 'Harry Potter' fans may well be attuned to the series. "Good, clean fun"? Eh. But it's entertaining, for all genders.

Final Score: 3/5





Original Review:



Another book I remember reading at school. This is an entertaining and well-written action fantasy with a comic book edge. Reads like 'Harry Potter' (main male protagonist, secret school for children like himself, mysterious adult figures etc.) and 'X-Men' for middle schoolers (the superkids' school is called COLA: short for Children Of Limitless Ability. How cute). But 'Finding the Fox' has enough memorable characters - each with their own charm and charisma - and set pieces, that it's not really fair to compare it to other franchises.

Being a children's book the story is rather simple, with an obvious villain, but it contains many fun elements. The main boy Dax is realistic but nice and smart enough without coming across as boring compared to the funny and chocolate-loving Gideon, the troubled psychic Lisa who jogs around the school at night, and Dax's COLA guardian Owen whose trust will be questioned throughout the book.

The descriptions of Dax turning into a fox are surprisingly realistic. You feel for Dax and how he must be coping with this sudden change in his life. Finding out you're a shapeshifter can be cool but also dangerous, and some people might want to use you or kill you...

How Dax interacts with the other colourful characters is also believable. And there are tense scenes, such as whenever Dax shapeshifts in the worst of situations, proving that just because you write a book for children about kids with superpowers, doesn't mean the story has to be dumbed-down. Ali Sparkes has talent and she uses the best of her abilities in writing 'Finding the Fox'.

Also, among the mysteries concerning their existence, every COLA students' mother died when he or she was just four-years-old. How, and why? Keep reading the series and maybe we'll find out!

A light but great read that made my heart smile whilst reading it. What fun it must be to be a teen and a part of COLA, making fantastic friends there!

Final Score: 4/5

[Athiene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Making me so nostalgic. Can’t work out how to tell Goodreads I’ve read these before so oh well. Defo reading all the others now

[Greenbear · Rating 3 out of 5]

Der komplette Inhalt verdient solide 3 Sterne. Gut, aber nichts besonderes.

Viel lieber möchte ich diese Zeilen nutzen, um etwas Kritik am Übersetzer zu üben. Klar ist das eine undankbare Aufgabe; viele Witze funktionieren übersetzt einfach nicht und wenn Lesern ein Übersetzer auffällt dann eher negativ. Man kann kaum was eigenes mit reinbringen ohne den Text zu verformen und an anderen Stellen sollte man eigentlich was verändern fürs Verständnis, darf es aber von Verlagsseite aus nicht.
Lasst es mich an zwei Beispielen erklären. Zuerst ganz simpel: ich bin über das Wort "steinmüde" gestolpert. Ich habe es noch nie vorher gehört, der Duden kennt es nicht, es hat keinen Bezug zur Geschichte, kommt nur ein einziges Mal vor und dennoch hat der Übersetzer sich hierfür entschieden statt für das wesentlich geläufigere "todmüde". Warum? Wollte er etwas persönlichen Dialekt reinbringen? Ein Lieblingswort? Oder war er schlichtweg zu faul/unerfahren, um die Existenz dieses Wortes vorher mal nachzuschauen?
Das zweite Beispiel enthält Spoiler zum Ende des Buches. Der Bösewicht ist Schulleiter Woods. Erst im Nachhinein stellt sich heraus, dass Dax Nachrichten von einem Geist erhalten hat, die ihn vor Holz warnen. Nanu? Vor Holz? Da das im Deutschen keinen Sinn ergibt fügt der Übersetzer hier ein paar eigene Zeilen ein und erklärt, dass Holz ja auf Englisch Wood heißt und es deswegen eine Warnung vor dem Direktor war. Das reißt den Leser nicht nur aus der Geschichte sondern ergibt auch herrlich wenig Sinn. Denkt Dax hier auf Deutsch über die Übersetzung nach? Spricht der Geist auf Englisch mit ihm? Und wieso musste die Nachricht überhaupt "verschleiert" werden? An dieser Stelle hätte es sich angeboten, den Namen des Schulleiters einfach zu übersetzen. Ist doch egal, der Typ stirbt eh am Ende und seine Hintergrundgeschichte wird nie erwähnt. Nenn ihn Holz oder Wald, das tut der minimal britischen Stimmung jetzt auch keinen Abbruch.
Rant zu Ende. Danke an die ein, zwei Personen, die das vermutlich jemals lesen werden.

[Badgerlord · Rating 4 out of 5]

I reccommend this book for any age.

Without revealing too much, the book is about a boy called Dax who, after getting trapped in a shed finds himself transforming into a fox. However, Dax is not the only one who is aware of the fact he's not normal, and soon enough Dax finds himself whisked away to a secret government facility to accomodate children with powers. He is surrounded by healers, claivoyants, illusionist and telekinetics, including a chocolate obsessed Gideon, who quickly become hos best friend. Dax finals feels that he belongs somewhere. But things are not that easy, and Dax's fox senses start telling that all is not what it seems and that not everyone around can be trusted.

This is one of the few books I've found where the characters and how the deal with the things going on around them are actually beleivable (watch out Harry Potter!). The characters strike the perfect ballance between 'So now I'm a shapeshifter, but more importantly; what's for lunch?' and spending the rest of the book in a surprise induced coma. Ali's description of what it's like to be transformed is also very good, she's obviously done her research. Honestly, I couldn't put this book down. My only problem with this book is that it's too short (then again, if it was too much longer I would have died of thirst while reading. That's how immersed I was).

[CM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a nostalgic read for me as I first read this series when I was 11. These characters are part of my childhood and even today I still love them. I have to be honest and say that I really don’t like Harry Potter, yet The Shapeshifter series is one of my all time favourites, so all those comparing this to Harry Potter (and yes I can see the similarities), this really isn’t just a rip off Harry Potter. Even for a series aimed at children there is a very interesting plot that develops over the 5 books and a lot of adult concepts like abuse, torture, and untrustworthy governments that makes this available to a more grown up audience. I have met Ali Sparkes and she is so passionate about these books and just a generally lovely person. I would love to see these books grow in popularity as I think they are criminally underrated.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bit of a classic Harry Potter style where a young kid (aged 12) suddenly discovers that he has these special abilities - to shape shift into a fox. All the other children with special abilities are sent to a school in Cornwall - not everything is as it seems.

I thought this was well written, very engaging and very original. I liked all the research that was clearly put into getting the characteristics of the fox right and how the author conveyed Dax’s feelings when he had shifted into a fox.

The side characters were also well written and I’m looking forward to reading more about them in the other books in the series.

[Maddy Belcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read aimed at 9/10 age group but remains a great read at any age in my opinion! first read it when I was ten and still reading it 5 years later!

[Gijs · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dankjewel Lieke



Vandaag had ik nog een laatste excursie met de bus, wat mij meer dan genoeg tijd verschafte om nog een boek uit te lezen. Ditmaal beslist een simpeler boek dan voorheen, dat moet zeker gezegd worden, vandaar ook dat dit boek in twee en een half uur -ongeveer dan- uitgelezen kon worden. Finding the Fox heet het. Deel één van de zesdelige boekenserie ‘shapeshifter’. De doelgroep van dit boek is eigenlijk gewoon kinderen. Nu ben ik niet actief op zoek naar extra pagina’s of boeken om mijn goodreads account te statpadden. Echter! Het toeval wilde dat dit het favoriete boek is van een vriendin, en ik had toegezegd dat ik haar één kans zou geven om mij een boek aan te raden en dat ik deze ook zou lezen. Zodoende bereikte een exemplaar van dit boek mijn klauwen en heb ik hem mooi gelezen.
Nu lijkt het me dat elk woord dat ik gebruik om als volwassene (want dat ben ik officieel gezien gewoon) een kinderboek te bekritiseren een woord teveel is. Het boek is gewoon niet voor mij. Toch wil ik wel een beetje een ‘review’ schrijven. Dus bij deze, houd echter in het achterhoofd dat dit allemaal met een grote korrel zout genomen dient te worden. Nog wel even een echt punt van kritiek: op de voorkant van het boek stond met tamelijk grote letters: ‘winner of the blue peter book of the year’. Ik heb even opgezocht wat die prijs nou is en wat dat inhoudt en voor zover ik kan zien heeft dit boek die prijs gewoon niet gewonnen. Kan dat gewoon? Op je boek zetten dat je prijzen hebt gewonnen terwijl dat niet zo is? Ik vind het hoogst dubieus! Ik wil uitleg, Ali Sparkes!!!
Als ik je zou vertellen dat ik een kinderboek gelezen heb dat gaat over een jongen wiens moeder de eeuwige jachtvelden op is, die er per ongeluk een beetje achter komt dat hij een haast bovennatuurlijke kracht bezit en hiervoor halsoverkop van zijn huis wordt gehaald (waar hij niet gemist gaat worden) en naar een school gaat om hier te leren zijn kracht beter te controleren samen met gelijkgestemden. Nou ja, gelijkgestemden, niet helemaal. Deze jongen is zelfs op deze bovennatuurlijke school nét wat anders! Dan zou je toch direct zeggen: ‘huh? Ik dacht dat Harry Potter zijn vader ook verloren was’. En dan zou ik weer zeggen: ‘Helemaal waar, maar het was Harry Potter niet’. En dan zou jij waarschijnlijk weer zeggen: ‘Wat voor slap Harry Potter aftreksel heb jij nu weer gelezen?’ Waarop ik zou moeten antwoorden dat het finding the fox was.
Ik ben beslist niet de enige die deze overeenkomst door had. In meerdere goodreads reviews (ja ik heb een paar goodreads reviews van dit boek gelezen. Ik had tijd over in de bus) heb ik ook de vergelijking tussen dit boek en Harry Potter gezien, dus origineel ben ik hier echt niet mee. Het deed mij ook een beetje denken aan een ander boek wat ik als kind gelezen heb: miss peregrine’s home for peculiar children. Maar ik ga straight zijn en zeggen dat ik me daar gewoon niet genoeg van herinner om dit helemaal als waarheid te verkondigen.
Over de inhoud van het boek heb ik gewoon weinig te bekritiseren. Dat is gewoon niet aan mij, zoals gezegd, en dat zal ik gewoon niet doen. Ik vond het wel een beetje een taaie zit en had vaak een momentje van: ‘dit meen je toch niet echt?!’ (bijvoorbeeld, spoiler alert: toen die Dax goed in ALLES bleek te zijn?? Hoge cijfers, goed in tekenen, immuun voor iets waar niemand anders op aarde immuun voor is, om maar wat te noemen) <- ik heb nu overigens letterlijk net nadat ik heb gezegd dat ik het niet zou bekritiseren het boek bekritiseerd. Nou ja, deal with it. Er is mij ter ore gekomen dat boek vier van deze serie de beste is, maar of ik het tot boek vier zal halen weet ik niet man. Als ik de boeken kan lenen zal ik ze wel lezen, ze zijn tamelijk fluks uit, daar niet van. Maar het voelt ook gewoon vreemd om hier helemaal te praten over hoe ik een boek gelezen terwijl ik dubbel de leeftijd van de doelgroep ben.
Aan het einde van de dag vond ik het geen literair meesterwerk, maar dat had in principe niemand verwacht. Ik heb hier geen nostalgisch gevoel bij, en zal dat ook nooit krijgen. Die leeftijd is voor mij passé. Het doet mij echter wel deugd dat ik een boek gelezen heb dat veel betekent voor iemand die voor mij weer veel betekent. Dat is denk ik aan het einde van de dag het belangrijkste voor mij. Neem de rating die ik aan dit boek heb toegeschreven dan ook niet al te serieus, daar gaat het allemaal niet zo om.

[Zeigler Jaguar · Rating 4 out of 5]

The “Shapeshifter” series was recommended to me as someone seeking a fresh draught of the turn-into-a-critter exploits that “Animorphs” first provided some 25 years ago — a theme unfortunately more prevalent these days in lurid adult-romance books that spend bottles of ink on exhaustive descriptions of hunky men and women, and very little on the transforming abilities that might make those people actually worth reading about. Thankfully, “Finding the Fox” does not betray its premise, nor does it beat around the bush for long: within a chapter and a half, our repressed young hero has indeed assumed vulpine shape, to remarkably little consternation on his part. (I found it rather refreshing how Dax’s reaction to his surprise transformation is not horror or fear, but instant acceptance and, quickly, something closer to delight. Be honest: what twelve-year-old boy wouldn’t react that way?)

From there, the Standard YA Premise does ensue, for it does seem that there is only one: the magic child is taken to a whimsical magic school filled with other magic children of varying abilities and personalities. Yes, it’s Harry Potter, it’s X-Men, it’s The Magicians, etc., but there’s a reason that we see this trope so often: it’s comfy, if hardly revolutionary. The crew of the unfortunately named COLA Club are serviceable enough — there’s something relatable about how excited many of them are about befriending a shapeshifter, and the general atmosphere of supernatural bonhomie is hard to resist — but the best scenes by far are those of Dax’s various foxy walkabouts, which are rendered with impeccable detail and authenticity.

Nits could be picked — the denouement rests on an architectural choice so implausibly bizarre that I wondered if G. R. R. Martin’s Arryn clan had a hand in designing this particular school — and it’s a far breezier affair overall than K. A. Applegate’s body-horror and war crime-riddled predecessor, at least so far. However, at the end of the day, I haven’t been able to get Dax Jones out of my head since finishing, and I’ll be immediately diving into the rest of this series. A throwaway line near the end of the book implies that our protagonist might have beasts within him beyond mere *Vulpes vulpes*, and future cover art backs that up. If, like me, you just can’t get enough tales of people who become animals, “Finding the Fox” certainly won’t let you down.

Finally, credit has to be given to Ms. Sparkes for sneaking a *very* cheeky little reference into the first line of her sequel, here excerpted at the close. Most of the target audience here could hardly be expected to pick it up, but it’s a nice sensible chuckle for veteran fantasy fans.

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this book an extra star because my 10yos read it, liked it and wanted the sequels.

It's a middle grade novella about Dax, a boy who discovers his ability to shapeshift into a fox. It's set in England. He's someone with a lot of unresolved grief and anger in his heart having lost his mother young. He's being raised by a step-mother who he sees as favoring her biological daughter, while his own father has mostly absented himself to oil rig jobs. There are some big red flags for neglect and abuse and some scenes of bullying (of a smart but awkward friend) before Dax is spirited away by the government to a school for kids with gifts like his. Comparisons to X-Men and Harry Potter are kind of unavoidable, but those are actually pretty derivative, too, so who cares if someone writes one more spin on special kids/special school. I found the acronym COLA (Children of Limitless Ability) amusing since 'cola' also means tail in Spanish and the MC has a tail. I thought the descriptiveness and pacing were both good. Adults are unreliable people in this world and that's ok with me. There's a lot of how and why missing as regards powers or talents, but overall I thought this was an enjoyable, fast-to-read book and I'm glad my kids took to it. (I found the first three books of the series in a used bookstore in Sabadell, Spain.)

[Marcus Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I originally rated this book three stars because of the many similarities it had to Harry Potter, not just the magic school but the village outside the magic school, the token Draco Malfoy, the figure from the magic world come to whisk away the main character, and the trademark terrible home life caused by an evil stepmom, but Finding the Fox was a very enjoyable read, in the end. Despite it taking many a leaf from J K Rowling’s works, it was beautifully written, enticing, mysterious, and the climax was fantastic in every way, with a nice unexpected twist. I found I could ignore the Potter parallels and thoroughly love the book and the characters. It was the perfect length, enough to set up the next book (I’m told the saga becomes more original as it goes on) and showed a new take on shape shifting, one in a modern world, with the protagonist simply a young, excited boy. I can’t deny that i really did love it. I will definitely be reading the series.

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book review is about the book The Shapeshifter 1: Finding the Fox , written by Ali Sparks . tells the story of a boy called Dax cornered in a a shed with limited escapes and he starts a journey to find out more about the Government school and the cola's.

My opinion about this BOOK is that by looking at the front cover I thought it would be a very boring book and all it would talk about was a fox but it turned out to be a very good book as it was very adventures ! Out of 10 I would give this an 8/10 because it was very adventures but the thing is that as you started the beginning of the book to me it was quite boring telling us lots and lots of information ,but other than that it was amazing !

[Thistle · Rating 2 out of 5]

In this story, a boy (Dax) turns into a fox. He doesn't know why. The reader doesn't know why. And that bugged me. The book was seemingly set in our world, people don't just randomly turn into animals.

Turns out he was special and there were a bunch of other special kids in the world, too. So the teachers from Hogwarts the school for special magical kids showed up to take Dax from his abusive step-family.

This book was so Harry Potter-ish they actually gave the kids chocolate to help them get over shocks...

The writing was good enough. I completely believed the boy as a fox. But the rest of the book? I wish it had been more original, it might have been more interesting if so. Stopped reading at 40% point.

[Jule · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hält, was es verspricht und macht Lust auf mehr.
Dex Jones ist kein gewöhnlicher Junge, sondern hat außergewöhnliche Fähigkeiten, von denen er jedoch zunächst nichts weiß. In seiner Familie ist er nicht glücklich und deshalb freut es ihn, als sich herausstellt, dass er auf ein „besonderes“ Internat gehen kann. Kommt euch bekannt vor? Keine Sorge, es ist kein Du-weißt-schon-wer-Verschnitt.
Die Geschichte fängt gemächlich an und nimmt dann an Fahrt auf, die Charaktere sind liebevoll beschrieben.
An der neuen Schule trügt teilweise auch der schöne Schein, die Geschichte bleibt spannend und hat nur ein vorläufiges Ende, denn längst sind nicht alle Geheimnisse gelüftet.
Also: her mit dem 2. Teil!

[Shahira8826 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, there are quite a few similarities with "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" in "Finding the Fox", especially at the beginning of the book, but as the story progresses, it does start blazing its own path, becoming more original and enjoyable.
By the middle of the book, the plot has diverged enough to become truly engaging, and the final twists and turns really caught me by surprise.
Kudos to the author for the extensive research that went into this novel. The fox facts and behaviours in these pages are completely authentic.
Overall, I think "Finding the Fox" is exactly the right mix of supernatural, adventure and animal cuteness that can fascinate readers of any age. It's certainly hooked me to the series, and now I'll go on and read all the other books in it.

[Ceilidh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating 3.5 stars. An exciting fantasy for younger kids. Many other reviewers have called it a "Harry Potter rip-off," and although I can agree that there are similarities I feel like it's different enough to be read without that criticism. Dax is an interesting character that has lots (by lots I mean tons) of trust issues, which you see manifest throughout the series. They are caused by: the death of his mother at an early age; his father (who is always absent); his stepmother (stereotypically evil) and her mistreatment of him; abuse by his schoolfellows. I found Dax's anger issues to be refreshing after reading several books where the main characters were too perfect (loving and kind despite their terrible circumstances) and I think Dax has fairly realistic reactions to his situation. I can recommend this book to readers that are looking for a HP-type book, or that don't mind the overlap. No magic here!

...and I totally saw that plot twist coming.

[M.I Likes To Read · Rating 3 out of 5]

I selected this book to act as my palate cleanser after finishing a particularly heavy adult fantasy novel, and it did its job admirably. The writing was fun, and I read it fairly quickly - Sparkes has a knack for description. I'd recommend this if you're looking for something fun yet age appropriate.

The author deftly weaves mature themes such as grief and parental loss with a more light-hearted plot about a school for Children of Limitless Ability. Perfect for kids aged 8-12, I'd say.

If it was at times a bit predictable - I knew who was going to be the antagonist from a mile away - well, that's likely because I was not the target demographic.

[Mackenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it and the rest of the series I highly recommend it. It is definitely not an ordinary school with All types of adventures friendships relationships, from fake deaths (and real ones), gaining powers, traveling the world in seconds, living in a mountain and getting tracked by microchips to running away from your teachers. I am very sad there aren't more than six books I wish she had made more. It is the best book series I've ever read i cried, laughed, smiled, screamed and loved it all the way through the series. I'm sad it's over but I will never forget it...

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finding the Fox is the first of five books in the series. The books follow a teenage boy named Dax on his journey as he leaves his school and the family he loves/hates, and becomes a pupil at a new school for 'special' children. Dax can turn into a fox, and all his new friends have equally odd and curious powers.

It's a wonderful story of Dax finding his place in the world and that when things seem too good to be true, they probably are.