Reading Journal 2023: Scary Stories For Young Foxes

Reading Journal 2023: Scary Stories For Young Foxes
Author: Christian McKay Heidicker

I loved the premise- a group of young foxes (kits) want to hear a scary story. They are cautioned by their mother about someone called the “storyteller”. The storyteller tells the scariest stories of all. Which of course makes the young kits all the more curious. So they visit the storyteller, who proceeds to tell them a story.

I also really like the set up- the kits want to be scared. The storyteller offers them this-
“All scary stories have two sides,” the storyteller said. “Like the bright and dark of the moon. If you’re brave enough to stay to the end, the stories can shine a light ion the good in the world. They can guide your muzzles. They can help you survive.”

Which becomes an invitation to hear what the story is about. One of the best parts about the scary stories is the way the book roots the fear in the world these foxes know. Facing the fears that haunt the night are also a way for them to understand themselves. The book is wonderfully grounded in this way, exploring the tension that exists between the dueling sides of the natural world.

If I had one small critique it would be that the ending does try to sum things up into a singular moral lesson that I found to be slightly unsatisfying. The story brings together all the working threads in a nice, poetic fashion, but it sort of gets reduced to a platitude which I don’t think works as a way to address our fears. That’s a very small critique though of a book that is otherwise really strong with memorable characters, an engaging adventure, and a good dose of heart.