Maybe a Fox
By Kathi Appelt
Antheneum Books for Young Readers, 2016. Fiction. 272 p.
Sylvie is one year older than her sister Jules. Their mother died a number of years before but they live pretty happily with their father on a big piece of wooded land in Vermont. One day there is a accident and Sylvie is gone. As Jules and her father cope with another crushing loss in their family, a baby fox is born in the woods near their house. The fox is a "kennen" and is mystically connected with Sylvie and Jules. As Jules tries desperately to navigate the "after Sylvie" time, the fox's and Jules' fates irresistibly intertwine.
This is a heart wrenching story about dealing with loss. With stunning prose, Appelt brings the reader right into the heart of a young girl in deep mourning, but also gives hope and comfort that there are unseen forces that watch over children. This book will likely be on a lot of potential Newbery short lists, and is available from the Library in print, on CD, and as an e-book.
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