Scary Stories for Young Foxes was an incredible book! Wow! Watching animals in their natural habitat, it never occurs to us the horror that they often encounter to survive. Heidicker takes us into the lives of young foxes, showing us that theirs is a daily scary story, one that causes you to fill a shiver down your spine. This book is incredibly popular with my students. I recommend this to fans of Alvin Schwartz, Mary Downing Hahn, readers who enjoyed the series Small Spaces, and those who liked the book The Wrong Train.

An excellent book that is simple, but memorable. It has the feel of a book that could be a classic.

I am completely puzzled at the inclusion of this book in the scary-horror genre and why it is recommended for fans of Stine, Gaiman and the like which is probably why my finger clicked the three star button and not the four. The stories told to the little foxes would have been horrifying to them as it weaved all the good and bad of survival (or death) in the woods for their kind. But other than the creepy Beatrix Potter, Scary Stories for Young Foxes is more for fans of Bauer’s Runt or Martin’s A Dog’s Life or even Gemeinhart’s Good Dog. The setting is a story teller entertaining little foxes time and time again with the survival tale of two foxes, born to different families, but both lost to them. They both battle nature, humans, and other animals in a valiant effort to reunite with their families. Great characterization of Mia and Uly, interesting villains, and clear story progression filled with opportunities for inference get and prediction make the book a good choice to class read alouds or literature circles.

This is a wonderful collection of stories that are scary for foxes. They are also scary for humans! They are beautifully written. Each chapter is a different kind of scary story and at first they appear to be unconnected to one another, and then they get woven together. I loved these stories and I can't wait to share them with my students.

This was a story-around-the-campfire type book- but for young foxes, as indicated in the title. It has a cute but creepy premise and is a good summer read for kids on a rainy day.

Scary stories, anthropomorphized foxes, atypical villains and inspirational spice from some of the classics await this book’s readers. An abundance of names and multiple storylines slowed me down right out of the gate, but it picked up considerably after getting to know the two main characters—Uly and Mia.

I’d recommend this to anybody looking for a bit of spookiness in a bedtime chapter book. In the end, the storylines weave together to create a lovely ending to some harrowing fox tales.


Thanks to Henry Holt and Co at Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and NetGalley for the provided e-ARC and the opportunity to read this book. My review is honest, unbiased, and voluntary. #NetGalley #ScaryStoriesForYoungFoxes

Scary Stories for Young Foxes is just what the title leads you to believe, delightful and dark. It is exciting and chilling and fun. I love the way the stories are connected to create a loosely flowing narrative and to give you a more complete view of Mia and Uly's world. A must-read for youngsters who love animal adventures and being scared.

Interesting storyline, but too violent (IMHO) for the audience it is suggested for. Although I won't be buying it for our library, that doesn't mean I wouldn't recommend it to older readers or in other circumstances. I appreciate having the chance to read it,

I've never read anything like this before, and would love to read some scary stories from other animal species from this author in the future! Rabies, taxidermy, murderous badgers, merciless fox dads coming back from the dead...this story is not for the weak of heart. I wouldn't give it to a reader who is sensitive about animals dying/getting injured. That being said, there's nothing truly gory, and all of the things that happen are things that actually happen to foxes in the wild (maybe with a bit of spice added for effect). Fair warning: foxes die in this one. The first story is by far the most intense one. My favorite story, which was also the most creepy in my opinion, featured a maniacal beloved children's author (I won't say who, because the reveal had me cracking up). There are two main foxes that appear in all the stories, and they are easy to fall in love with. Brave young readers (around grades 3-6) with an understanding of the brutality of the wild will be fine with this one. And if you're unsure whether your kid can handle it, I think it would make a great book to read together!

Well-written series of tales about the threats that kits (young foxes) face transferred from factual fears to fictionalized, anamorphic terrors; complete with a whole new take on the beloved Beatrix Potter.

I think this is a fun "Intro to scary stories" that some of my younger students would really enjoy. I found the plot to be. a little on the slow end but I think it came together really nicely by the end. My students in the library ALWAYS ask for scary stories and I have trouble finding books that won't give them crazy nightmares; I think this book is a good solution. I'm excited to have them read it and see what they think!

Sorry, but I could not get into this book.
I read the first story and it all made sense but wasn't interesting to me.

I received a digital galley of Scary Stories for Young Foxes from Netgalley and read it on a camping trip this weekend. Here are some of my thoughts.

What is "scary"?
The story is terrifying at times, but does not feel "scary" in overall tone, which some middle-grade readers may be looking for in particular, given the title. That said, I think this is a great book for readers who want to recognize that scary stories are just part of the whole story - it's a matter of perspective.

Frame and Pacing
The "stories" are not really stories, but one longer, interconnected tale told in sections. The "stories" are broken up by a larger frame story, in which several young fox kits have arrived at the storyteller's den in order to get a good scare, and as the tale(s) unfold, more and more of the siblings peel off and head home, too scared to continue.

The story is not immediately identified as one whole (although the storyteller hints at this) and the reader as well as the young foxes listening to the story have to learn that what seems like a complete story is only part of the larger tale.

I enjoyed the way that the story is paced but wonder if the value of presenting the book as "stories" instead of "story" may lose potential readers at the title. It is a clever choice, from a literary perspective, however.

By the end of the book, the frame pays off and has some real emotional impact, but throughout the book it feels like it is merely there to create breaks in the larger story to give the impression of these shorter stories existing. Thematically, it pays off, but only if the reader does like the fox kits are advised to do and stick with the story.

Beatrix Potter!?
A particularly interesting element is the role of Beatrix Potter. The only human in the story, she is quite the villain, trapping animals in order to turn them into the beloved characters for which she is well known, then killing and preserving them through taxidermy.

I don't know a lot about Beatrix Potter except that she was known as a conservationist and natural scientist as well as an author, and it is unclear to me how much of her role as depicted in the book is based off of fact.  In the galley, there was no note regarding this, which I hope will be added to the book once it is published, as I think readers will be curious. I can only imagine young readers will be as horrified and transfixed on Potter's character as I was.

This is a delightful book.
I ended up enjoying this middle-grade novel much more than I anticipated. It has a realistic but adventurous feel which is reminiscent of Watership Down. The story told is of friendship, hardship, bravery, and what family really means. I would recommend it and will recommend it. The only thing I'm not sure of is the title, and only then for appeal reasons.

First of all thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) for the Advance Reader Copy! I saw this book On Liberty Hardy's Instagram feed (franzencomesalive) Give her a follow if you like books, and if you don't like books, leave immediately. Scary Stories for Young Foxes is beautifully written in the tradition of Lovecraft and Silverstein, with the timeless themes of fear of the unknown and learning from the dangers we face. Learning what scares us, and there is plenty to scare us in this book, and what we can do to help ourselves and more importantly others! Wonderful use of language and the Illustrations are as beautiful as the story itself. A perfect bedtime read, maybe with a nightlight for some kids, AND some adults. A book that weaves stories, well, more like tales, into a near perfect narrative. I now see why there is such a high rating on Goodreads, perfect for all ages and genders. Thanks for reading, Enjoy.

This thought-provoking book surprised me with its clever interpretation of life from a fox's point of view. What makes a scary story for a young fox? The author subtly weaves together a variety of plot strands. Themes of survival, friendship and love are intertwined with the realities of life as a fox. Just when all hope seems gone, the author brings events to a satisfying conclusion. Recommended for upper elementary students, this book would be a valuable addition to any elementary school collection or children's fiction section in a public library.

I cannot say enough good things about this extraordinary novel. Billed as a middle grade book, I think it will also enthrall upper elementary school students as well (it’s on my book award contest list for my upper elementary students next year). The story beings with a family of young fox kits begging their mother for a scary story on a chill autumn evening. The eight interconnected stories that follow are beautiful, chilling and original. I was spellbound by this book and its gorgeous prose designed to delight, tantalize and thrill. A must have for school and public library collections

Has potential but the language is still clumsy and amateur. The word “and” could be edited out a bit more too.