Shadow fox

Following the deaths of her mother and sister, an initially nameless fox relies on the kindness of Nan, the owner of a motel in Grand Marais, Minn., to survive--until Nan disappears. When Nan's granddaughter Bee arrives to search for her, the fox, wary of the stranger, nevertheless feels a bond with Bee, who names her Shadow. An enigmatic boatsman speculates that their bond is due to the magic that originates from Whistlenorth, Nan's enchanted hometown on Lake Superior. He also reveals that Whistlenorth is in danger: after Night Islanders deplete their own home of its magic, they plan to steal Whistlenorth's. As the chosen one, Shadow must save Whistlenorth and its citizens and restore the nature that is the source of its magic before it's too late. Over the course of her adventure, Shadow contends with grief over her family's deaths and fear over Nan's disappearance, all while slowly learning to trust again. Sorosiak (Always, Clementine) illustrates the threats that jeopardize the environment and the power of nature to heal all ills in this touching tale narrated by sharp and witty Shadow. Human characters read as white. Ages 8--12. Agent: Claire Wilson, Rogers, Coleridge & White. (Oct.)

A hungry fox and a girl with a lively personality wield magic together. Events unfold from the viewpoint of the narrator, a fox named Shadow who lives near the shore of Lake Superior. Food is scarce, she's thin and has patchy fur, and the loss of her sister some months before is constantly on her mind. Shadow steals shoes from rooms at a nearby motel--she has 257 piled in her den--and distrusts all humans except for one. But Nan, the white-haired woman from the motel who used to feed her, is inexplicably gone; a red-haired girl is there instead. Bee, Nan's granddaughter, is a bit wild and out of step with others herself. To Shadow's initial annoyance, she and Bee forge a bond that turns out to be deep and magical; indeed, Bee can understand and give human voice to Shadow's thoughts. Meanwhile, the island of Whistlenorth, accessed through a portal on Lake Superior, is the site of imminent (and foretold) devastation--and Bee and Shadow must attempt to thwart the danger. The Night Islanders' greedy and indiscriminate reaping of the environment to distill "ultra-concentrated magic" has laid waste to much of what grows in the magical islands and threatens Minnesota's forests. As Shadow navigates the dangerous territories of trust and power, the fox has a compelling voice that's prickly, proud, and subtly funny. The book convincingly depicts a singular brand of northern, woodsy, wild magic. An appealing combination of animal magic and low-key hero fantasy.(Fantasy. 8-11) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.