Fox Street was a dead end. In Mo Wren's opinion, this was only one of many wonderful, distinguishing things about it.
Mo lives on Fox Street with her dad and little sister, the Wild Child. Their house is in the middle of the block—right where a heart would be, if the street were a person. Fox Street has everything: a piano player, a fix-it man, the city's best burrito makers, a woman who cuts Mo's hair just right, not to mention a certain boy who wants to teach her how to skateboard. There's even a mean, spooky old lady, if ringing doorbells and running away, or leaving dead mice in mailboxes, is your idea of fun. Summers are Mo's favorite time, because her best friend, Mercedes, comes to stay.
Most important, though, Fox Street is where all Mo's memories of her mother live. The idea of anything changing on Fox Street is unimaginable—until it isn't.
This is the story of one unforgettable summer—a summer of alarming letters, mysterious errands, and surprising revelations—and how a tuft of bright red fur gives Mo the courage she needs.
Read More
Children's Literature - Phyllis Kennemer
Mo Wren has lived her almost ten years of life on Fox Street and she loves it there. The short dead-end road has everything. Mo's mother had died in an automobile accident several years before and Mo is responsible for Dottie, her five-year-old sister, while her dad works long hours. Mo is excited because her best friend is coming to spend the summer with her grandmother across the street. But Mercedes has changed and nothing seems the same. Mercedes has a new stepfather and an upscale lifestyle. Her grandmother has had surgery and her energy is waning. A developer wants to buy the Wren home and other neighborhood houses to tear them down and build an office complex. Mo wanders in the ravine at the end of the block hoping to see a fox, but all she finds is a clump of fur. When a huge rainstorm finally breaks the long drought, Dottie gets lost in the ravine and the neighbors all turn out to look for her, resulting in an impromptu party when she is found. The story has a nostalgic feel and moves at a rather slow pace. Mo and Dottie seem older than their stated ten and five years of age. The intended audience is not clear. Reviewer: Phyllis Kennemer, Ph.D.
School Library Journal
Gr 4–7—Mo Wren, 11, loves her home on Fox Street where she lives with her father and younger sister, Dottie. It's a run-down neighborhood, but everyone knows everyone else and there's a real feeling of community. This summer Mo is watching her sister, looking for a fox she believes has a den near the neighborhood, and spending time with her friend Mercedes. She must also deal with changes that seem to be on the way. A shady developer has targeted Fox Street and is trying to get the residents to sell, threatening the use of "eminent domain." Mo stands firm for the home she loves—the home that holds memories of her deceased mother. It's an eventful summer with friendships lost and found, secrets revealed, and family ties strengthened. The book (Balzer + Bray, 2010) by Tricia Springstubb is read with humor and sympathy by Jeannie Stith who creates unique voices for the characters. This is a nice treatment of a moving, slice-of-life tale that also gently teaches that you can draw strength from the past while moving with courage into the future.—Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary School, Federal Way, WA
Kirkus Reviews
Mo mostly loves living on Fox Street, which has everything except foxes, girlfriends and her mom (who died when she was young). Which is why she's eagerly waiting for her best friend Mercedes to arrive and stay the summer with her grandmother, Da, who lives across the street. The first sign that this summer won't be the same is that Mercedes has shaved her head in rebellion against her new stepfather. As the town waits for badly needed rain, tensions build when the residents receive registered letters claiming a neighbor has sold their house, and they should too. Multiple issues are linked: Mo's dad's unhappiness over his job with the water department, which leaves Mo in charge of her wild young sister; Da's diabetes, which caused her to lose toes; the strange behavior of old Mrs. Steinbott; eminent domain; race relations—and Mo's need to find a fox. Springstubb effectively turns the neighborhood into a character in its own right, one that's loving and protective. Mo's voice is original, though it has tinctures of Scout and Harriet. What happened on Fox Street? Love, belief and caring. (Fiction. 8-12)
Read More
Get Free eBook Sample
