Illustrated by David Dean
Published by Little Tiger
The Arctic Fox is a magical, heart-warming adventure and another gorgeous addition to the Winter Wildlife Stories series for younger readers.
Ellie can hardly believe it when her parents tell her and younger brother, Taylor, that they will be spending the first days of their Christmas holidays in Lapland. She is excited that she will get to experience the Northern lights, meet reindeer and even get to visit Santa and his elves in their village.
But before this wonderful family holiday, Ellie still has a few days of school left. Two days before the end of term, her class are taken on a visit to a museum as part of their Romans topic. When they are given some free time to explore the museum, her best friend brings her to see the costume gallery. Ellie is shocked and upset to see an early 20th century exhibit where an arctic fox stole is worn.
Wondering whether the Arctic fox could have lived in Lapland, Ellie and her mum research these creatures only to discover that, whilst now protected, they are still rare in Finland as they had been hunted for many years. Despite this knowledge, Ellie can’t help dreaming about meeting this beautiful Arctic creature …
When the family arrive in Lapland, they are immediately immersed in its magic, enjoying day trips to Santa’s village, a reindeer sleigh ride and an evening excursion to experience the Northern lights. But thoughts of sighting an Arctic fox are never far from Ellie’s mind …
And one evening, she wakes in the snowy forest and follows the sound of a faint wail to find a young Arctic fox caught in a trap. Can Ellie rescue this little fox from the danger he is in? And can she find her way back to her holiday cabin?
I loved the magical quality of this story, and the wonderful bond that develops between fox and girl as they seek to help and protect each other. The description of Lapland is exquisite and definitely makes me want to visit. I also loved the wonderfully close and loving family bonds and the joy the family experience on this incredible holiday.
The full-and-partial-page illustrations throughout are absolutely stunning and really bring to life the magic, wonder and joy of this story with its portrayal of a family enjoying a fantastic holiday, and a young girl’s connection with a special animal.
This is a wonderfully heart-warming story that will be adored by young animal lovers and adventurers alike, and is just perfect for a cosy, snuggly read on a cold, wintry evening.
Thank you to Little Tiger for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Book Craic 