The Arctic Fox – at a glance
The School Reading Lists’ five word review: Christmas, environmental, family, fantasy, culture.
Children’s book title: The Arctic Fox.
Children’s author: Holly Webb.
Children’s illustrator: David Dean.
Genre: Children’s fiction.
Published by: Little Tiger.
ISBN: 9781788957144.
Recommended for children aged: 7+ year-olds.
First published: Paperback October 2024.
This children’s book is ideal for: Discussing the effects on both the landscape and local wildlife in different parts of the world caused by global warming and our throwaway society. Talking about how life would be different if we lived somewhere very cold or very hot.
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Our review:
Ever since her parents told Ellie and her brother Taylor they were going on holiday, she’s been very excited. As soon as school finishes, the whole family is going to Lapland, and they’ll even be back in time for Christmas!
Once they arrive, Ellie sees the landscape is even more beautiful than she had imagined. There is snow everywhere, which will never turn into muddy, sloppy slush. Instead, it’s a pure, glistening white, just as nature intended. While on a school trip before her holiday, Ellie had learnt about how animal skins were once used as fashion statements, which makes her cross and sad. She hopes she’ll see an Arctic fox in its natural habitat on her holiday, even though she knows they are shy and elusive creatures.
After meeting Santa, the family moves further north to see the Northern Lights in all their amazing glory. That night, Ellie wakes suddenly to find herself out in the snow, feeling almost as if she’s someone else, and hears the sound of an animal in distress. An Arctic fox is caught in a snare, and they need her, although Ellie isn’t really sure which ‘her’ she is! Once freed, the animal stays close, regaining its strength before following her as she tries to return home. Together, they face the dangers of the Arctic Circle until Ellie is safe, able to collapse into bed and try to work out what happened.
Our verdict:
The Arctic Fox is a lovely, albeit slightly confusing, book! The messages it contains are relayed positively, showing how things have improved in some environmental areas, as well as highlighting things we can do to reduce our carbon footprint.
Ellie meets up with the Arctic fox as both herself and a Sámi girl called Essi! Essi arrives at the beginning of a chapter with no introduction, then shares the next few chapters with Ellie, showing the differing views of the animals they live alongside. The best thing to do is just keep reading, as it becomes clearer in a merging-timeline sort of way until Essi disappears as quickly as she appeared and Ellie is home safe again.
The information gained from this book is imparted in a friendly manner, and the reader learns alongside Ellie as she discovers the differences in a climate and environment so dissimilar to her own.
Teaching points and book club discussion ideas:
- Cross-curricular activities in both geography and science could explore the contrasts in landscape and environment, as well as the weather conditions needed for the appearance of the Northern Lights.
- The historical use of animal fur as a fashion accessory, rather than as a means of survival in cold climates, shocks Ellie and makes her very sad. How have things changed since the mid-twentieth century with regard to animal skins in fashion, especially in women’s fashion?
- What would you need to wear if you were going to Lapland? Why is it so important to keep warm at all times? Ellie does something very silly and dangerous when she is out in the snow. What was it, and what could have happened if she hadn’t been found?
- What are the differences between what Essi and Ellie wear? What are their clothes made of, and where did they get them?
- Essi’s father set the snares in her timeline. Why did he do this? How did Essi feel about it? Do you understand their reasons?
- What would Essi’s father trade the furs for? Would he have known what they might have been used for once he’d sold them?
- How exciting would it be to go to Lapland? What differences do you think would be the most obvious? If you use clothes, transport, and food as headings for a discussion, which column would have the most things in it?
Many thanks to Little Tiger for the review copy.
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