Reviewed by Kellie Nissen
Every author dreams of writing a legacy novel and,
for the late Jeremy Strong, Fox Goes North is just that.
On the surface, this story follows an
unlikely band of animal friends – Bear, Moose, and Toucan – who are soon joined
by Fox, Young Llama, and Little Owl as they travel in their caravan house across
the land to see The Northern Lights.
Each animal has a specific talent or two, allowing
them to function as a whole. Bear’s is leadership, Moose has strength, Toucan is
the navigator, Fox cooks for them all, Young Llama keeps them entertained and
Little Owl has a feisty power. Along their way, they face challenges including
fire and flood, and while the going is fraught at times, their combined talents
– and occasional help from other creatures, including Wolf, Snow Leopard, and
Beaver(s) – are always timely.
However, Fox Goes North is more than an
anthropomorphised tale of a fun journey. It is even more than a ‘children’s
fable’ (as described in the blurb). It is, for me, a commentary on life; a
series of ‘lessons’ intertwined with a gentle and heartwarming story, which the
reader can choose to take at face value or reflect on the deeper meaning.
For example, when all the animals are laughing at
Llama having mistaken a falling tree for a monster, it is Bear who takes her
aside and provides the advice: “What we have to do at times like this is to try
to work out what monsters exist only in our heads.” This calms Llama – and
serves as a gentle rebuke to the other animals – but what ‘monsters’ may Bear
be referring to at a deeper level?
Later, Fox (whose skills and wisdom run well beyond
the kitchen), observes: “… as we get older, we face many paths, like we do in a
maze. We can take wrong turns and lose our way. Even so, we keep trying and
hopefully we do get to the centre.”
Some of these lessons may go over the heads of
younger readers, resonating more with older readers and adults, and within that
lies the beauty of Fox Goes North and other books that seamlessly span
multiple age groups, allowing readers to take what they need from the story and
its messages. This adaptability is even touched on when the animals are
observing an arrangement of leaves, with each having their own interpretation
of the meaning: Bear feels it is a farewell from a friend; Toucan suggests it
is advice on how to live one’s life; while Little Owl thinks it is ‘just
something beautiful to look at’. None of them are completely correct, and none
are incorrect either.
The ending is, as possibly expected, bittersweet –
and I encourage you to move on to read ‘A Note from the Author’ after the story
finishes. This short note from Jeremy Strong is poignant and speaks to Fox
Goes North being a true legacy. I challenge you not to be moved by his
words.
Fox Goes North is stunningly
illustrated by Heegyum Kim and the blue inks used fit perfectly with both the
setting and the tone of the story, adding a whimsical and somehow nostalgic
touch. While pitched at a Junior Fiction audience from ages 7–9, the content
will clearly resonate with older readers, through to adult, as well.
Highly recommended for its beautiful storytelling, but also as the perfect book to broach conversations about the power of friendship and coping with death.
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