The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartman

 

Over the weekend, I finished reading The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartman. This animal fantasy is about Clare, the undead fox of Deadwood Forest, a place where leaves grow in a constant state of fall. When he was a kit, he was struck by a car and given the choice to either move on into the Afterlife or become an Usher to guide wandering souls. He chose the latter to avoid the realm of Pain. When he meets Gingersnipes, a badger soul, he can't usher her into the Afterlife and she is unable to leave Deadwood. Clare is astounded by this dilemma because it's never happened before, so he and Gingersnipes go on a dangerous journey to find the visionary grouse named Hesterfowl and learn more about a prophecy that could be fulfilled on All Hallows' Eve. What Hesterfowl reveals leaves Clare devastated and furious and he conspires with Nine, a trashrat, to rid Deadwood of Gingersnips on All Hallows' Eve when all four realms are open until midnight. As Deadwood Forest becomes less stable, he grows fond of Gingersnipes and begins to consider her a friend. Soon, he becomes reluctant to carry out his plan and wonders if changing his fate is really what's best for himself, Gingersnipes, and Deadwood.

I absolutely adored reading this book because it deals with death, grief, and loss of purpose in a kid-friendly way. I loved Clare and Gingersnipes and thought they were wonderful main characters, flaws and all. I especially enjoyed the adventure and magic of Deadwood Forest. Because Clare is undead, he can interact with both living and dead animals and it definitely leads to some wild events. Although his appearance reflects his death, he's not really the monster that the human children sing about. He also shows a great deal of growth from the beginning of the story to the end when he has to make a big decision and do the right thing. Additionally, I really liked that he helped Gingersnipes see that she's not really useless like her father called her, especially because he saw her as annoying at first. Gingersnipes's kindness really shines throughout the story and I'm happy that she grew on Clare. The ending was bittersweet, but it felt right. Finally, I was curious about the identify of the narrator, so the narrator's note was a pleasant surprise afterwards. All in all, any kid who has dealt with loss or simply enjoys animal stories should real The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest.