Children of the Fox: Thieves of Shadow, Book 1
By Mary Eisenhart,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Young thieves vs. soul-stealing magic in thrilling fantasy.
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What's the Story?
The five CHILDREN OF THE FOX, young outlaws all, are Callan, 14, a skilled con artist whose scarred back marks him as a thief; fashionable, flirty Meriel, about the same age, who's deadly accurate with knife-throwing when she's not picking silly young men's pockets; tall, skinny, awkward Gareth, who's brilliant at finding information; red-haired, masked Foxtail, skilled at climbing, housebreaking, and other useful arts; and Lachlan, the youngest, who seems to have an endless web of connections and resources around town. Together -- because the job is going to call for a lot of skills and planning -- they're hired by a mysterious client to steal a magic stone called the Eye from a sorcerer so murderous and powerful, even the emperor's afraid of him. As they well know, the task is impossible and is sure to get them killed. But if it doesn't, they'll be rich and free for the rest of their lives.
Is It Any Good?
Blackthorn Key series author Kevin Sands returns with a gripping fantasy that pits a band of young criminals against powerful sorcerers in an often cruel world with two moons and a looming volcano. Children of the Fox Callan, Meriel, Gareth, Foxtail, and Lachlan are complex, engaging, and conflicted as they take on a challenge that requires every bit of their talents, and working together, which none of them have ever done. Also, it will probably get them all killed. Callan, a proficient con artist, wonders from time to time if they're being played, but their options are few and the plot twists are many, keeping readers glued to the page right up to the moment that sets up Book 2.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about stories like Children of the Fox in which the heroes are outlaws. It's a very old theme -- why do you think it's popular? Do you have any favorites? If the heroes are outlaws, what does it say about the society they live in?
One of the core messages of the story is that if you want something so badly you can hardly think of anything else, you become very easy for someone else to manipulate by promising it to you. Do you see this happening in your own life or your friends' lives? What happened?
Have you ever had to do something that you thought was a really bad idea? What happened, and how did it turn out?
Book Details
- Author: Kevin Sands
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Adventures , Friendship
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
- Publication date: October 5, 2021
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 8 - 12
- Number of pages: 416
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: June 2, 2022
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