Margaret Thompson - Fox Winter

FOX WINTER (Chapter book, Ages 8 – 12)
	Extract: The car slid between Anna and Charlie. It spun sideways. Time did strange things. It was all over in seconds, but Anna noticed the smoke billowing up from the tires, the bubbles in the paintwork on the car’s door, the way the licence plate curled up at one corner as if it had caught in something and bent. Even above the squeal of the brakes she distinctly heard a soft thump. She caught a glimpse of the face of the woman driving, a white disk with staring eyes and an O for a mouth above a set of fingers clamped to the steering wheel like claws.
Then time sped up again and Anna watched, mesmerized, as the vehicle twirled right round several times, fast, and drifted across the intersection toward the waiting children. She heard Pamela and her cronies squeal as they scattered, clutching each other. The twins and the other hockey players dropped their sticks and scrambled in every direction and Anna held her breath as the car seemed to pursue the twins before it dashed headlong into a telephone pole. The car’s nose crumpled like scrunched-up tinfoil so that the remains of the windshield leaned against splintered wood. Glass tinkled and tormented metal screeched. The telephone pole leaned drunkenly and ice showered down from the wires. In the sudden stillness, the horn blared. One wheel, up off the ground as if it were trying to climb the pole, went on spinning, spinning aimlessly. On either side of the road, Anna and Charlie stood frozen. Striker lay motionless between them.

Anna’s world has turned upside down. Her dog was killed in a car accident that also injured the town’s star hockey player. Anna believes it was all her fault, as she had been in too much of a hurry to make sure her dog was shut in the house. One day she sees a wounded fox in her backyard. She cares for this animal and learns a lot about nature and herself as a result. This is a story that acknowledges that bad things happen and doesn’t flinch from dealing with the sometimes harsh realities of life. It also points out that there is always a way through grief and guilt, and ends in a wonderful affirmation of life and growth.
What the critics say: “Guilt is a wonderful emotion with which to torment a character, and Margaret Thompson exploits the possibilities in this surprisingly complex and moving story. When Anna fails to ensure her dog is safely confined at home, the dog darts across an icy road and causes a terrible accident. Thompson doesn’t gloss over the emotional upheaval caused by this incident, and the result is a believable and compelling story about healing and forgiveness. Convincing details of life in a small northern town during the winter create an interesting backdrop, and Anna’s relationship with a starving fox she finds in her backyard provides a realistic way for Anna to help herself and others heal. Though short, this novel never feels rushed and from start to finish is an absorbing read.” Nikki Tate-Stratton
ISBN: 0-9730831-5-8 Available from the author. $8.95
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