By fall, Amber's parents have left, and her brothers have gradually gone their separate ways. Amber still has much to learn. Driven by hunger and fear, she will use every instinct and intelligence she possesses to feed herself and stay safe. One day she will be ready to find a mate and raise a family of her own.
Author Shirley Woods' love of the natural world shines in this accurate portrayal of a young fox's life. A wealth of factual information about foxes is carefully woven into a story filled with adventure and suspense.
"The novel is accurate about fox behaviour and life events. Woods deals straightforwardly with the natural fact that creatures hunt and eat each other...Woods keeps us interested and caring. It's a good, satisfying story."
— Hi-Rise Community Newspaper, Toronto
". . . provides a sensitive yet scientifically correct portrayal of the developmental stages of a particular animal, its habits and habitat, couched in a well-told, often suspenseful story...Amber's habitat is the north shore of Lake Huron and environs, and it is Wood's evocation of that countryside that shifts his book from the merely excellent to the lyrical."
— The Globe and Mail
"...[A touching and accurate depiction of the life cycle of a family of foxes...filled with factual information about foxes without detracting from the excitement and adventure of the story. Woods excels at capturing the extreme moments of danger Amber faces and accurately conveys feelings of suspense to his reader. This is an entertaining story that will enthral the reader and also impart to them a greater respect for the natural world. This book would be a fabulous selection for both school libraries and public libraries..."
— Resource Links
A Canadian Children's Book Centre Our Choice 2005
2006-2007 Red Cedar Book Award Nomination
Children's Crown Award nominee
Shirley Woods
always loved nature. After leaving school he served for three years in the Royal Canadian Regiment. After that he was a businessman, which is when he wrote seven non-fiction books, including The Squirrels of Canada for the National Museum. In order to devote more time to writing, Mr. Woods retired in 1989 and moved to Nova Scotia. He and his wife Sandrea live in the country near Halifax. Their house, which they share with four dogs, is on a hill overlooking the sea.
Celia Godkin
Celia trained as a biologist and has worked as a scientific illustrator. An illustration job preparing signs for the Winnipeg zoo led to a collaboration on the book Endangered Species: Canada's Disappearing Wildlife. Encouraged by this success Celia illustrated an ecology story she had written years earlier and showed it to her publisher. The resulting book, Wolf Island, won the Children's Literature Roundtables Best Information Book Award and led to a succession of information storybooks.
A Canadian Children's Book Centre Our Choice 2005
2006-2007 Red Cedar Book Award Nomination
Children's Crown Award nominee
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