Living on Fox Street reminds me of living in an apartment building growing up in New York City. Everyone knows everyone else and watches out for them too.
There are 10 houses on Fox Street and Mo, her sister the "wild child" Dottie and her dad live in one. Mo is responsible for watching Dottie most of the time while dad is working. Mo's best friend Mercedes spends summers across the street with her grandma, Da although with Da's diabetes and Mercedes' new stepdad this could be the last summer.
Much happens this summer on Fox Street. Mo is always searching for signs of a fox in the ravine behind the house. The old lady across the street starts paying attention to the girls and dad receives an offer to sell his house. Halfway through the book I thought of "Because of Winn-Dixie," one of my favorite books. "What Happened on Fox Street" has many similarities, widowed dad, wonderful neighbors, a rainstorm and a lot of love. It is an emotional roller coaster ride inside a child's mind but an exhilarating one and a wonderful one. Though Mo and Dottie fight a lot, though the dad seems drowning in missing his wife, while Fox Street seems to be heading in a different direction in the future Tricia Springstubb works magic in making us root for Mo and her family and friends and trust in her that there will be happy (endings) beginnings for all. A great piece of contemporary literature.
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