Leila and the Blue Fox

Fox is walking, endlessly walking, searching for food. Meanwhile, Leila is travelling to Norway to see her mother, whom she hasn’t seen for six years. She’s trying not to remember another journey she’s made, years before, from Damascus to the UK. Now it’s summer in the Arctic Circle and the bright, endless sun threatens to shine a light on the awkwardness between Leila and her mum.

Her mum is a meteorologist and, with her colleague Liv, is tracking a blue fox they’ve named Miso. The environmental changes in the Arctic mean that Miso is walking for more miles every day than usual. The scientists plan to follow her, across the frozen seas and landscape, and Leila’s keen to join them. Could this be a chance to convince her mum to focus on her, not Miso?

Then Miso and Leila’s worlds meet, in an icy, treacherous environment, and Leila needs to make a brave, dangerous decision.

Perfect for upper primary children, this is a moving story, based on true events, with many thrilling moments of danger and adventure. The Arctic landscape is brought to life vividly in dazzling prose and stunning blue artwork. The need for both animals and people to migrate is explored in a thoughtful, sensitive way, as is the mother/daughter relationship. A real triumph.