What happened while reading Tricia Springstubb’s, What Happened on Fox Street? I got to know the wonderful characters that live there including Mo Wren, the ten-year-old girl who loves Fox Street and couldn’t possibly think of living anywhere else. Her house is in the middle of the street, “right where a heart would be, if the street were a person.”
The houses on Fox Street are aging and the residents are growing older along with them. It’s like a big extended family with lots of different personalities and backgrounds. Just like a family, many of them get along and some don’t, but there is always plenty of food to share and stories to tell.
At first, the illustration on the front cover threw me because it looked like a book for younger middle grade readers. But right off the bat we learn that Mo has to deal with some rather adult issues. I don’t want to give too much away, but for one, she has to care for her much younger sister, the “wild child,” all summer while her dad is at work.
The story weaves in these delicate issues and it gives the characters depth. Mo is handed a lot of responsibility at a young age and she’s learning how to handle it.
There’s also drama, humor and suspense. Mo Wren is the heart of this story and I loved living in her world for a while. She is seriously loyal, kind and brave – all character traits we love in young girls. It’s a great read for ages 8-12.
There’s more in store for these timeless characters in Mo Wren, Lost and Found.
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