Several members of our group serve on literature award committees and noticed that in 2017 publishers released some interesting books about foxes. We wondered if the representation or characterization of the fox changed from the traditional portrayal as a sly personality in trickster tales, classics like Aesop’s Fables, Pinocchio and Three Little Pigs, or modern tales like Fox (Margaret Wild and Ron Brooks) and Rosie’s Walk (Pat Hutchins). Are fox characters more empathetic in recent publications such as Pax (Sara Pennypacker and Jon Klassen)? In week 1, we discuss The Fox and the Wild by Clive McFarland.
Speak: the graphic novel, written by Laurie Halse Anderson and illustrated by Eisner Award-winning artist Emily Carroll, takes a probing look at sexual assault and its consequences for adolescents. Melinda Sordino, a freshman at Merryweather High, is raped at a party and unable to speak out against her attacker. Instead, she expresses her feelings in the haven of art class, where her teacher challenges her to dig deep and voice her feelings artistically. Her struggle to cope with and communicate her depression is echoed in the stark, unforgiving greyscale of Carroll’s artwork. Melinda finds comfort in creating a space all her own, regains her confidence with the help of new found friends and is ultimately able to speak up against her attacker. This emotional novel challenges the reader to understand the reality and repercussions of sexual assault and the difficulty of seeking justice. –Recommended by Angel Stone, WOW Intern, University of Arizona 
