The Fox's Tower

by Sam Thompson, Anna Tromop (Illustrator)

Overview

“The Fox’s Tower takes everything you knew, or thought you knew, about nature and the animal kingdom, and turns it on its head.” – Piers Torday, author of The Last Wild trilogy

When Willow witnesses her animal-loving father, Silas, get kidnapped by a group of foxes and a huge wolf-like creature, she pursues them into the woods. There she meets wolves who tell her they know her father. Together they boldly enter the enormous tower the foxes have built deep in the forest. In the tower Willow discovers the dark project of the chief fox, Reynard, to create new life forms from magical clay buried in the Deep Forest where few can enter. To rescue her dad, Willow must brave the Deep Forest and dig deep in herself to foil Reynard's evil scheme to remake the world – but she also finds herself siding with the foxes against their new oppressor, the charismatic but wicked lion Noble.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781915071354
Publisher:	Little Island Books
Publication date:	08/08/2023
Series:	Wolfstongue , #2
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	1,146,647
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.30(h) x (d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Sam Thompson lives in Belfast and teaches English and creative writing at Queens University. His first book Communion Town was longlisted for the 2012 Man Booker Prize. Jott was shortlisted for the Encore Award. His fiction and criticism have appeared in the Times Literary Supplement, London Review of Books, on BBC Radio 4 and in Best British Short Stories 2019 (Salt Publishing).This is his second novel for children.

Read an Excerpt

The night the foxes stole her father, Willow could not sleep.

She had been lying for hours in the darkness, listening to the wind that sang in the walls. Floorboards creaked as Dad moved around the house. He was sleepless too. Some time past midnight, she heard the back door open. She threw off her duvet and went to the window. Dad was standing on the patio in a spill of light from the kitchen. Willow put her forehead to the glass and tried to see what he was doing.

He walked down the garden, pushing through the tall weeds. The rear fence had rotted long ago, leaving only a few soggy posts to mark the edge of the woodland. As he approached, a small animal came out from the trees. It was a fox. Another followed, then a third, their eyes reflecting gold.

Dad must have some food in his hand, Willow thought. He squatted and the foxes gathered around him.

She wiped mist from the window pane. Dad was speaking to the animals. Why did he have to act so strangely all the time? He was like an old clown, with his tangled hair and his sagging tracksuit bottoms. He was always going outside at weird times. Lately she often found him sitting on the garden bench first thing in the morning, ignoring thedrizzle, gazing up at the mountains, feeding bits of bread to a big black raven he had half-tamed.

Dad was not only speaking to the foxes: he seemed to be having an argument with them. He kept shaking his head. At last he got up and turned back towards the house.

As he walked away, the three foxes made a noise — a piercing shriek like a human being in pain. In answer to their call, something huge and dark loped out of the woods. The thing was shaped like a wolf, but it was a wolf from a nightmare, too terrible to be real. It was much larger than any wolf could possibly be. As it loomed over Dad its gigantic head was on a level with Willow’s bedroom window. The hulking thing had no features that she could make out: its silhouette against the trees was pure darkness, as if it were not a living creature but a black hole with the outline of a wolf.

It pounced, fast and silent, and knocked Dad to the ground.

It took his ankle in its jaws and dragged him towards the tree line. The foxes watched him clawing at the grass. He looked bewildered to find himself sliding so fast away from the light of home. His hand clutched at a fence post. Then he was gone, swallowed by the dark.

The foxes vanished into the forest.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for The Fox's Tower

'A captivating, thought-provoking and fable-like tale … a triumphant follow-up to Wolfstongue.”  –  Eve McDonnell, author of The Chestnut Roaster

'Startlingly original. Sam Thompson is a visionary genius.'  –  Piers Torday, author of The Last Wild trilogy

'From the first page of The Fox's Tower I was caught up in the adventure. Nail-bitingly tense, funny, furious and full of heartfelt emotion this book will pitch you headfirst into another, incredibly captivating world and make you look at your own human world through fresh eyes.' –  Jan Carson, author of The Raptures

'A loose sequel to Wolfstongue, Thompson has created characters from the animal kingdom whose desires have a fabular quality, with important lessons about power and corruption that translate to the world of humankind.' – Sara Keating, The Irish Times

'The mystery and fantasy elements of The Fox’s Tower make it a captivating read for children while its hidden depths entice older readers at once.' – The National

'A solid, energetically paced adventure, gripping from the moment the search for Silas starts to the dramatic final confrontation.' – Inis

'A book you can devour again and again.' – Paperbound Magazine

'Lyrical prose is ever present and intertwined beautifully with themes of comfort, family, and power.'  – The School Librarian

'Lyrical, vibrant, thought-provoking, brave…a tale of family, loyalty, courage and hope. A most fitting follow-up to Wolfstongue, this takes the story to a different level.'  – Fallen Star Stories

'I was gasping and laughing as I read. (I may also have been crying a little.)' – Read and Reviewed

'The author of Wolfstongue has created a magical successor.' – Absolutely Education

'8/10. It's exciting, and it all leads up to one thing, which I like.'  – Lidia's Booktastic podcast

'An incredibly powerful story on so many levels.' – The Kids Book Curator

'An original and fun fantasy novel for children ages 8-12, The Fox's Tower by Sam Thompson (with illustrations by Anna Tromop) is an exceptionally well written and unreservedly recommended addition to elementary school, middle school, and community library action/adventure fantasy collections for young readers.'  –  Midwest Book Review – Children's Bookwatch

Praise for Wolfstongue 

'Sober, stirring fantasy.' –  The Wall Street Journal

‘Has all the makings of a modern classic with its exhilarating mix of ancient fable and contemporary issues. … Not since Watership Down have animal dynamics felt so true and the political undertones so live. … I predict howls of approval — and prizes.’ – The Times

 ‘Gripping and profound.’ – The New Statesman 

 ‘Wolfstongue is a hugely original tale with classic influences and infrastructure.’ – The Irish Times

 ‘A startling entrance into children’s fiction.’ – The Echo

 ‘A stunning fantasy adventure.’ – Mayo News

 ‘One of the most extraordinary children’s books I’ve ever read.’ –Anthony McGowan, author of The Fall

 ‘An unforgettable fable. Raw, devastating and brilliantly written.’ – Lucy Strange, author of The Ghost of Midnight Lake

 ‘An edge-of-the-seat adventure.’ – Meg Rosoff, author of How I Live Now

‘Wolfstongue has classic written all over it.’ – Patricia Forde, author of The List

 ‘Thompson is a superb writer. There is a dreamlike quality to his prose.’ –  Literary Review 

 ‘Every now and again, a remarkable new children’s book comes along which is a pleasure to read, isn’t too long, and is filled with a sense of profound meaning and significance without ever feeling preachy. Wolfstongue is precisely this.’ – BookTrust

 ‘Brilliantly compelling whilst at the same time making profound comments about the way language and expression help to define us and, when limited, can equally confine us, really powerful.’ –  Youth Libraries Group

 ‘This heart felt and exciting adventure has plenty to interest and reflect on.’ – Readers that Care

 ‘This is a wonderful story that will have you on the edge of your seat.’ – Addicted to Books 

 ‘Children – and adults! – everywhere will certainly find comfort and magic within Wolfstongue’s pages.’ – Buzz Magazine 

 ‘Lyrical, fierce, thoughtful, brave, emotional…a story of facing your fears and finding your voice. What a stunning book!’ – Fallen Star Stories

 ‘This is a wonderful book, it is heart warming, and full of adventure.’ – Bookbound

 ‘Wolfstongue is an absorbing read and perfect for fans of the natural world, intrigue and adventure.’ This Book is Brilliant! 

 ‘A powerful story about standing up to bullies, doing what’s right and the power of language, this is a lyrical, beautiful children’s-book debut.’ – What I Read 

 ‘Heady, lyrical and earthy.’ – Lily and the Fae

From the Publisher

2023-07-13
In the sequel to Wolfstongue (2022), Silas’ daughter must rescue her father when he’s kidnapped by devious fox Reynard.

Ever since Mum died, Willow and Dad’s relationship has been strained. Willow doesn’t understand why Dad dwells on the past, and she doesn’t share his guilt about humans’ harsh treatment of wolves, with whom Dad shares a special bond. But when a fearsome beast drags Dad into the woods, she’s determined to save him. Accompanied by Hersent and Isengrim’s three daughters—now the Forest’s last wolves—she enters Reynard’s lair, his chaotic Tower that is patrolled by automatonlike clay creatures and fraught with inequality; foxes at the top flaunt their wealth while the animals below go hungry. Reynard’s henchmen brought Dad to the Tower because, as the Wolfstongue, he’s the only one who can retrieve the magical clay that will prevent the Tower’s collapse. When Dad refuses, Willow volunteers to go in his place—setting off a terrible chain of events. Even worse, Reynard isn’t the only animal hatching horrible schemes. In addition to revisiting such themes as self-determination and the power of language, Thompson touches on political rivalry and the effects of grief. While Willow’s complex feelings about Mum’s death are poignant, Silas’ lack of development somewhat reduces the emotional impact of his and Willow’s frayed relationship. Occasionally poetic prose and evocative black-and-white illustrations smooth a slightly disjointed plot. Willow and Dad present white.

Thoughtful, if uneven. (map) (Fantasy. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews