The City (Scary Stories for Young Foxes #2) by Christian McKay Heidicker - ESSENTIAL

The City (Scary Stories for Young Foxes #2) by Christian McKay Heidicker, illustrated by Junyi Wu, 400 pages. Henry Holt (MacMillan), 2021 $18.00 Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG-13 (gore, peril, terror) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

For the young foxes in the barn, the stories told by the grown foxes were scary, exciting, sometimes comforting, but as they were in their wire dens, all the adventure they were likely to experience. Until 3 of them manage to escape. Then they learn what's really going on and need to run for their lives. In another part of town, another young fox is also facing an unknown danger, there's a monster hiding in the shadows. When Cozy and the foxes from the farm find each other, they will have to rely on each other's strengths - and the stories they have heard - to stay alive in the city 

So creepy, so intense. Could not put it down, although sometimes I wanted to because the cringe factor is pretty high. I loved how the stories from the first book were incorporated. "The City," which I think is more of a companion than a sequel, can easily stand on its own. Definitely horror though, you'll have some pretty shocked readers if you put this in "animal stories." 

Lisa Librarian