This book was reviewed via Netgalley 

 

Ella and her family run an animal rescue centre. One day, as dusk is falling, Ella hears the sound of an animal in pain. Thinking it might be an animal someone dropped off under cover of darkness, she goes exploring. Through the neighbours’ property she follows the sound, expecting to find a pup. What she finds is a fox kit tangled in barbwire. Her family joins her and together they untangle the wee fox and take him back to the Centre, keeping him in the cat clinic area.

 

Ella’s parents aren’t sure if the kit will make it at first. He’d lost a lot of blood, and infection was a big danger. They treat him as best they can, leaving him sleeping, with a saline drip going. Morning finds him alive, and well. As the kit begins to recover, Ella makes the mistake of handling him too often, until her mom tells her that the kit must be released once he is better, and too much human handling will make it hard for him. Reluctantly, Ella stops, but now she’s fretting constantly about how safe he’ll be once released. Her family comes up with a plan, but will it work?

 

I read this book with my cubs. It was a good learning lesson, for we have occasion, living where we do, to tend injured wildlings, sometimes only for a few hours, other times for a few days. The most recent encounter was with a storm petrel that got trapped in a building. He was safely captured, and observed for a few hours before being deemed safe to release. But what an inspiring sight! Petrels are pelagic, and aren’t oft found inland. This book illustrated why wild creatures should be released back to the wild whenever possible. They aren’t pets, no matter how much we want a fox (or a petrel). In the latter’s case, they are endangered, so doubly important.

 

The illustrations for the book were adorable, and the whole book was enjoyed by a variety of ages.
????? Highly recommended