Leila and the Blue Fox
Written by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Illustrated by Tom de Freston
Published by Union Square Kids
Weeks pass,
to her they are nameless,
they are fading and growing light,
the warming of weather.
On this day, she wakes,
and begins to walk.
It’s a summer of firsts for twelve-year-old Leila: her first time traveling alone, first time apart from Amma and her cousin Mona, and first time seeing her mother, a climate scientist in Norway, since war forced their family from Syria six years ago.
Together, Leila and her mother’s research team follow the migration of a tiny Arctic fox, Miso, across ice floes and international borders, hopeful the midnight sun will illuminate how to adapt to a constantly changing world.
The Arctic Circle is nothing like Leila has ever imagined—so bright and brutal and undeniably wild. It tests her in every way: her understanding of home and what it means to belong, her determination to do what’s right, and her belief in how much is possible in even the most impossible of situations.
Inspired by an Arctic fox’s real 2,000-mile trek across continents, Miso and Leila’s entwined journeys offer hope in the face of an uncertain future and reinforce that even the smallest voices can make the biggest impact.
Primary ISBN: 9781454954347
Publication Date: April 2024
Available As: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook
Middle Grade, Age 10 or older
Community Represented: Syrian/Syrian American
Themes: Accolades & Awards, Accolades & Awards: Starred Review, Animals, Family Relationship: Extended, Family Relationship: Parents, Natural Disaster/Climate Change, Outdoor Exploration, Refugee: War/Conflict, STEM
Setting: England (London), Norway, The Arctic Circle
Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Refugee
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