Author, Tim Fox, uses my favorite part of Wisconsin as the setting in his books - the driftless area. His first book, "Journeys: An Ice Age Adventure," took place at Natural Bridge State Park near Baraboo. His newest book, "A Place for You," incorporates the same beautiful scenery from this part of the state.
Tim's books are perfect for young adult readers. He weaves a story that is easy to follow, uses language that is both familiar to that age group but also incorporates advanced vocabulary to incite further learning and better reading skills.
His recent book, "A Place for You," follows a young girl who has recently moved in with her aunt due to difficult family situations with her mom. She learns the value of hard work on a small farm - doing chores, respecting her elders and learning about nature. She quickly befriends a sick cat that she eventually adopts as her own and nurses back to health. Her new kitty encourages the young girl to take adventures in the woods and they develop a strong bond.
I have to admit, I'm not much of a "cat person" and although it seems hard to believe that a cat would go on these types of adventures, it's an endearing story and one that I think a lot of young adults could relate to and possibly even find a kind of healing in reading the story if they've gone through their own family struggles.
There are positive role models in this book who provide valuable lessons to the young girl along the way and the entire message of the book is one of hope and healing.
With spring break coming soon, it might be a good time to check out some of Tim Fox's books to give your kids something to do while on "vacation." Reading is such an important, and often overlooked, skill for young adults, so it's great to find books that make reading enjoyable and might even inspire adventures of their own!
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