SOME authors can be recognised by their style of writing, by their fantastical world-building, or bright sense of humour.

Carlie Sorosiak is one of these such authors. In every new book, the author adds a unique feature, each executed as skilfully as the last.

The bestselling I, Cosmo was told from the perspective of a creature both highly familiar and personally mysterious to young readers in the form of a golden retriever dog.

With this upcoming children’s release from Nosy Crow Publishing, the exciting animal perspective is drawn a little further afield.

Foxes are, just as the novel and protagonist’s name suggests, like shadows to us, spotted in the corners of parks at night and barely anywhere else. Sorosiak takes on the challenge of narrating from the inner voice of an animal who at first seems so distant, but quickly becomes easy to empathise with.

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Shadow the fox does not care for humans. She is unable to understand the sounds which come from their mouths, and most of them have only ever treated her with distaste or even aggression.

Making her way through the world as a tough fox – intimidating when necessary and undetectable otherwise – would have suited her just fine. That is, until she came across Nan – the old woman who left a light on, who was never antagonising, but only a symbol of warmth and kindness, offering fish near every day. She decided this was the only human she could like.

Except Nan has gone missing, and when Shadow goes to look for the comfort of gentle hands reaching out with trout and finds none, she decides it is proof no human can be trusted or relied upon.

Through this hesitant, mistreated fox’s eyes, the reader sees a world which has the possibility to be cold and uncaring, but which insists, when you look in the right places, not to be.

In place of Nan is a young girl, who at first seems like an imposter, but who wears Nan’s jumper and cries as she reaches out a hand just as kindly. It is on the night she meets this girl and goes to run away, that something huge changes for Shadow.

When the young girl asks her to wait and stay, she understands these human words and what they mean for the first time.

From this miraculous discovery, and a couple of magical twists of fate and plot, Shadow and Bee, the human girl, are joined together in a new quest. They are certain Nan has not abandoned anyone, and with this unlikely connection, they set out to find Bee’s grandmother, and Shadow’s gentle caretaker.

In a wintry setting laced with secrets and dangerous magical islands however, this journey will be anything but simple.

One could easily have told this story from the perspective of Bee. However, Sorosiak chose and formed something truly exciting.

To see the human world with the untainted and curious eyes of one who is not a part of it puts many of our issues in perspective. It is a tale which teaches us the value of being loving and gentle with one another, but equally with the natural world.