CCBC booklist are compiled from books we have recommended in various editions of CCBC Choices. Most of these booklists are updated annually. You can also select books from one or more booklists to create a custom list, which can also include additional books from the CCBC-Recommended Book Search.
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The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest
CCBC Review:
“On All Hallow’s Eve, Deadwood will bring mayhem to Fernlight. And before the moon sets, the one in Deadwood will vanish forever.” To Clare, an undead fox whose job is to usher souls to the afterlife from Deadwood Forest, All Hallow’s Eve—the night on which all four afterlife realms are open to accept souls regardless of whether they belong there—is the worst night of the year. He’s doing his best not to think about whether this prophecy, made by Hesterfowl, is about him. When Gingersnipes, a badger, arrives at Clare’s door, Clare’s attempts to usher her to various afterlife realms (Progress, Pleasure, Peace, and Pain) all fail. Fearing that the badger’s appearance is connected to the ominous prophecy, Clare visits Hesterfowl, who tells him that Gingersnipes is not a wandering soul but the next Usher, there to take Clare’s place. But Clare is loath to step aside. Accepting his fate will require reckoning with the trauma of his past—especially the car accident that killed his mother and left Clare with a ghastly appearance, which he conceals beneath his cloak. While populated with amusing characters (in addition to the ones mentioned, there are the Pinks, a family of “trashrats” that do business with Clare), this fresh, standalone fantasy packs a powerful emotional punch. ©2026 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
CCBC Age Recommendation: 8-13
Age Range:
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Format:
Novel
Subjects:
Animals (Fiction)
Death and Dying
Grief and Loss
On CCBC Booklist:
Fantasy for 8 to 12 Year Olds: Giants, Journeys, and Other Imaginings
Publisher:
Little, Brown
Publish Year: 2025
Pages: 313
ISBN: 9780316575720
CCBC Location: Fiction, Hartman
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Please send questions or comments about CCBC booklists to ccbcinfo@education.wisc.edu.