The Midnight Fox

The Midnight Fox' is novel by Betsy Byars. First published in 1968, it is taught in elementary schools everywhere. A small unassuming but still interesting book from the last 60s, the tale is of an unathletic average boy, his summer spent on a farm in the country, and his chance encounters with a mysterious woodland creature. There is no magic. No mystical occurrences or significant coincidences. Just ordinary people acting and reacting to one another and the appearance of the animal that divides them.

Protagonist

Tommy is a young boy, living in rural North America with his aunt and uncle. Tom is under the impression that all animals everywhere hate him. That is just one of the myriad reasons Tom does not want to stay with is aunt and uncle. He'll be far away from his best friend, alone with family members he hardly knows, and he'll probablly get loaded down with chores. Still, Tom's parents are adamant, so it's off to his uncle's farm for a couple of months.