Shapeshifters: Finding the Fox - Ali Sparkes

I picked up this book in a library a while ago and I can remember thinking to myself "What a load of rubbish, a boy who turns into a fox!" and I definitely wasn't interested in reading it. At a glance, it seemed quite childish and probably wouldn't be very exciting. But, after about half an hour of looking around for something else, I ran out of time and decided to choose Finding The Fox. And am I glad I did! This book had me hooked from ...
...for the other Shapeshifter books about a week later. It is definitely a children's book, but the imagination and creativity that went into it is enough to captivate anyone.

.Plot.

Dax Jones is an ordinary school boy living with his stepmother, Gina, and his younger sister while his Dad works on an oil rig way out at sea. On one particular day, Dax is forced by Gina to weed until the lawn is absolutely spotless, an extremely ... more

I picked up this book in a library a while ago and I can remember thinking to myself "What a load of rubbish, a boy who turns into a fox!" and I definitely wasn't interested in reading it. At a glance, it seemed quite childish and probably wouldn't be very exciting. But, after about half an hour of looking around for something else, I ran out of time and decided to choose Finding The Fox. And am I glad I did! This book had me hooked from the minute I started reading, I even started hunting around for the other Shapeshifter books about a week later. It is definitely a children's book, but the imagination and creativity that went into it is enough to captivate anyone.

.Plot.

Dax Jones is an ordinary school boy living with his stepmother, Gina, and his younger sister while his Dad works on an oil rig way out at sea. On one particular day, Dax is forced by Gina to weed until the lawn is absolutely spotless, an extremely difficult task owing to the terrible state of the lawn. As he is getting equipment from the shed, the door hinge falls, locking Dax in. After several hours trapped inside the shed, Dax feels extremely thirsty, and is beginning to become somewhat delirious from the heat in the shed. Dax sees a lemonade bottle containing a yellow liquid, but assumes that this liquid is not lemonade. However, thirst and panic eventually overcome his reason, and he opens the bottle. The bottle actually contains turpentine, the scent of which causes him to fall unconscious. When Dax regains consciousness, he discovers that he has somehow turned himself into a fox.
A few days later, a lorry pulls up and two burly men carry Dax into the container, in which a government official named Owen Hind is waiting. Dax panics and attempts to escape from the van, but finds it locked. Owen then forces Dax to inhale the vapour of a chemical which induces panic and brief unconsciousness, forcing Dax to shift. Owen explains that Dax is one of the 'Children of Limitless Ability' (or Cola, as they are sometimes known), children who possess amazing supernatural powers. He has arranged for Dax to be admitted to Tregarren College, a haven for Colas, where Dax will be taught to control his power.
After Dax arrives at the college, he discovers that his principal is planning to kill a nosey reporter who is trying to find out more about the Colas. Dax and his best friend Gideon pull the reporter out from a swamp, and then Dax goes after the principal. After a long fight, the principal falls down a huge pit and life goes back to normal at Tregarren cottage.
(I've left quite alot out so I apologise if it seems a little vague. I didn't want to give every little detail away, just the main points.)

I found this book thoroughly enjoyable as it's completely original and unique, I've never read anything like it before! I liked the fact that every student had a different ability, this meant there was a bit of variety and definitely made for a better book (after all, they wouldn't have saved the reporter if they'd all had the same ability.) I also liked how there was always some kind of new mystery going on, it kept me hooked and wanting to know more throughout the whole story.
The ending was one of my favourite parts as I definitely wasn't expecting the principal to be the bad-guy! I love a story with suprises so this definitely worked for me.

I would have liked to see some of the characters a little more developed, I found that Dax didn't really have much of a personality besides being brave. I also find happily-ever-afters a little bit annoying and very common, perhaps the story could have been better if it ended with something really shocking, rather than just something along the lines of "and they all lived happily ever after."

Despite the bad points, this book is definitely one-of-a-kind.The four other Shapeshifter books are also high-quality and unique, and they have lots more suprises so I'd really recommend reading them all. 

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