A GAME OF FOX & SQUIRRELS

Sarah Franco portrays the ache, confusion, and fear of 11-year-old Sam as she processes the trauma of past abuse. After being relocated to her aunt's house, Sam finds a fascinating card game. She discovers that the fox and squirrels in the game are real, and if she wins, the fox, Ashander, will grant her a wish. But, as the timid squirrels remind her, the game has strict rules that involve placating Ashander and submitting to his increasingly cruel demands. With a slow pace and a deliberate tone that becomes more animated as the plot gains momentum, Franco seamlessly pulls listeners from Sam's fearful inner reality into an allegorical fantasy world and back to the unfamiliar safety of her new life with caring adults. S.C. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2020]