Montana’s Janet Fox Writes for Youth of All Ages

WRITTEN BY KAREN MCGEORGE SANDERS

The spark that ignites a child’s love of reading is often lit by an author like Dr. Seuss, J.K. Rowling or Montana’s own Janet Fox.

Janet Fox is a Montana author who writes both fiction and nonfiction for children from ages 8 to 18. For young ones she has two picture books, Volcano Dreams, which features Yellowstone National Park, its flora, fauna, fiery geology and Wintergarden, which is about growing an indoor garden, especially useful when winter temperatures drop below freezing.

Her newest middle grade novel, The Mystery of Mystic Mountain is set in Montana. Fleeing a looming divorce, Becca Soloway’s mom drags her to an aging dude ranch. Becca and her new friend Jon try to solve the mystery of where the lost treasure of a Robin Hoodlike outlaw known as Panhandle Pete is hidden.

Middle graders will also enjoy The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle and its companion book The Artifact Hunters. These two are spooky historical fantasy books set in the misty highlands of Scotland during World War II. With their father fighting in the war, the Bateson children are sent away from the London bombings, and into an old castle in the Scottish Highlands. But the castle residents have secrets of their own involving potential spying, enemy harboring, passing on information and even an ancient secret from 1745 that involves Lenora, the then lady of the castle.

Fox’s contemporary middle grade book Carry Me Home revolves around Lulu and her younger sister whose father has disappeared. Fearing that she and her sister will be separated, she tries to hide her father’s absence and the fact that they are homeless. But family is around them in the form of new friends and the local community, as Lulu learns to trust others and finally finds a home.

Young adult novels include Forgiven and Faithful, one involving an outlaw’s daughter and the other a child of privilege, but both growing to young adulthood and independence in Montana. Sirens is about Josephine who is sent to live with relatives, due to threats aimed at her bootlegging father. She makes friends with Louise, and together the girls try to navigate the dangers of the roaring 1920s.

Another young adult novel, Ark, is set not in the past, but in the future. In this science fiction/romance novel, nanotechnology has evolved into artificial intelligence giving older teens some ideas to consider about humanity’s future.

Janet Fox even has a solution for keeping track of not just her many book choices, but also keeping all your day-to-day life in hand. Fox’s Get Organized Without Losing It, will help youth learn to keep their possessions in order, manage their time and plan for schoolwork, chores, sports, activities and free time. As an adult who too often is overbooked with work, tasks and activities, I think it might be handy for those of us past our teens.

Janet Fox is an author whose books will keep young people growing mentally, as they grow physically.