Coleen Marlo's presentation of tomboy Fox, and her gruff-voiced motorcycle-riding, sci-fi writing father, is neatly juxtaposed with her portrayal of newcomer Joan, and her more conventional, yet troubled family. The girls write and explore woods and wildlife together, supporting each other amid parental conflicts, which threaten their serentiy. Marlo ratchets up family tensions while sustaining the sense of wonder evoked in the girls' moments of self-discovery. AudioFile
Twelve-year-old Joan is sure that she is going to hate her new home–but almost right away she finds a kindred spirit.
Joan and Sarah–Newt and Fox–spend all their spare time outside, and soon start writing stories together. When they win a contest, they’re recruited for a summer writing class taught by a free spirit named Verla Volante. “Verla said that you need to open a door so that people can walk into your world. . . . To do that, you have to pay attention.”
The Wild Girls is about friendship, the power of story, and how growing up means finding your own answers–rather than simply taking adults on faith.
