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(Tree Street Kids, Book 2 — Moody Publishers)
Last week, after finishing a run of heavier adult classics, I found myself reaching for The Hunt for Fang, the second book in the Tree Street Kids series by Amanda Cleary Eastep. I was craving the comfort and simplicity of a middle-grade story—but I didn’t expect it to be exactly the balm I needed.
What I did not know before opening the book on Tuesday was that, at the heart of this book is Jack’s longing for a dog. Just the day before, my family had said goodbye to our beloved library dog, Samwise, who had been suffering from aggressive bone cancer. Without realizing what I was doing, I stepped into Jack’s story, and it turns out I needed to walk beside him in his own experience—his hope, his disappointment, and the way an unexpected dog-shaped gift comes into his life for a time.
Had this book been written by a different author, it may not have been the right story for me at that moment. But Amanda Cleary Eastep clearly understands what it is to long deeply for something good, like a dog. She writes Jack’s hope and heartache with honesty and care. She feels it personally for him, she treats his heart with great care. It was a perfect gift for me as I was grieving my Samwise.
But mercifully—for everyone not grieving or dog-obsessed—The Hunt for Fang is about much more than that. Set in the 1990s in a suburban neighborhood where many of the streets are named after trees, Jack, his sister Midge, and their gang of friends are off to Bible camp. But this isn’t the flannelgraph-and-koolaid kind of VBS I remember. This camp is about wilderness survival, and it’s full of excitement, challenges, and good lessons—both practical and spiritual.
As in Jack vs. the Tornado, the first book in the series, the kids learn more than just how to build a fire or read a compass. They’re learning who they are, who God made them to be, and how to trust in Him—even when they’re lost in the woods. The scenes at camp are fun, sometimes funny, and always engaging. When Jack and Midge end up separated and lost in the woods, they have to put their training to the test—and pray.
One of the things I love most about this series is the presence of good adults. Jack’s parents and the other adults in the story are thoughtful, helpful, present, and realistic. Their relationships with the kids are healthy and positive—refreshingly so. These are the kinds of adults I’m glad to see in middle-grade fiction.
Parents may want to know that one of Jack’s friends has a lost cat—one that means the world to her because it was the last gift she received before her mom left her and her dad. The story touches on this abandonment, but doesn’t dwell. It’s presented gently, as something real and painful, but not overwhelming.
In short, The Hunt for Fang is a wonderfully written, thoughtful, and exciting story. Whether your young reader is looking for survival adventure, stories of friendship, or maybe a story about pets, this is a great pick. I can’t wait to jump into the third book, Lions To The Rescue.