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Age: 5 - 9
Pages: 40
Size: 10 1/4 x 11
Format: paperback
Series: Kane Miller Picture Books
Illustrator: Ron Brooks
Author: Margaret Wild
From Australia
Unsettling, dramatic and ultimately richly rewarding, Fox is a book unlike any other.
The tale of a partnership between Magpie and Dog and the triangle that results when Fox appears, it is rich in allegory, ripe for discussion and radiant in illustration. With complexities that resonate throughout the seemingly simple story line,
Fox is at the same time confusing, powerful, and thought provoking. It is a raw, open, book that combines potent prose with equally potent illustrations to touch readers - adults and children alike.
From a parent:
This book short, picture book manages to be very deep in meaning in just a few pages. It deals with a fox who has lost it's sight and a magpie that can no longer fly. The emotions that the animals feel; hopelessness, emptiness, and loneliness are so raw and intense. It brought tears to my eyes when I read it the first time. The story doesn't have the traditional happy ever after happy ending, but gives a sense of hope and redemption. I would not suggest this for preschoolers, but great as discussion for 1st-3rd.
From a reviewer:
"Wild departs from her playful characters of recent books for this
haunting look at friendship and cruelty, geared to older readers...After
Dog saves Magpie from a fire and nurses her burnt wing, the two forge a
powerful bond...The mood changes quickly, however, when Fox enters -
his sleek, orange body curled around one side of a spread - and sets
Magpie on edge...The stark illustrations, in mixed media and collage,
expose the characters' raw emotions with brusque hash marks in thick
applications of mostly dark paint...The tale ends on a tenuously hopeful
note, and the images from this unsettling, provocative story will
resonate long after the book has been closed."
About the author:
Margaret Wild was born in South Africa and came to live in Australia in 1972. In addition to writing over 40 books for children, she has worked as a journalist and as a children's book editor. She is a courageous author, who strives to illuminate difficult life issues for young children. Her books have won numerous awards in Australia and in the U.S.
About the illustrator:
Ron Brooks' work spans book illustration, design, painting, printmaking, sculpture and teaching. His books for children have won many awards, and he is widely regarded as the illustrator who first brought Australian children's books onto the world scene.
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