Rosie's Walk Is a Liability for a Hungry Fox

Foxes and poultry. It’s an age-old rivalry, and it’s come up time and again in children’s literature, whether it’s Jemima Puddleduck nearly being taken in by a wily red-haired stranger or a trio of resourceful biddies using their eggs as weapons against their long-snouted invaders. In Rosie’s Walk, a 1968 picture book by Pat Hutchins, the fox doesn’t stand a chance against Rosie - even though she is completely oblivious to his presence.

Rosie’s Walk is a book that depends almost entirely upon visuals. The text consists of exactly one sentence. Granted, it’s a bit of a run-on, with 32 words and a slew of prepositional phrases, but still, that’s not much writing to hang a story on. The print is thin, black and quite large, and with the exception of the first two-page spread and the final page, we never see more than three words at a time. Rosie walks across, around, over, past, through and under, opening up an opportunity to discuss spatially-oriented words with children, much the way the Berenstain Bears’ Inside, Outside, Upside-Down does.

But the real fun of the story is in the pictures. That single sentence by itself isn’t likely to get any child’s attention without the illustrations, which are stark and stylized, having almost a stained-glass look to them. The outlines are thick and the colors are bold. There’s no blue or purple to be found; this is all reds, oranges, yellows and greens, with the occasional brown tossed it for good measure.

The fox who pursues Rosie the hen on her leisurely stroll is never named in the text, but he is certainly the most dynamic character. As Rosie nonchalantly trots along, she inadvertently sets a series of traps for her would-be captor. When she saunters past a rake, he walks right into it, and it smacks him in the face. She makes her way lightly over the haystack, but when he tries it, he sinks. Each segment of the story shows the fox about to attempt whatever Rosie just did, while the next two-page spread shows him failing miserably.

Take your time reading this one so there’s a chance to guess at what exactly will befall the fox next. The disasters intensify as the story goes on, so that by the time the beehives show up, you just know there’s no chance of this poor predator achieving his goal. In fact, he’ll be lucky to emerge from his ordeal with his limbs intact. This is a fairly quiet farmyard, with no livestock milling about, unless you count the single goat who seems to eye the fox with amusement. But there are several small animals just out enjoying nature as Rosie is, so there’s ample opportunity for identification. Keep an eye out for a butterfly, a pair of frogs, a bird, two mice, a grasshopper and a cheeky groundhog.

This quaint book is one of many that I’ve discovered thanks to 1001 Children’s Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up, a gift given to me by a fellow lover of quality children’s literature. Rosie’s Walk, ideal for youngsters around the preschool range, certainly qualifies.

An Evergreen Is Ever Useful in Who Would Like a Christmas Tree?

Last weekend was Halloween. Our house is still decked out with pumpkins, black cats and bats. But I heard my first carol on a commercial last night, and the grocery store down the street is selling artificial trees. The Christmas season has unofficially begun. One of my favorite ways to ring in this part of the year is to peruse Christmas picture books. This season’s first for me is Who Would Like a Christmas Tree?: A Tree for All Seasons, written by Ellen Bryan Obed and illustrated by Anne Hunter, both of whom have first-hand experience with Christmas tree farms. This is a nice book to ease me into Christmas mode, since it focuses on a Christmassy object, but mostly in non-Christmassy situations.

Obed and Hunter follow the same basic format through the book. “Who would like a Christmas tree in January? is the opening inquiry. Turn the page, and you’ll see the response, once again in bold print: “We would like a Christmas tree in January.” Each month gets two pages in which the volunteers explain, in fairly lengthy paragraphs, why they would like a Christmas tree in that particular month. First it’s the black-capped chickadees, then the field mice, then the white-tailed deer and so on.

Each month offers insights into the habits of that particular animal (or, in one case, plant), and the accompanying illustrations show the changing of the seasons. Some descriptions make references to Christmas despite their distance from the actual holiday; for instance, the monarch butterflies, who would like a tree in August, indicate that they “feed on flowers and rest like delicate black and orange ornaments on the milkweeds and Christmas trees.” In October, the fox, first mentioned in association with the mice, gets a month to himself. Throughout the first 11 months of the year, we see the trees serving a variety of important purposes before finally coming to rest, on the last page, in the living room of a happy family.

Like Ann Purmell’s Christmas Tree Farm, this is a book whose aim is mostly educational. Children can learn about various types of wildlife and how evergreens fit into that picture. In a two-page segment in the back, children can read what tree farmers do during each month of the year to prepare for December. This section shows how much work is involved in operating a tree farm and mentions that the trees shown in the book are Balsam Firs and Fraser Firs. The writing is pretty dry; it’s mostly a collection of facts, with the familiar refrain and the fairly detailed pictures to help keep kids’ interest. My favorite illustration shows a trio of bright-eyed chickadees searching for seeds among fir branches.

For a child interested in the background of Christmas tree production, I recommend this and Christmas Tree Farm together. As a story, it’s only mildly engaging, but as a learning tool, Who Would Like a Christmas Tree? is useful.

Fox Faces Classroom Traumas in Fox At School

Usually when we see Fox, the main character in a series of easy-to-read books by James Marshall, he is at home with his sarcastic mom and his troublesome but adoring little sister Louise or carousing somewhere with his buddies Dexter, a pig, and Carmen, a frog. We see all those characters in Fox At School, but because the school is the setting of each story, the most prominent secondary character is Fox's teacher Miss Moon, who is a cow.

In Fox on Stage, Fox is ecstatic to have won the lead in the class play. Now all the girls will go gaga over him! Unfortunately, he is so busy daydreaming and accepting adulation that he fails to prepare properly for practice, resulting in great embarrassment. I'm not sure whether this book came before or after Fox On Stage; I'm thinking before, because in that book, he seems to be a little more diligent about learning his lines. Incidentally, I'm amused by the fact that Fox exclaims "Hot dog!" in this story, as well as in the last. What a dorky thing to say... Mr. Rosso would be proud.

In Fox Escapes, Fox's fear of heights comes to haunt him again when the class must participate in a fire drill. We often had fire drills in school, but they never involved sliding down a chute from the second floor. It sounds fun. It sounds exciting. But it's not something Fox wants to do, and it turns out it's not something Miss Moon particularly wants to do either, so the two manage to have a bit of a bonding experience, perhaps improving their relationship after the disastrous play. This story also introduces the principal, a mean-looking pig with thick glasses, beady eyes, big buck teeth and an ugly brown suit. He looks like a guy students wouldn't want to cross.

Fox In Charge wraps up the volume. Once again we find him babysitting, though in this case it's for his fellow classmates, since his teacher has put him in charge for a few minutes. It's unclear whether this is because she trusts him or because word got around to her that Fox wants to be a teacher because he thinks it's easy and she wants to teach him a lesson. Frankly, with all of Fox's misadventures in looking after youngsters, I can't imagine why he would want to be a teacher and certainly don't know what gave him the idea that it was a simple job. He starts out smug as usual, but I end up feeling sorry for him before too long, since he's in the biggest class full of hooligans since Sister Mary Clarence's music class in Sister Act 2. His buddy Dexter is the worst one of all. Is there any way to get out of this disaster?

I miss Fox's always funny mom here, as she only shows up on one page, but Miss Moon fills the authority role nicely. Aside from the first story, Fox isn't quite as obnoxious here as he often is, which is a bit of a relief, and getting a glimpse of his school life is a nice change of pace for those who are fond of James Marshall's wily young protagonist.

Can Anyone Outclass Fox in Cleverness?

The other day, I sat back and enjoyed Herbie Goes Bananas, a film starring my all-time favorite vehicle, that lovable little Volkswagen beetle with a mind of his own. When I glanced at the cover of Fox Outfoxed, part of the James Marshall series for early readers about a self-involved fox who's always getting himself into trouble, I couldn't help but think of Herbie. The picture is of Fox literally flying down the sidewalk in a homemade car painted red with an angry, sharp-toothed mouth. It would seem that Fox is in a race. It soon becomes apparent that in this small-time tournament, he is not Jim Douglas, Herbie's talented driver, but Peter Thorndike, Jim's nemesis, who resorts to extremely dubious tactics in order to win races.

In A Faster Fox, after watching his friends building cars so they can race them for a grand prize of a candy store shopping spree, Fox decides to build his own vehicle. His little sister Louise offers to lend a helping paw, and at first he shoos her away, but then he realizes that with some ingenuity and some sisterly aid, that shopping spree might just be within easy reach. Fox is a real twerp in this story, though he's worse in the third tale. His unethical behavior here is rewarded accordingly, though, so children won't likely be inspired to attempt cheating based on his example. In fact, I would say his experience is a very effective deterrent, though the lesson is imparted with humor, particularly in the droll illustrations, rather than heavy-handedness.

Comic Fox makes me sad. Fox is extremely fond of comic books, as we see in the picture in which he sits surrounded by massive piles of them. He is unmoved when his mom teases him about his obsession, but then his pretty neighbor Lulu catches him out front reading his ten favorite comics. And her teasing is a little harder to take, so he pretends he was just on his way to toss them out, leading her to snatch them, supposedly for her little brother. Fox learns a lesson about the value of swallowing his pride while discovering he might not be the cleverest trickster in the neighborhood.

The book ends with Fox Outfoxed, in which Fox, wearing a hideous homemade costume, is forced to let Louise tag along with him and his friends while they go trick-or-treating. Louise is the trickster here, and she gives him the scare of his life after he ditches her on a park bench. My favorite aspect of this story is Louise's costume. She's dressed as a pumpkin, and all we can see is her legs, arms and tail. She's absolutely adorable, especially when she's sitting on that bench, as forlorn as a pumpkin can look. What I don't like is the way Fox's friends goad him into mistreating Louise on their trick-or-treating expedition. Fox is a jerk in this story, but his Dexter and Carmen are worse.

Fox is a sly young devil, but in this book, his tricks backfire on him on three different occasions. While his antics are amusing, they also carry a warning that children would be wise to heed. Even the cleverest among us can sometimes be outfoxed.

Fox's Showing Off Usually Doesn't Pay Off

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of discovering James Marshall's Fox books. Unfortunately, I soon exhausted my library's supply, but now, thanks to Inter-Library Loan, I've been able to reacquaint myself with the feisty fox with the obvious name. In Fox Be Nimble, the incorrigible creature is up to all his old tricks with three stories focusing on his flair for the over-dramatic.

The first stories, Fox Be Famous, is longer than the other two put together and involves a disastrous day of reluctant baby-sitting, a theme Marshall revisits throughout the series. Usually it's Fox's sister Louise who needs to be looked after, but in this case, it's a trio of neighboring bears. I don't know if the Ling family is unique to this book, but I've never encountered them before. We don't really learn anything about them as individuals - even their names - but there are two girls, one with brown fur and one with gray, and one boy, who has white hair. This seems suspect to me, since bears of the same species don't tend to have such dramatic variations in color, but if I can accept a fox who wants to be a rock star, I suppose I can accept bears of three different colors in the same family.

Oh, yes, a rock star. Fox wants to be famous. That's how the story starts, with him showing off his skills to an admiring Louise. He's so sure that babysitting is so beneath him, he refuses to obey his mother's instructions to go, and when that fails, he leaves the bears to their own devices. That's a problem, though, because if one little sister is a heap of trouble, imagine what three rambunctious bears can do! Fox does get a dose of fame in this story, but not of the sort he expected. This is a very funny tale.

Fox the Brave is a sarcastic title because Fox makes a huge fuss when he scrapes his knee after tripping on one of his own skates. He demands a doctor, which Louise summons while his mother chides him for being so silly. After making the call, Louise takes a terrible tumble on one of Fox's remaining skates and is laid up as well, with even more serious injuries than Fox. But how will she react to her misfortune? I find this story even funnier than the first because Fox is just so eager to feel sorry for himself, as we see in the illustrations where his eyes are slanted in displeasure and his tongue is lolling in misery. His mom, who sees right through him, is entertaining too, and Louise helps the tale come to a clever conclusion.

Fox on Parade is the weakest of the stories, I think, though it's still good. Fox keeps getting into trouble at band practice because he's always showing off with his bugle. His teacher, a gruff-looking alligator in a beret, finally gets fed up and tosses him out of class, where he meets up with his friend Raisin, who shows him another way he might distinguish himself in the upcoming parade. One element I missed in this story was Mrs. O'Hare, who has complementary comical run-ins with Fox and Louise in the first two stories. It looked like it was a running joke, but then it was dropped, which left me feeling a bit unfulfilled. Also, Fox is basically rewarded for his self-centeredness rather than having any negative consequences, as he does in the first two stories.

Overall, though, this book is another worthy installment in the Easy-to-Read series. Between the terse writing style and the cartoonish, comical illustrations, Fox Be Nimble is quick to tickle the funny bone.

Sniff Out The Fox and the Hound 2, a Sequel a Cut Above the Rest

The Fox and the Hound is a good movie, unusual among Disney animated features for its dark tone and the ethical questions it raises. It's a high-quality film, but I find it rather depressing. Not so its sequel, last year's oddly subtitle-less The Fox and the Hound 2.

There are many Disney features in which the main characters start off as children (or pups, or kittens, or whatever) and wind up adults halfway through the film or so. This leaves the door open for lots of cheapquels involving cute cuddly young characters, generally facing far less monumental problems than they will once they're grown up. Here, hound Copper (Harrison Fahn) is still a pup who trips over his own ears. He's not much of a hunter, and because Tod (Jonah Bobo), the fox kit who is his best friend, is still under the care of kindly Widow Tweed, Copper's cantankerous owner Amos is less likely to take a shot at him, and his crusty old dog Chief (Rob Paulsen) doesn't pose much of a threat.

Though his life may not be in great immediate danger, Tod is still on Amos' radar, so his friendship with Copper is problematic and leads to a chaotic scene culminating in Copper's banishment to a barrel that serves as a doghouse. Poor Copper feels like he can't do anything right. And then the fair comes to town, and suddenly the world seems much brighter...

That's when Copper meets with a group of singing dogs and discovers that he too has a voice of gold. After prima donna Dixie (Reba McEntire) goes off in a huff following an argument with star vocalist Cash (Patrick Swayze), he invites Copper to be her replacement. None too pleased, Dixie begins plotting to regain her starring role, enlisting the aid of Tod, who just wants his friend back.

The songs are enjoyable and very country-flavored, and the dynamics of the group, with its Johnny Cash-like leader, his diva-ish ladylove, a duo of dim-witted crooners and a sassy old granny, are entertaining. The story is thoroughly engaging with plenty of comedic moments that don't seem out of keeping with the original, especially those involving the reluctantly romantic Widow Tweed and Amos Slade. Also hilarious: the hapless talent scout from the Grand Ole Opry, led by an ambitious but oblivious young girl scout. The animation is top-notch, with expressive characters and nuanced landscapes. As offerings from the Disney Sequel Factory go, this one's pretty darn good, and at only an hour long it's no great sacrifice of your time if you happen to disagree.

Fox on Wheels Will Have You Rolling With Laughter

In Fox on Wheels, written by Edward Marshall and illustrated by James Marshall, the frisky young protagonist of several Dial Easy-to-Read books appear in conjunction with several types of wheels. Some - a bike and skateboard - are of the sort you would expect for a spunky lad, but others are less conventional and consequently more amusing. Over the course of three stories of about 15 pages in length, we get half a dozen different types of wheels and many laughs to go around.

Doctor Fox once again finds Fox looking after his troublesome little sister Louise. I'm guessing this book came shortly after Fox and His Friends; his expectant mom of that book is now a proud parents of four: Fox, Louise and a pair of newborn twins. She is equally preoccupied in this book, and as a result Fox must forgo fun with his friends in favor of Louise. Except he's not a very attentive baby-sitter, and Louise takes a tumble when he's not looking. Fox's attitude is irritating throughout the first half of this story, but following the mishap, he is genuinely remorseful, and it's nice to see him - in a series of touching half-page illustrations - take such great care of his sister. Even if she doesn't need quite as much care as she lets on...

In Fox and the Grapes, while bike-riding in the park, Fox is tempted by the bunch of grapes his friend Millie dangles from a branch high above his head. I feel sorry for Fox in this story because he's so frightfully afraid of heights. For all his bravado, he's actually a wimp in many situations. But he's also very stubborn, so he is determined to find a way to conquer his fear.

Mom's out to ruin Fox's fun again in Fox on Wheels. This time, she offers him options: watch Louise or go to the store. Fox goes for the latter and soon is glad, since his friends have been sent on similar missions. Maybe the grocery store can be fun after all! The calamitous pictures accompanying the store scenes are hilarious, but youngsters will probably be deterred from following suit by the marvelous end of this story. For when the fun he and his friends devise disrupts several shoppers, Fox soon falls victim to his mother's acerbic wit as she concocts the perfect punishment.

I really love Fox's mom, and she has a starring role in two of the three stories. That's certainly a reason Fox on Wheels is one of my favorite Fox books thus far. It isn't easy to keep such a rambunctious youngster in line, but she manages it with cleverness and humor. With her keeping an eye on him, Fox is sure to come out all right in the end. In the meantime, it sure it fun to laugh at his mis-steps...

Seven Days of Fox is Seven Days of Fun

It's strange how quickly a week passes, and often at the end of it, recalling the events of each day is a difficult task. In Fox All Week, written by Edward Marshall and illustrated by James Marshall, something of significance happens to Fox every day. It may be a small event, but it's enough to make it worth noting, and reading of this young protagonist's daily exploits might make young readers more eager to point out the especially bright or dreary moments in their own days.

The book is one of a series of Dial Easy-to-Read books about an everyfox with an obvious name, his pesky little sister Louise, his sly mother and his friends, most notably a pig named Dexter and a frog named Carmen. While most of these entertaining books contain three stories of 15 to 20 pages in length, Fox All Week has seven, none of which exceeds 10 pages. Though they are very brief, however, that does not make the tales any less engaging.

In Monday Morning, Fox's week seems to be off to a bad start when rain dampens his hopes of a promised field trip. To add insult to injury, he feels a sore throat coming on. What a pain! At least it gets him out of school, and with this rotten weather, there can't be anything fun happening... Can there? I love the picture of a pajama-clad Fox glaring out at the rain with beady eyes and an irritation-induced unibrow. I've been there, my furry friend...

Tuesday's Lunch serves as an affirmation that picky eating is not an affliction known only to me. Fox, Dexter and Carmen reject their lunches of tuna fish sandwiches, a meal I lost my taste for years ago, probably once we got a cat and tuna fish began reminding me of canned cat food. But they must learn the hard way the consequences of going lunchless all through the day...

Wednesday Evening at the Library is an extra-short story with an extra-long title. Fox has a case of the giggles, which is a bad thing to have in a library. Miss Pencil, the librarian, does not approve, and she kicks Fox and his friends out. But what will she do with herself once she's all alone in such a solemn place?

In Thursday After School, Fox and his friends find a box of cigars, and Fox claims he smokes them all the time. But is his word to be trusted? I find this story rather gross, but the green-hued Dexter puffing away gives me the giggles.

The Friday Dinner provides the revelation that Mom - whose tongue sticks out in all but one illustration in this story - is not a good cook. Fox steps up to save the day. But what culinary concoction could merit such a racket in the kitchen?

The Saturday Visit amusingly illustrates Fox's reluctance to wear fancy clothes and his ability to be smitten by a pretty vixen. Both complicate a trip to see Grannie - apparently a different one than the silver-haired daredevil of Fox on Stage - on her birthday.

Sunday Evening introduces us to another friend, a fox named Raisin wearing a bag over her head to hide her new braces. Will her friends ridicule her ruthlessly, as she expects?

All of these situations have applicability to many children of an age to read this book on their own, and the writing is just as witty as it is brief, with colorfully silly illustrations to match. Fox is a laugh and a half all week long!

Fox Won't Be Named Employee of the Month Any Time Soon...

I've been getting a kick lately out of a grand new discovery: the series of Dial Easy-to-Read books about Fox, a mischievous youth who can't seem to avoid trouble even when he isn't looking for it. All the books are illustrated by James Marshall of George and Martha fame; some are written by him as well, while others bear the name of his cousin, Edward Marshall.

James gets the credit all to himself for Fox on the Job, an amusing collection of stories that, like Fox and His Friends, depict Fox in a position of reluctant responsibility. In this book, he shuffles between several jobs, looking for one that will stick long enough for him to pay for a new bike to replace the one he wrecked while showing off for the girls (in one of the book's most entertaining illustrations). In this small bit of set-up, those new to the series get a taste of his mother's no-nonsense parenting style and his somewhat strained relationship with his little sister Louise; the former forces Fox into action, while the latter is responsible for his most riotous occupational mishap.

In New Shoes, Fox tries his luck working as a shoe salesman. He assures the chicken who owns the shop that he is honest, but in this line of work, perhaps there is such a thing as being too honest. I'm fond of the picture showing Fox making a pyramid of shoes while his boss is on break; it's an artful and colorful project, but it's certainly not very utilitarian!

In The Haunted House, Fox doesn't even have to ask for his job as a ticket taker for a haunted house at an amusement park. He readily accepts the offer, but when it looks like Clark, little brother to his friend Carmen, has gotten lost inside, Fox isn't so eager to face those dark corridors, which his mustachioed boss promised were "very scary."

In Pizza Time, Fox takes over a pizza delivery job for his friend Dexter, who was fired for eating his deliveries before they reached their destination. Fox is especially diligent with this new task, but a run-in with Louise and her pet mice creates hilarious complications.

The Bright Idea concludes the book, as Fox, not quite ready to give up on his new bike yet, passes by a furniture store and is inspired to devise a clever plan that just might end his luckless streak. But can it really work?

Fox on the Job is funny, but it also teaches a good lesson about working for the things you want rather than just expecting a hand-out. Fox does seem rather young to be taking on such jobs; he can't be any older than eighth grade, yet he's walking into shops and getting hired immediately. But so much suspension of disbelief is required for a James Marshall book that this detail isn't much of a stretch. Entertaining and character-building, Fox on the Job gets a glowing evaluation from me.

Fox is a Fine Sort of Friend to Have

I've been enjoying the books of James Marshall for years, and I just happened upon his series of tales about a likable young fox and his friends and relations. Fox and His Friends is part of this series, though it was actually written by his cousin Edward, who collaborated with him on several projects. The light tone is consistent with other books in the series, which are included in the line of Dial Easy-to-Read books, and James' amusing illustrations perfectly complement the simple sentences.

In this book are three stories concerning Fox's interaction with his friends Dexter, Carmen, Junior and Betty, a pig, a frog, a dog and a crocodile. Poor Fox, having such an unimaginative name; even his little sister fares better with the name Louise. But at least there's no chance of us forgetting which one he is...

The first and longest story (20 pages as opposed to 15) is Fox in Trouble, in which Fox is irritated when his mother, who, judging by her expansive middle, is about ready to add another member to the Fox family clan, insists that he entertain Louise for the day. What's worse, none of his friends are available, so there's nothing for him to do but spend the day with his little sister as a tag-along, which is no easy task since she has a way of getting into mischief. Can Fox avoid the blame for the messes she gets herself into?

In Fox All Wet, poor Fox must look after Louise again, this time during his afternoon at the swimming pool. At least this time he has his friends to cheer him up, but they aren't much consolation when Louise climbs up to the tippy-top of a very tall ladder and threatens to jump from the diving board at the top. What's an older brother to do?

In Fox on Duty, Fox's responsibilities are of a rather different nature. This time, he doesn't have Louise to worry about. Instead, it's his job as a crossing guard, which he takes very seriously. When his friends come along and invite him to join them at the beach, Fox is tempted enough to go with them. But how will he silence that nagging conscience of his?

Fox and His Friends is an enjoyable book for early readers that entertains while also imparting valuable lessons about the conflict between recreation and responsibility. Three cheers for Fox!

Fox on Stage a Delight for Young Acting Enthusiasts

I am a great fan of James Marshall, the wickedly funny author-illustrator behind a charming series of vignettes about a pair of hippos named George and Martha. Recently, I've been getting acquainted with some of his other work, and it turns out he wrote just as many stories about foxes as hippos. One of these is Fox on Stage, which features three amusing stories to inspire aspiring young thespians and film-makers.

In Fox on Film, we meet Fox's spunky grandma, who injures herself skiing and consequently is bored out of her skull, forced to convalesce in a hospital bed when she could be out skydiving. In an effort to cheer her up, Fox makes a video for her, but when his friends declare it dull, he resorts to dubious tactics in order to create a film that will capture Grannie's fancy.

Next comes Flying Fox, the shortest of the stories, which finds Fox at a magic show with his buddies. Despite the opulent stage and his friends' insistence that this will be a remarkable show, the magic tricks fail to impress Fox - until his disagreeable response catches the attention of the magician, who decides to show this young skeptic just what sort of wonders he is capable of.

Finally, we have Fox on Stage, which presents the familiar situation of several kids putting on a play. Fox and his friends have much greater success than I ever did in securing an audience - and an audience willing to pay, at that - but what will happen when unforeseen complications arise, preventing a perfect production?

Fox on Stage is a part of the Dial easy-to-read series and is comparable to the I Can Read books in terms of length and difficulty. Despite the stories' brevity, they are witty and full of characterization, from Fox's slightly pesky but adoring little sister Louise to his sarcastic mom, who has little sympathy for Fox's complaints of boredom. The drawings are humorous and cartoonish; I especially enjoy the shot of Grannie Fox suspended upside-down in mid-air, skis on her boots and an irritated expression on her face.

This is the ninth of Marshall's Fox books, but the order in which you read them doesn't much matter. If you're looking for a good book for a child with a flair for the dramatic, Fox on Stage may be just the ticket.

Eeyorish Ereth's Bad Birthday Leads to Big Responsibility

"We can't all, and some of us don't. That's all there is to it," gripes Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh, moaning that apparently some creatures, even those living in an enchanted and benevolent locale like the Hundred Acre Wood, are not entitled to happiness on their birthday. The old donkey feels rejected and neglected on what should be a joyous occasion, and so does the old porcupine who is the title character in Ereth's Birthday, a middle reader by Avi that is part of a series of tales about Dimwood Forest.

When Ereth wakes up on his birthday to find that his best friend, a mouse named Poppy, is off wandering the woods somewhere with her husband, he is so disappointed, disgruntled and downright disgusted that he decides to have a little adventure if he is to be denied a warm and fuzzy celebration. Hopefully the end result of his quest will be a birthday present for himself: a nice chunk of salt, his favorite thing in all the world. After a very long and gloomy walk, made more uncomfortable by a fresh sprinkling of snow, he finds just what he's looking for. In a cabin usually occupied by hunters. He's seen them leave, though, so he doesn't especially fear them. But his dreams of his desired delicacy are dashed when he hears someone crying out from a distance, wailing piteously, and despite his delight at his discovery, he cannot bear to gorge himself while some other creature is suffering.

So he investigates and soon finds the source of the sound: a luxurious vixen caught in a vicious steel trap that has gnawed at her leg for hours. With her last few breaths, she begs Ereth to go take care of her three kits. Though he grumbles mightily on the way to fulfilling her request, Ereth doesn't have the heart to ignore her dying wish and soon finds himself full-time babysitter to spirited Nimble, surly Tumble and timid Flip. As if their antics alone weren't enough, he is haunted by the knowledge that the surrounding area is littered with steel traps, all concealed by the snow. Moreover, his worries about what will happen if the kits' father doesn't show up give way to worries about what will happen is he does, and all the while, unbeknownst to him, a sinister pair of eyes studies him from a distance.

Ereth's Birthday is a charming and lively tale about a crusty curmudgeon remembering that he actually does care about those around him. In spite of the omnipresent covering of snow, the story is infused with warmth and tenderness, but Ereth's harsh exterior provides for plenty of comedic moments, particularly when he speaks, with a tongue as salty as his favorite treat. His alliterative, exasperated exclamations could put a sailor to shame. A sampling: "smidgen of slipper slobber," "dangling doggerels," buckled badger burgers," "chewed over cow cuds," "antelope uncles," "busted bug bottoms"... and that's just for starters.

Prior familiarity with the series is helpful but not essential to a reading of this book. Ereth is the only character from previous chronicles featured in prominence, and he is established quite firmly from the get-go, requiring no reliance on material from other installments. Each of the kits has a distinct enough personality that we can begin to see them as individuals as the story progresses rather than merely members of a threesome, which is important since the bulk of the novel deals with their interaction with Ereth. Adding to the appeal of the book are the detailed, expressive drawings of Brian Floca, illustrator for the other Dimwood Forest tales. A fairly breezy read at 180 pages broken into 27 chapters, Ereth's Birthday is great for existing fans of the series and for anyone who loves adventuresome animal stories and don't mind giving a lonely old porcupine a chance.