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!