Title: Little Fox in the Forest
Author & Illustrator: Stephanie Graegin
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade Books, 2017
Ages: 4-8
Themes: magical world, reality and make-believe, wordless, friendship, imagination, stuffed animals, imagination
Opening Page:
Synopsis:
A wordless picture book in which two friends follow a young fox deep into the woods and discover a wondrous and magical world.
When a young girl brings her beloved stuffed fox to the playground, much to her astonishment, a real fox takes off with it! The girl chases the fox into the woods with her friend, the boy, following close behind, but soon the two children lose track of the fox. Wandering deeper and deeper into the forest, they come across a tall hedge with an archway. What do they find on the other side? A marvelous village of miniature stone cottages, tiny tree houses, and, most extraordinary of all, woodland creatures of every shape and size. But where is the little fox? And how will they find him? (Goodreads)
Why I like love this book:
Graegin tells a fabulous story through her art alone with rich detail. The colors move from blue/gray of the blah normal life into full color for the imaginary world and back again as the children move deeper into the woods and back home. (See a central scene below.)
The illustrations and story are heart-thumpingly adorable.
See this sweet kid at the beginning, and her love for her stuffed fox.
And how can a little girl say no to a ‘real’ fox seeking a playmate in her stuffy?
Young readers can find lots of imaginative details on every page. And the story arc is clear and powerful. I won’t spoil it for you, but the resolution is masterful. Look out for the little red bird on every page and DO NOT miss the dust jacket and end papers.
This one could be an award contender!
Activities/resources:
Ask children where they would like to take their stuffed animal on an adventure and have them illustrate this.
Don’t miss this great interview I did this week with Sophie.
Each week a group of bloggers reviews picture books we feel would make great educational reads. To help teachers, caregivers and parents, we have included resources and/or activities with each of our reviews. A complete list of the thousands of books we have reviewed can be found sorted alphabetically and by topics, here on Susanna Leonard Hill’s website.
In my 20's, with only my guitar and a rucksack, I wandered the continents, immersing myself in the lives of some wonderful people, projects and stories, which changed the way I view my responsibility to others and this earth. Right now I'm a European transplant in the US who writes books for children and young adults. Stories can help us not only navigate our world but can connect us to others, and allow us to inspire and help each other. I believe that equity and empathy should be at the core of our all actions, words, and stories.
I am also a school librarian and I get a kick out of book-matchmaking! And I use the pronouns she/her.
Have been looking forward to your review! The cover is gorgeous, as are Stephanie’s busy illustrations. Such a fun story of imagination and friendship.
This was my staff pick at the bookstore 2 mths ago! Sooo sweet!
Beautiful! I’m not usually a fan of wordless books, but you’ve got my attention with this one!
Joanna, I haven’t seen this one yet. It sounds and looks amazing. I can’t wait to read it. Thanks. I love these “seemingly simple” wordless books. They carry so much punch.
This is cute, although I’m not really a fan of wordless books but I do love the illustrations. Thanks for sharing Joanna.