Fox & Chick: The Party and Other Stories
By:
Fox and Chick don’t always agree—but they are always friends. Full-color illustrations rendered in pen, ink, and watercolor.
ISBN: 9781452152882
JLG Release: Jun 2018
Series:
Fox & Chick
Sensitive Areas:
No sensitive areas
Topics:
Foxes
, Chickens
, Friendship
, Humorous stories
Praise & Reviews
Starred or favorable reviews have been received from these periodicals:
Book List, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, The Horn Book Magazine, The New York Times
School Library Journal
This easy reader—style picture book is actually three stories in one and stars two lovable and very different best friends. In “The Party,” Fox is trying to read while Chick repeatedly interrupts him and requests to use his bathroom, where he proceeds to throw a raucous shindig with some other party animals. In “Good Soup,&# This easy reader—style picture book is actually three stories in one and stars two lovable and very different best friends. In “The Party,” Fox is trying to read while Chick repeatedly interrupts him and requests to use his bathroom, where he proceeds to throw a raucous shindig with some other party animals. In “Good Soup,” Fox digs in his garden accompanied by an indignant Chick who reminds Fox at each turn that he is supposed to be a carnivore, not a veggie-lover. In a fun twist, Chick eventually remembers that foxes are also “supposed” to eat little birds, and is glad that his friend breaks the norm. Finally in “Sit Still,” Fox is painting a landscape when Chick buzzes by and offers to sit for a portrait. Chick has a long list of needs that prevent him from being able to pose, so Fox happily paints the landscape after all. In each story, Chick is the comic relief to Fox’s straight man. Chick takes everything literally, while Fox plays the role of grumpy, but secretly genial, next-door neighbor. Pleasant and cartoonish pastel panels add to this enjoyable read. In the tradition of Frog and Toad and Elephant and Piggie, Fox and Chick will feel right at home in company of these other friendship tales. VERDICT Simple vocabulary, dialogue-only text, and situational comedy make this a winning choice as a confidence booster for children just learning to read. Recommended for picture book collections.—Lauren Younger, formerly at NYPL, NY
Horn Book
In a volume with a picture book’s trim size but plenty of graphic-novel elements
(simply structured panels, dialogue balloons, sound effects), Ruzzier delivers three
stories well suited to both reading newcomers and not-yet-reading listeners. In
“The Party,” Chick gets permission to “use” Fox’s bathroom, but, as Chick eventually
learns, In a volume with a picture book’s trim size but plenty of graphic-novel elements
(simply structured panels, dialogue balloons, sound effects), Ruzzier delivers three
stories well suited to both reading newcomers and not-yet-reading listeners. In
“The Party,” Chick gets permission to “use” Fox’s bathroom, but, as Chick eventually
learns, Fox didn’t mean that Chick could use it as a party venue (“CRASH!
THUD! SPLASH!”). In “Good Soup,” Chick says that Fox, who is busy harvesting
carrots, should eat things that foxes are “supposed to” eat—until Chick realizes
(“Uh-oh”) that foxes are supposed to eat little birds. In “Sit Still,” Chick wants to
pose for Fox’s painting, but Chick’s constant comings and goings (“I will go and
get a pillow…I will go and get a snack”) make for one frustrated artist. Ruzzier’s
finely etched and textured pen, ink, and watercolor vignettes employ a subdued
palette less suggestive of a typical graphic novel than of a baby’s nursery. Collectively,
these three stories create a profile of an entertaining odd-couple friendship
that, if given a few more outings, could make a Frog and Toad–like impression on
the picture-book and easy-reader worlds. -Nell Beram, Horn Book
Book Details
ISBN
9781452152882
First Release
June 2018
Genre
Fic
Dewey Classification
Trim Size
7 1/2" x 9"
Page Count
56
Accelerated Reader
Level 2.1; Points: 0.5;
Scholastic Reading Counts
Level 0; Points: 0;
Lexile
Level 370L
Format
Print Book
Edition
Hardcover edition
Publisher
Chronicle
Potentially Sensitive Areas
No sensitive areas
Topics
Foxes, Chickens, Friendship, Humorous stories,
