Book Review: Flossie and the Fox
Rating: 
In a creative and sly twist on the traditional Red Riding Hood story, a little girl named Flossie is sent through the woods to bring the neighbors a basket of eggs, because a fox has been terrorizing their henhouse. Flossie has never seen a fox, but when she takes a shortcut through the woods she encounters one. He introduces himself as a fox, eyeing her basket of eggs, and she cheerfully replies that she does not believe he is what he says he is. As she continues her walk, he offers different pieces of evidence to prove his identity: his thick fur, his pointy nose, his yellow eyes, his bushy tail. At each attempt she retorts that he must be some other animal (a rabbit, a rat, a cat, a squirrel), until he follows her into the clearing near the neighbors’ home, and the farmer’s dog chases him back into the woods.
The book is illustrated with beautiful paintings, evocative of the historic rural American South, and the little girl is rendered charmingly in a number of pleasant outdoor scenes. The text, however, is the great drawing point: the story is told in a warm voice characteristic of the African-influenced English that grew up in the South — the author states that it is reconstructed from her memory of her grandfather’s front-porch storytelling. Flossie’s victory over the fox keys on her quick-witted verbal banter (a quality especially valued in African-American culture), and she demonstrates intelligence and strength of will throughout the interaction. The book ends with young Flossie grinning over her shoulder, basket of eggs under her arm, as she acknowledges her opponent as a fox — just as the farm dog chases him away. She has matched her wits against an animal known for quick-wittedness, and has won the day. This is a delightfully enjoyable excursion.
Categories: 4 Stars, Age 04-08, Amblesideonline, Honey For a Child's Heart, Read-Aloud Handbook
Tags: African American, American South, Animals, Community, Courtesy & Manners, Faithfulness, Fantasies, Foxes, Honoring Authority, Humor, Ingenuiry, Intelligence, Language, Little Red Riding Hood, Obedience, Predators, Problem Solving, Responsibility, Verbal Banter, Wildlife
Posted on June 5, 2009
No responses yet. You could be the first!
Leave a Response
Subscribe
Search by:
Tags
Quotes
The best and the most beautiful things in life cannot be seen or even thought . . .they must be felt with the heart.
—
Recent Posts
Wish List
