Vulpes, the Red Fox by Jean Craighead George
My rating: 4/5 cats
a review for greg!!!
this is a wonderful little book; part of jean craighead george’s american woodland tale series, which are cute little illustrated chapter books about animals in the wild and the things that they do. while we are exposed to the inner thoughts of vulpes, he is, thankfully not a fox that talks, so there is a semblance of realism here. he has motivations for his actions, but they are very practical. vulpes doesn’t sit around yearning for things or trying to make friends with the human characters or anything. he finds food, he finds a mate, he learns about the dangers of his environment. all things that foxes actually need to do in order to survive, with none of the disney singing owls or clumsy woodpeckers.
but most importantly, there is a scene in which vulpes hunts for food under the snow. like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2SoGH…
which is the coolest thing foxes do. howdeedoodat???
now, since this is a realistic-type story, i got some bad news for you. look, nature is a tough old broad, and not everything in this book is going to be smiles and fuzzy hugs.
so, to cheer up the way i felt at the end of this book
okay, better now. i have a bunch more in this series, but i’m not sure i can face the widdle raccoon just yet.
but soon, once i regroup, emotionally.
