THE CARNIVAL

A gentle tale of woodland creatures trying to chase away winter gloom with a festive carnival.

It’s been a particularly lengthy and arduous winter for the blended Fox and Badger family. They’ve been crowded into a cramped burrow and have been scrounging and scrimping to get through the frosty dearth. The creatures are tiring of the exhausting work that yields few results. One evening, the fox kit and badger cubs are surprised by visitors: Grandpa and Grandma Fox. Sweet Grandpa Fox is fun but foolish, bringing unrest to the once-harmonious den. However, when he suggests a carnival to chase away winter, the cozy menagerie comes together to have a little spirited fun. Set against an ethereal watercolor palette, this softly told graphic offering moves slowly but lightly, like the fine snow that the animals take shelter from. The foxes and badgers are likable through and through, reminiscent of such other forest friends as Winnie the Pooh or Frog and Toad. Though this is the fifth installment of the series, it is fine as a stand-alone tale, with its complete and self-contained story.

A warm, quiet and cozy tale that’s a sweet-tempered reminder that even the longest of winters must eventually give way to spring.