FOX VERSUS FOX
From the My First I Can Read series
by Corey R. Tabor ; illustrated by Corey R. Tabor
Two foxes challenge each other and become friends in this beginning reader.
A white fox and a red fox are startled to realize that they’re both named “Fox.” The red fox is determined to show off all of its foxy skills: It’s sneaky, it can do tricks, and it can jump. It’s clear from the white fox’s delighted expression that, far from being intimidated by the red fox’s impressive talents, the white fox finds them positively wonderful and wants to play together. If the red fox grinds down a stairway on its skateboard (wearing a helmet, of course), then the white fox applauds, appearing genuinely pleased—before upping the ante by soaring through the air on a snowboard. Eagle-eyed readers may have noticed a rocket pack on the title page, and indeed, the slightly competitive play of Fox and Fox escalates (literally). Two sparsely illustrated double-page spreads complete the cheery rise and fall of their competition. “Two characters are friends” is a classic of the limited-vocabulary beginning reader for a reason, and the lovely artwork, sketched out in simple lines, does the well-trodden tropes justice. The red fox’s superciliousness and the white fox’s indefatigable happiness come through clearly. Visuals and text featuring repetition and simplicity will charm while building reading skills.
A winning tale of two pals engaged in a safely silly competition.
(Early reader. 4-6)