FOXY IN LOVE

Foxy scampers onto the scene just in time to help Emily complete her special valentines in this holiday sequel (Foxy, 2012).

Emily’s looking for inspiration when Foxy slips in through the window to offer his assistance. He listens to his friend’s thoughts on what she loves, and then, with a magical swish of his tail, he produces them for her. Only problem is, he often misunderstands what she says. Raccoons appear instead of balloons, larks and tarts but not hearts float about, and when Emily wishes for flowers, she finds herself covered in flour. Another sweep of Foxy’s tail always sets things right, and Emily seems to delight in it all. The preschool set will giggle over these silly misunderstandings while noticing that Foxy continues to expect Emily to mention him as one of the things she loves most. Dodd digitally renders a charming Emily with an oversized head topped with curly red hair and simple black eyes. Foxy has a more cartoonish look, with big eyes, a contrasting small mouth and a dramatically oversized tail. Once Foxy has conjured up the many objects Emily loves, he gently explains, “Valentine’s Day is not about what you love….It’s about who you love.” Of course, Emily needs no help knowing who that is.

The happy ending, though predictable, sweetly satisfies.