Foxy!

K-Gr 2—A retelling of a classic trickster tale. Each time Foxy approaches a new victim while looking for a tasty meal, he fills his sack with an even-juicier treat until he's outfoxed by a woman who swaps a captive boy for a big dog that chases the fox away-for good. The story is written in typical folklore style with a pattern, rhythmic text, and repetitive phrases, e.g., "and he travelled and he travelled and he travelled." The writing is crisp and refreshing. The colorful and uncluttered art, collages, hand-painted with watercolor ink and graphite pencil, are typical of Souhami's earlier folktale retellings. While the illustrations convey movement as the creatures escaping Foxy's sack leap through the air, they are otherwise somewhat static. The varied font sizes give emphasis to dramatic moments in the story, and the overall design of the book is effective. In her author's note, Souhami describes variants of the tale from other cultures. This book is an additional purchase that has child appeal, both as a read-aloud and a satisfying story for independent readers.—Maralita L. Freeny, District of Columbia Public Library