Fox Tails: Four Fables from Aesop by Amy Lowry Author/Illustrator: Amy Lowry Amy Lowry cleverly combines four traditional Aesop fables in one story about a witty fox who ends up outwitted by the animals that he has taken advantage of. The four fables included are:
The Fox and the Grapes: It is easy to scorn what you cannot get.
The Fox and the Crow: Never trust a flatterer.
The Fox and the Goat: Look before you leap.
The Fox and the Stork: One bad turn deserves another. This picture book is illustrated with gouache and pencil to create soft pastel scenes. I did enjoy the humor that Lowry interjects into her pictures (note: the frogs on the front cover and the stork with baby pictured on the wall).
From a story standpoint, I thought that stringing the four fables together did result in a somewhat disjointed plot. But, Lowry excels in her imaginative repackaging of Aesop’s Fables in a fresh way that will appeal to children. We have an excellent illustrated collection of Aesop fables that Ben shows little interest in, but he let me read him Fox Tales multiple times. Also, I appreciated Lowry not interrupting the story with the morals, but listing them instead on the back page. In my opinion, this allows the child to simple enjoy the story and absorb the truth through the story. This picture book would be an excellent choice to introduce children to Aesop’s Fables. Related:
Does your family have a favorite collection of Aesop’s Fables?
Fox Tails: Four Fables from Aesop
Published: 2012
Publisher: Holiday House
ISBN: 978-0-8234-2400-9
Pages: 32
Illustrations: Illustrations span page spreads
Text density: 3-5 sentences per page spread
Age: 3 and older
Summary: Fox Tails: Four Fables from Aesop
Illustrations: Fox Tails: Four Fables from Aesop
FOX TALES: FOUR FABLES BY AESOP copyright © 2012 by Amy Lowry. Published by Holiday House. Reproduced by permission of the author. (Please do not pin, copy, or reproduce!)
Comments: Fox Tails: Four Fables from Aesop
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Thank you to Amy Lowry for making this review possible by providing a review copy.
