Aesop's Fox

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Kindergarten-Grade 3-Sogabe has selected several fables revolving around a fox and woven them into a single narrative. Well-known tales such as "The Fox and the Grapes" and "The Fox and the Crow" as well as tales in which the fox is the secondary character, e.g., "The Old Lion" and "The Donkey in a Lion's Skin," are included. Unfortunately, this approach doesn't always gel. The familiar morals are incorporated into the dialogue so that they sound even more preachy than they are. Also, fables are-by their nature-episodic, so creating links among them is awkward, and at times forced. Much more successful are the accomplished cut-paper, airbrush, and watercolor illustrations, which have a delicacy and sensitivity that is reminiscent of Japanese prints. Plenty of white space and a good balance between the text and art make the page layout and design visually appealing. The art is appropriate for sharing in a storytime setting, but the meandering text is more suitable for independent reading. Barbara McClintock's Animal Fables from Aesop (Godine, 1991) and Mitsumasa Anno's Anno's Aesop (Orchard, 1989; o.p.) are more successful efforts. Still, the striking pictures and novel presentation make this an interesting addition.
Denise Anton Wright, Alliance Library System, Bloomington, IL
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