The Winter Fox

From Publishers Weekly A girl's affection for her pet rabbit is matched by her concern for its safety when she overhears her father saying a fox has been seen in the area. Her fears build ("I was sure the fox was as big as a tiger and as strong as a bear")， then recede when she returns to the cozy warmth of the kitchen. After the fox spirits the rabbit from its hutch， the girl accompanies her father on a hunt for the predator. When she finally catches sight of the hungry animal， the girl's surprising reaction proves utterly believable. The story's honest ending is imbued with equal parts hope and gritty， intriguingly unresolved tension. Thickly layered onto heavily textured， dark paper， Garns's pastel illustrations convey winter's chilly light and a sense of the girl's foreboding. Brutschy's poetic narration is enriched by apt analogy and spare but telling particulars. Ages 4-8. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information， Inc. From School Library Journal Kindergarten-Grade 3-Rosie， a young farm girl， learns about animal survival when her pet rabbit is stolen by a hungry fox. Later， catching a glimpse of the wild creature at close range， she is overcome by its lean， hungry look and unexpectedly feels a sadness akin to what she felt at the loss of her beloved pet. Full-and double-page illustrations in oil pastels show the snowy， barren， landscape; the pinks and blues of early sunsets; and the crisp， clear， star-filled rural night. Several closeups of Rosie are skillfully realistic and the drawings nicely complement the story. The book might best be used as a springboard for discussion， for the tale itself is not as memorable as the lesson it imparts.Susan Scheps， Shaker Heights Public Library， OHCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information， Inc. See all Editorial Reviews