I do love a good fox story, and ‘Fox: a Circle of Life Story’ by Isabel Thomas and Daniel Egneus (Bloomsbury, Oct 2020) is very special – an engaging, visually stunning, nonfiction picture book.
We first meet Fox raising her family. After she dies, her cubs go on to have families of their own, while her body’s ‘tiny particles’ are recycled back to nature and new life. This sensitive factual telling could be helpful whether the subject comes up spontaneously or is prompted by the sad death of a pet or family member.
‘Fox’ joins ‘Moth: an Evolution Story’ by the same authors (Bloomsbury, June 2018). ‘Moth’ tells how, over generations, the Peppered Moth has adapted to survive in an environment transformed by humans. Like ‘Fox’, ‘Moth’ is an entrancing picture book, and it brings a much-needed message of hope in this time of eco-anxiety.
‘Fox’ and ‘Moth’ blend Isabel Thomas’ lyrical text and Daniel Egneus’ beautiful illustrations to tell stories every bit as magical as fiction. They will surely be invaluable to teachers and parents facing tricky questions from primary age children. Let’s hope there’s more to come from this talented author team.
I think Fox would be an excellent book for a family, particularly a non-religious family, to have close to hand in a bereavement situation.
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Thanks for this, Ann. I agree, Fox’s story of the circle of life could be invaluable in a bereavement situation, subject to a parent’s insight into their child’s response. I think the factual content could even complement any spiritual discussion parents might want to introduce separately.
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