The Tale of Tricky Fox

by Jim Aylesworth, Barbara McClintock (Illustrator)

After making a bet with his brother that he can outsmart a human into giving him one of her pigs, Tricky Fox sets off to win the bet, but when he uses his charms on a wise schoolteacher, the tables are turned and it is Tricky Fox who is outsmarted in the end.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Humor, Fiction, Fairy Tales, Folk Tales

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2001

About the author

Jim Aylesworth was born in Jacksonville, Florida but as an infant moved from the state. He lived in many places during his childhood: Alabama, Indiana, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas... but by the time Aylesworth was 15 his family had settled in Hinsdale, Illinois and that is where he graduated from high school in 1961.

In 1965, he graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio with a B.A. in English. He returned to Hinsdale and began a career as a stockbroker. By 1970, however, Aylesworth was thinking about what he really wanted to do. After a series of assignments as a substitute teacher, Aylesworth ended up in a primary classroom. He began teaching first grade students in Oak Park, Illinois in 1971 and entered Concordia College in River Forest, Illinois, to earn a graduate degree in elementary education -- a goal he reached in 1978.

But it was his work with children that brought him the most reward. It was Aylesworth's experiences as a teacher that eventually led him to writing children's books.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based upon an Anglo-American folktale collected by Clifton Johnson in the nineteenth century, and contained in the collection What They Say In New England and Other American Folklore , this engaging picture-book follows the adventures of a crafty fox, who boasts to his brother that he can trick humans into giving him a pig. Through a series of deceptions, Tricky Fox manages to upgrade from a log to a chicken, but his boastful ways, and a clever school-mistress prove his undoing...

Jim Aylesworth and Barbara McClintock - whose other collaborative projects include The Gingerbread Man , Goldilocks and the Three Bears , and The Mitten - deliver another winner in The Tale Of Tricky Fox! With an engaging narrative that just begs to be read aloud, and adorable watercolor, ink and gouache illustrations, fans of this author/illustrator duo will not be disappointed. There's even a recipe for "Tricky Fox's Eat-Your-Hat Cookies" on the back cover! Highly recommended, for fans of fox-folklore, and of McClintock's artwork.

[Melki · Rating 5 out of 5]

A VERY clever fox attempts to turn a sack with a log in it into a nice juicy pig - with hilarious results. Loads of fun with a terrific ending.

[Katie Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Tale of Tricky Fox" tells the tale of how a teacher made foxes realize the should respect humans instead of trying to trick them. Tricky Fox tells his brother that he can trick a human into giving him a pig. So Tricky Fox sets out with a sack with a log instead. He asks a lady if he could stay the night and tricks her into giving her a loaf of broad to replace his log. This goes on and on from the bread into a chicken and then the chicken in turn for a pig. But instead of getting a pig, the last lady was a teacher and knew of Tricky Fox's ways. Instead, she gives him a bulldog. The bulldog chases Tricky Fox and his brother and they both learn their lesson. I really enjoyed this book. Although it was a little repetitive, I loved the ending. I would definitely consider reading this book to a classroom.

[Gwen the Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a classic and old-fashioned tale of a tricky fox - reminiscent of Brer Fox - who wants to get the better of some humans and get a pig in the process. Engagingly told with great vocabulary and some rhyming songs, this would make a great read-aloud. I always enjoy Barbara McClintock's old-fashioned and beautifully rendered illustrations.

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

I noticed a Sendak-like quality to some of the fox pictures, but was informed by a note at the end that the real inspiration for both McClintock and Sendak was Wilhelm Busch.

[Faith Walton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The fox makes a bet that he can get a human to give him a pig in his sack. He puts a log in his sack and heads out. Each woman he meets, he tells them that he is old and the night is cold, and he doesn't want someone to look in his sack. Each woman naturally looks, and after they fall asleep the fox quickly rids the sack of its contents. In the morning he tricks the women into giving him something else. This continues until he has the bad fortune of going to a teacher house, in which she puts a bulldog in the sack, and tells the fox that it is a pig. The fox gets back, and opens the bag, and gets chased by a dog.

The illustrations are perfect for the book, and it has a simple structure that is easy to follow. As I was writing this review I found a Recipe on the back for "Tricky Fox's Eat-Your-Hat Cookies" Which looks cute. I recommend this book

strangely enough, I think this fits the cottagecore aesthetic, which I dig.

[Arminzerella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tricky Fox was bragging to Brother Fox that he could steal a pig off a human and goes off to prove his claim. Traveling with a cloth sack, in which he initially places a piece of log, he manages to trick several ladies into giving him shelter for the night as well as a loaf of bread, a chicken, and, almost, a pig. The last lady overhears him cackling with glee over his schemes and dancing around her house, and plays a trick on him instead. Tricky Fox is indeed very tricky, but in the end even he cannot outwit a Teacher. A decent trickster tale.

[Logan Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: Traditional Fantasy
Grade: K-1
This would be a great story to tell the teacher lesson about being honest. It is a fine book that has a lot of repetition and so when reading it, the students will be able to follow up very closely. I think it is a good book that has lots of good pictures and illustrations. Overall, This is traditional Fantasy because it is a teacher at the beginning telling the story and would be one that would be told as a fine tale.

[Mady Beaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Traditional Literature
K-3
This is a story about a tricky fox that takes things from innocent people very sneakily but his plans aren't always going to work and by the end of the book his sneaky ways catch up to him and things don't end as he would've wished. This is a great book for kids to have a laugh but also learn a lesson about not being boastful and selfish.

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has a good view that a teacher can tell something is not right during a situation. I love how the fox thought he can trick humans and think lowly of them, but the teacher proved him wrong by playing a trick on him by putting her bulldog into the sack. This shows children that being disrespectful and playing tricks can have consequences.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the story is charming, the book loses points for displaying absolutely no cultural diversity. Teachers may want to use it for story time, however, as the ending establishes that teachers are hard to trick.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book! Every teacher should be gifted this book. Tricky fox comes along through the forest and is able to trick every little old lady until he meets the teacher....then the teacher turns the table on tricky fox. Rhyming lyrics, easy to get a child to interact with the story.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fox makes a bet that he can steal a fat pig to eat, and almost succeeds in his scheme which involves carrying off bigger and bigger things from people's homes. The last person he tries to trick puts a dog in his sack instead of a pig.

[Jaydon Colle Grimes · Rating 5 out of 5]

“But Tricky Fox hadn’t counted on one important thing, and that was that this particular lady was a teacher. And Tricky Fox didn’t know that teachers are not so easy to fool as regular humans are.” 🤣❤️

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

AR 3.9

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A New England tale. Lovely illustrations.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brother Fox, you never eat your hat until you have seen the actual prize. Rookie.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This enjoyable tale is funny and clever and very well illustrated.

[The Transmuted Tree · Rating 3 out of 5]

Red 2nd

[Alissa Faust · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute tale of a fox out foxing the old ladies in town. Eventually the tables turn and a old school teacher out foxes the fox!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this a lot. A tricky fox tricks old ladies into giving him different things like bread and a chicken. But the school teacher has the last laugh! Loved the illustration style!

[Scarlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the art, rhymes, repetition, and that the teacher outsmarted the fox 😏

[Cathy Sheetz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loosely based on the three little pigs - a tricky fox gets things for his sack by tricking old ladies until he meets his match with a teacher who gives him a dog instead of a pig.

Mentor text for writing - adapting folk tales - 3rd through 5th grade. Classroom library for 2nd through 5th (a fair amount of text with pictures).

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Traditional Literature: folktale-- trickster tale

Characters: Tricky Fox, Brother Fox, and four 'old ladies' (one of whom is a teacher)

Setting: a school house in New England; woods that aren't very far away

Themes: honesty, integrity, respect, greed, bragging,

Summary: Tricky Fox bragged to Brother Fox that he could steal a fat pig, to which Brother Fox replied, "I'll eat my hat if you do!" Tricky Fox then proceeded to visit three different elderly women, over the course of three consecutive nights, and trick each of them into giving him first a loaf of bread, then a pig, then a chicken. On the fourth night, Tricky fox visited a woman who turned out to be a teacher, and she was able to turn the tables on the fox and trick him instead. Although Tricky Fox is a trickster tale, it has a bit of 'pourquoi' to it, because it end with the teacher explaining to her students that "because of what happened, you never hear foxes singing sassy songs... and you never, ever see one wearing a hat."

Target Audience: 2nd-5th grade

Curriculum Ties: genre study, ethics, morals, politics, culture, trickster tales, literature study, roles of animals in folktales, symbols

Personal response: Tricky Fox is a clever trickster tale, in that it is the trickster himself who ends up tricked. The book is a bit longer than some trickster tales, but that is appropriate due to the complexity of the plot of this folktale. McClintock's illustrations use soft colors and lots of detail, which contribute to the tone of the story. The pictures remind me of Peter Rabbit, which help to make me envision this tale as being set in New England. The characters' clothing helps to set the time period as well. This is a fun book that will help young students to firm up their grasp on the elements of a solid trickster tale.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tricky Fox bets his brother that he can trick a human into giving him a pig.

So, gotta be honest. I didn't think would work well as a readloud. It's a bit long and the illustrations look, well, old & not kid friendly. Totally thought I was going to lower my head and push through. So why'd I try? Someone I trust (my mom!) recommended it to me & found it on several readloud lists. What is life but an opportunity to try things out?

Totally worked. Yeah. Entirely. I had the attention of each of my 1st grade classes, despite their squirrelly-Friday-it's-spring nature. I had them, quiet and listening for the whole thing. So there you go.


Don't totally dig the illustrations. They're well drawn, but I wish it was brighter and bolder and whatnot.


Note: Retelling of Trickster tale from New England

[Jason · Rating 1 out of 5]

Poor behavior abounds and is, in some respects, applauded. The book opens as a teacher reading a story to her class. The story is about a fox who gets along in life through deceit. He ends up tricking a few people until he meets a teacher. All the people he tricks lie to him, so they are not sympathetic. He tricks the teacher as well (like the others, the trick only works because she also lies to him), but because—as the book says—teachers are smarter (but apparently not more honest) than normal humans, she discovers his deceit. Her response is revenge, which she accomplishes through … deceit. And she is supposed to be the hero of the story.

[Brianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This tale uses trickery and selfishness to get more valuable things. This teaches kids to be honest. Genre fantasy fiction

[595AJ_NikkiHuske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alas, the fox fooled many, but was in the end taught a valuable lesson by a teacher. She won't be fooled by any trickster's wise antics. This trickster tale has expressive characters that are engaging and humorous.

This a great book to use as a read aloud in a primary classroom. With its repetition and rhyme, young readers are sure to chime along as this book is read over and over. Those who are fans of the Gingerbread Man will become fans of this book too. Especially with a cookie recipe on the back cover. Who can resist?

[babyhippoface · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure whether it's that Tricky Fox is really that tricky or just that the people he meets are slow on the uptake. Thank goodness for a clever teacher who gives him a taste of his own medicine.

I think this is my favorite kind of trickster tale, where the trickster gets tricked. (Serves him right.) McClintock's watercolor, ink, and gouache illustrations are incredibly detailed, and the image toward the end of the two foxes gawking at the bulldog cracks me up.

I'm planning to use this American tale from New England with my 2nd graders in our unit on multicultural folklore.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tricky Fox thinks he is very tricky...but, he can fool some of the humans some of the time, but not every one! Nightly, as he creeps up to cottages, he tricks the residents into replacing the 'lost' contents of his bag, that is until he reaches the cottage of one smart teacher, who has a few tricks of her own!

The Tale of Tricky Fox is short and to-the-point in this tale of consequences. The illustrations are gorgeous and the lesson is right on point.