And, Too, the Fox

by Ada Limon, Gaby D'Alessandro (illustrator)

U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón has a keen eye for the natural world.



This poem pulses with the joyful energy of a fox bounding through backyards, piecing together a living in his own way. Paired with lush illustrations by Gaby D'Alessandro, this picture book brings Limón's work to a new generation.


Comes with its streak of red / flashing across the lawn, squirrel / bound and bouncing . . .

Genres: Picture Books, Poetry, Animals, Nature, Childrens, Nonfiction, Storytime

24 pages, Hardcover

Published January 7, 2025

About the author

Ada Limón is the author of three books of poetry, Lucky Wreck, This Big Fake World, and Sharks in the Rivers. She received her Master of Fine Arts in Poetry from New York University. Limón has received fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts, the Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center, and was one of the judges for the 2013 National Book Award in Poetry. She works as a creative writing instructor and a freelance writer while splitting her time between Lexington, Kentucky and Sonoma, California (with a great deal of New York in between). Her new book of poems, Bright Dead Things is forthcoming from Milkweed Editions in 2015.

Reviews

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was first a poem. And while I usually love illustrated poetry for children, this seems confusing. We start with a fox in the field with the meadow and then the interact in a city and how they live, but fox don’t care if humans are there is watching. It’s odd and I’m not sure how well kids will enjoy it.

[Margaux · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the author and illustrator, Ada Limón and Gaby D'Alessandro, the publisher, Carolrhoda Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this children's book, And Too, the Fox, in digital form.

This is a beautiful and sweet tale following a fox goes through its day, in its own simple and wonderful way. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous, on another level. especially of the fox in the grass and nature scenes. I think the illustrations will capture a child's attention and imagination and the story will teach them something about life and nature. I loved the idea of the fox going about its day as if it's always play - an inspiration to remember to find joy in the little everyday tasks. This is a book parents will enjoy, too. There is also a sad reminder at the end about what might happen when we can't look out our windows in the early morning and see the simple beauty of a fox anymore; inspiration to move forward climate justice.

[Little Batties · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am stunned by the illustrations of this story. They are absolutely breathtaking and I could stare at them for days. The littles are sure to love this story on the beauty alone. It is so eye-catching and vivid; it's hard to take your eyes of the pages to read the words there too.

The story itself is simple and to the point. We have a story of a fox and how he or she goes about their day to day life. It isn't as educational as it could have been, but it's honestly so beautiful, I didn't even need the words. Honestly, the simplicity of the story fits the theme of the story and what Fox does. It is almost nonchalant and to the point, kind of like the fox in the story, so it was fitting.

I was I impressed with the story overall and would recommend it for littles that love animals or pretty picture books.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to the fun world of the town fox to see and read about what they are like.
The illustrations by Gaby D'Alessandro are intricate, colorful, and FUN!
Well suited for reading WITH someone any age from 6 up including ESL, and great for gifting to everyone, but especially to a school or your local public library!
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected eGalley on Adobe Digital Editions from Lerner Publishing Group | Carolrhoda Books ® via NetGalley. Thank you!
#AndTooTheFox by Ada Limón @lernerbooks Carolrhoda books @CBCBook @GabyDAlessandro @Illustrated #Poetry #NetGalley @goodreads @bookbub @librarythingofficial @barnesandnoble @waterstones ***** Review @booksamillion @bookshop_org @bookshop_org_uk @childrensbookcouncil @CBCBook

[Vinnie V. · Rating 1 out of 5]

The one star goes to the illustrator. The poet should stick with poetry NOT books (even kid's books).

When it comes to writing, I've heard the saying you need to "land the plane". Well Ada doesn't just fail to land the plane, she miserably starts the flight. The start and finish physically made me check to see if I had missed a page or two. Nope. The entirety is lacking as well with bizarre choices on how to space out a sentence not to mention the entire book is FIVE sentences long.

And the whole "plunge headlong into the natural world" and "finding connection with--the animals all around us" is a huge load of garbage! I learned nothing about other animals except for a fox that doesn't care about much of anything. This is byfar the worst children's book I have read to date.

[W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most of the children's poetry books I've read contain rhyming which can be fun, but this book has a different poetic style. It exposes children to poetry outside of rhymes, which I think is nice. The book is both fun and calming to read because of this.

The artwork is absolutely beautiful. I think the soft colors make for a perfect fall read. The poetry is short and sweet, so kids can take the time to appreciate the art as well. It gets them to think about a fox's life and could be especially good for kids who are interested in art and animals.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

[Shan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how beautiful and poetic this book was, both in terms of writing and imagery. This book would actually be the absolute perfect bedtime story because of how serene the writing is, but it could also be read anytime because of how excellent it is. The writing was enough to let the reader in on the fox's life, but left some things out so that the reader could imagine some of their own conclusions/ideas/etc. As for the illustrations: they all connected very deeply to nature and how free it is. The illustrator conveyed this through different styles of "brushstrokes" and very intricate color combinations. In short, I loved reading this book and I know others will as well.

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one seems aimed more at adult fox fanciers (myself included) than children. The "story" is simply a poem about a fox's eating habits and lack of concern for anything other than itself. (Mmm . . . self-preservation seems to be how all animals survive, but Limon makes it sound like a bad thing.)
I also wasn't a fan of the illustrations. Though I admire D'Alessandro's color choices, I HATED that everything was outlined, making the artwork look too cartoonish.



Thanks to Lerner Publishing Group and NetGalley for sharing.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is short and the images are colorful. Use of color is especially good and interesting and the interpretation of the poem was well done, with clever things. Like when it says the fox doesn't care for what you want, you can see a kid waving to it from a window, but the fox is looking away. But I felt like the poem wasn't really a story, and honestly I think kids would get bored with it. Or maybe I just did... They will like the images though, and lots to point to ask ask about. Including a fox carrying a dead animal.

[Martha Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely poem from Poet Laureate Limon about a fox going about her business in and around a suburb or leafy city, hunting squirrels and rats. The art, by Dominican illustrator D'Alessandro, is dramatic and true to the wildlife. Excellent book for a poetry month, but you'll need some supplemental materials about foxes; this poem is more about the dramatic experience of viewing a fox rather than a full picture of how foxes live. Enough to create lots of questions and eager discussion among the listeners.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations were beautiful and the poetry lovely as well, but together the elements didn't quite land. I think it would work well as an illustrated book for adults, but it didn't feel like a children's book to me, and it made sense when I read a review and discovered that the text was published as a poem first. I'm a huge fan of Limon though so I'm always eager to read anything she puts out.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

And, Too, the Fox is a beautifully illustrated children’s book written by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón. The poem is about a fox romping in backyards, finding food and living its life. The 24 pages of Gaby D'Alessandro’s illustrations are spectacular, making this a perfect bedtime book.
I received an Advance Review Copy (ARC) from NetGalley and Lerner Publishing Group for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[AllyP Reads Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd give this two stars for the story, but the artwork made it a three.

I find the story completely unrealistic. It makes it seem like a fox doesn't have a care in the world. There is absolutely no way that a fox in a residential neighborhood would be allowed to live. It would be killed right away by police.

Even in the wild they're hunted so acting like they just play in meadows all day is ridiculous.

[Ryofire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

This is a lovely little poetry children's book. The art is honestly more appealing than the actual poetry, though the poetry is nice on its own. Even as someone who doesn't like insects, the art made everything beautiful to look at.

The poetry itself was whimsical and floaty, and should be pretty comprehensible for younger readers.

[cinnamilk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only did And, Too, the Fox have absolutely gorgeous art, it also had an engaging story! This book is perfect for younger children (especially if they love animals!), sure to capture their attention with its appropriate vocabulary and simple text per page. A perfect story to read to your children!

[CYIReadBooks (Claire) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unlike most children's poetry books, And, Too, the Fox does not contain any rhymes. I loved the soothing flow of the poem, which tells the story of the life of a fox. Children will love the calming effect as well as the beautiful illustrations. Five stars.

I received a DRC from Lerner Publishing Group through NetGalley. This review is my own and reflects my honest opinions.

[Morgan the Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked some of the poetic bits of this, but I was unsure whether this will fit many younger readers. It started off a little strange (I think it was supposed to lead off with "And, too, the fox" but it just read strangely to me) and the rest of it was just mellow and fine. It didn't blow me away at any point, but anyone who might like foxes or poetry may like it.

[Moira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy!

I love Ada Limón's poetry, and this did not disappoint. Such a sweet and beautiful little jaunt, perfect for introducing younger readers to poetry and enjoyable for anyone else who picks it up!

[Audrey Voss · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this one, but I decided on 4 stars because of the refreshingly realistic lens of nature through the foxes perspective. The illustrations pair beautifully with the verse, resembling pages in a coloring book. Overall, it was thought-provoking and unique.

[Lizzy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The art is pretty enough and has lovely vibrant colors. Maybe not my favorite style and I don’t get all the choices, but fun to flip through. The poem/text were pretty boring and especially with “Poet Laureate” slapped on the cover, I expected more.

[Tracie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Ada Limon's poetry for adults, but this just didn't hit the right notes for me as a picture book for kids. The ending--"the fox never cares what you need / when you're watching [him] // never cares / what you do once he is gone"--is an odd message for preschoolers.

[Halle Sklivas · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations are GORGEOUS. I was a bit lukewarm to the actual text, and then at the end was honestly just left a little confused... I will say I'm not a big poetry person in general, but I just don't feel like this was the greatest format for the poem.

[Ellon · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars (It was okay)

This wasn't my favorite. A few of the illustrations I really liked (like the fox running at the beginning) but I wasn't a huge fan of the poem and the illustrations didn't always seem to match. I don't see my students choosing to check out or read this book.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

The digitally created, full page illustrations of a fox in brightly colored and heavily flowered yards and woods are the winner in this picture book for the toddler-kindergarten crowd. The brief text is lyrical and rhythmic but the phrasing was, at times, awkward and its meaning a bit unclear to my audience of one nearly 4 year old and a first grader.

[Erica Baxter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely, lovely, lovely. The story has a very Zen-like feel in its celebration of the joy of living simply.

Gorgeous art and a lovely message. I got chills at the end.

[Julie Ditton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The lyrical text from U.S, Poet Laureate Ada Limón tells the reader about a fox that you might notice if you like to watch nature. The dreamlike illustrations from Gaby D'Alessandro are captivating. The richly detailed elements of nature painted in a pastel palette set the tone of a quiet day observing a fox. Each spread may show the fox several times, one picture per poetic phrase as the reader follows his action. This book is perfect for any young nature lover.

[Danielle Mccoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this eBook from netGalley for a honest review.

A wonderfully illustrated poem about a fox and the life it lives.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a cute book full of bright colors that were easy to engage my 1 and 2 year old.
Such a fun read.

[S46354595 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fox

[Brenda]

Beautiful illustrations