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The Animals of Farthing Wood #3
Fox's Feud
The book begins with the birth of Vixen's four Bold, Friendly, Charmer and Dreamer and follows their early lives as they are supported and protected by all the remaining Animals of Farthing Wood. They grow gradually more independent as the story progresses.Several meetings of the Farthing Animals are held, to decide on how best to deal with the new problems facing them and they maintain the "community spirit" established with the Ancient Woodland Oath, reinforced by the journey and the perils of winter. As a result of the territorial feelings of Scarface the Fox, they become confined to a small area of the Park and there are several eventful meetings between Farthing and White Deer Park foxes on both sides of the boundary.
174 pages, Hardcover
First published September 6, 1982
6 people are currently reading
290 people want to read
About the author
Colin Dann
102 books86 followersColin Dann (born 1943 in Richmond, Surrey (now part of London)) is an English author. He is best known for his The Animals of Farthing Wood series of books, which was subsequently made into an animated series.
Dann worked at the publishing firm William Collins Sons & Co. for thirteen years, and his first novel, The Animals of Farthing Wood, was written during this period. The original cover for this and a dozen others was painted by Portal artist Frances Broomfield.
Colin Dann, recipient of Britain's Arts Council National Award for Children's Literature, is also the author of six sequels and a prequel to The Animals of Farthing Wood.
Dann worked at the publishing firm William Collins Sons & Co. for thirteen years, and his first novel, The Animals of Farthing Wood, was written during this period. The original cover for this and a dozen others was painted by Portal artist Frances Broomfield.
Colin Dann, recipient of Britain's Arts Council National Award for Children's Literature, is also the author of six sequels and a prequel to The Animals of Farthing Wood.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 5, 2020
The animals who once called Farthing Wood their home, before making an arduous cross-country journey to reach the safety of White Deer Park, return in this third adventure, facing a new kind of challenge. This time the danger comes, not from humankind, but from the animal world. Fox and Vixen, now the happy parents of four young cubs - Bold, Friendly, Charmer and Dreamer - find that they have earned the ire of a local, long-established fox named Scarface. As they encroach upon his territory, Scarface retaliates in a variety of ways against Fox and his family, and in a particularly sad moment, . Fox longs for revenge, but is mindful of his duty to the other animals, who are also drawn into the feud between the vulpine families. When Fox fails to kill his enemy, during single combat, it has far-reaching consequences for many of his old friends from Farthing Wood, and they begin to doubt his leadership. Adder, in the meantime, has been enlisted in the effort to defeat the enemy. The book closes as many animals, including Charmer and Friendly, find mates. Bold, on the other hand, leaves the park to look for adventure...
Much like its predecessors, I enjoyed Fox's Feud immensely, finding it an engaging, engrossing animal adventure. As someone who is interested in the depiction of foxes in children's literature, I was particularly fascinated by the vulpine characters, and found some interesting parallels between the figure of Fox, and his medieval ancestor, Reynard. In particular, the friendship between Fox and Badger here, recalls the similar relationship between those animals in the Reynard story. I do think that the weaknesses of Dann's central vision - the idea of a group of animals that would normally have antagonistic, or predator/prey relationships in the wild being friends - begin to show through a bit here. Some of the predator animals are forced to hunt outside of the park, so as not to eat their friends by accident, but this leads naturally to the question - is a solution (the non-aggression pact) that is not sustainable on a wider level, and simply couldn't be applied universally, a real solution? Can it really be used as a moral focus for a story of this kind? It's clear in the story that Scarface is the villain, not simply because he kills - many animals need to do so, to live - but because he kills for non-survival reasons. This formulation ignores the fact that some animal species do naturally kill their rivals, or their rivals' offspring, perhaps not as a means of immediate survival, but as a way of ensuring long-term welfare. I enjoy Dann's storytelling, and the unique animal society he has created, but there are definitely times when the cracks in his thinking show. Perhaps the idea of a pan-zoological utopia simply works better when the antagonists are human, rather than animal. Leaving that aside, this is still an immensely enjoyable book, one I would recommend to all fans of the previous two adventures.
Much like its predecessors, I enjoyed Fox's Feud immensely, finding it an engaging, engrossing animal adventure. As someone who is interested in the depiction of foxes in children's literature, I was particularly fascinated by the vulpine characters, and found some interesting parallels between the figure of Fox, and his medieval ancestor, Reynard. In particular, the friendship between Fox and Badger here, recalls the similar relationship between those animals in the Reynard story. I do think that the weaknesses of Dann's central vision - the idea of a group of animals that would normally have antagonistic, or predator/prey relationships in the wild being friends - begin to show through a bit here. Some of the predator animals are forced to hunt outside of the park, so as not to eat their friends by accident, but this leads naturally to the question - is a solution (the non-aggression pact) that is not sustainable on a wider level, and simply couldn't be applied universally, a real solution? Can it really be used as a moral focus for a story of this kind? It's clear in the story that Scarface is the villain, not simply because he kills - many animals need to do so, to live - but because he kills for non-survival reasons. This formulation ignores the fact that some animal species do naturally kill their rivals, or their rivals' offspring, perhaps not as a means of immediate survival, but as a way of ensuring long-term welfare. I enjoy Dann's storytelling, and the unique animal society he has created, but there are definitely times when the cracks in his thinking show. Perhaps the idea of a pan-zoological utopia simply works better when the antagonists are human, rather than animal. Leaving that aside, this is still an immensely enjoyable book, one I would recommend to all fans of the previous two adventures.
October 4, 2016
Oh the four cubs! In the TV series, they were some of my favorite characters, especially Bold and Charmer. They end up with the most interesting story arcs, in both books and show. Of course this book introduces Scarface, a real enemy at last. It adds a deeper element to the story as a whole and has repercussions long after.
Adore this series, I am seriously so excited own this entire collection!
Adore this series, I am seriously so excited own this entire collection!
February 15, 2022
Very dramatic, slightly sad, but great 👍🏻.
April 2, 2024
I remember watching the show and the arc with Scarface- this is the book that is about that arc - and I enjoyed it a lot. I loved how cunning Scarface was and how he always attacked when you least expect it - this book is slightly more graphic and a few of the Farthing wood animals sadly die - but it's a pretty good book. It focuses on foxes - Scarface and his group and Fox and his family - we get to meet the cubs though one of them dies pretty early on, which starts this entire feud. Dreamer's death was a bit more graphic than the others and it was just so darn sad even though we barely get to know her. Scarface was a good villain and his death was amazing just like in the show - he gets bitten by adder as he crosses the river and he bites off half of the adder's tail. So a pretty decent bad guy whose only motive is jealousy but the ending for him is still pretty graphic by children's book standards.
October 4, 2024
I saw this book on sale at a used shop and grabbed it. I could tell it was one of a series but I wanted it anyway.
There are a group of animals who escaped their old home and found a new place to live, and I got Watership Down vibes from the memories mentioned. They now live in a safe place but a new threat has raised its head: Scarface, another male fox, who is angry the Farthing Woods animals have moved into his territory.
Fox and Vixen have a litter of cubs, two girls: Dreamer and Charmer and two boys: Bold and Friendly. Things seem to be going well until Scarface kills Dreamer, showing he's going to destroy them.
The Farthing Woods animals need to find a way to get rid of Scarface before he kills any more of them.
I enjoyed the story but the writing is dated. It took a little bit for me to get into the story because of that. I would like to read more of the series but I don't know if I can find it in the U.S.
There are a group of animals who escaped their old home and found a new place to live, and I got Watership Down vibes from the memories mentioned. They now live in a safe place but a new threat has raised its head: Scarface, another male fox, who is angry the Farthing Woods animals have moved into his territory.
Fox and Vixen have a litter of cubs, two girls: Dreamer and Charmer and two boys: Bold and Friendly. Things seem to be going well until Scarface kills Dreamer, showing he's going to destroy them.
The Farthing Woods animals need to find a way to get rid of Scarface before he kills any more of them.
I enjoyed the story but the writing is dated. It took a little bit for me to get into the story because of that. I would like to read more of the series but I don't know if I can find it in the U.S.
April 3, 2021
Not bad. Again the show made it better in many ways. The issues with Scarface. I prefer the book regarding mole. Still happy I saw the show first.
Thought it took me much longer to get through the book but I guess not. Though feeling like I need something else but will probably stick to finishing the series.
Thought it took me much longer to get through the book but I guess not. Though feeling like I need something else but will probably stick to finishing the series.
December 3, 2022
The third entry in The Animals of Farthing Wood series follows the surviving heroes of the prior two novels as they find themselves battling a family of foxes native to their newly settled home, expanding the cast significantly, exploring numerous angles of the conflict, and featuring an intimidating antagonist in the form of the villainous fox Scarface. [7/10]
July 17, 2024
More then makes up for the previous book. I'd say this is the best book in the series. Fox and friends are all brilliant and the villain in this one is the best out of all the villains.
Even if you don't plan on reading all of the books you should give this one a go.
Even if you don't plan on reading all of the books you should give this one a go.
October 7, 2023
Colin Dan should be on the current curriculum. Such important books!
December 4, 2014
The great immigration debate - but with foxes. Re-reading this as an adult, the allegory seems a bit heavy-handed, but when I first read it (probably aged about 10) that went over my head and I was happy to take it as a story on its own merits.
Later on I recognised some of the concepts coming up in real-life political discussions, and I often thought back to this story, so I think it acted a bit like a vaccine: it exposed me to a small dose of certain views, so that I learnt how to resist them. However, you could also view this as propaganda, so some people (parents) may prefer to discuss these concepts with their children before they read the book.
As established in previous books, a group of animals all travelled together from Farthing Wood when their home was being destroyed; after various dangers along the way, they found a refuge in White Deer Park. However, they still kept a close bond, and they all stayed together in their own corner of the park. After a while, some of the other animals (particularly a fox called "Scarface") started to resent their presence. In particular, he claimed that the initial numbers were manageable, but now that the Farthing Wood group had started to breed, they were competing for resources. In his view, the animals (or their ancestors) who'd been in the park for longer deserved priority.
Some of the new generation objected to this logic. For instance, here's a quote from Bold (one of Fox and Vixen's cubs): "On the contrary, I'm as much a White Deer Park fox as you are. I was born here too, you know." Since the Farthing Wood group are the familiar protagonists, the reader is naturally going to take their side, and I think they'd meet any reasonable definition of refugees: they can't simply go back where they came from.
There's an interesting question here about cultural identity. Turning to real life, there are parts of London (England) where lots of people are from a particular ethnic group: locally they're in the majority, but nationally they're a minority. For instance, Chinatown and Brick Lane have bilingual street signs. That may be more of a legacy now, but it was more topical when this book was first written (in 1982). I can certainly understand why people who've been uprooted to a foreign country will feel more comfortable in familiar surroundings; they'll literally speak the same language as their neighbours, and they'll have a shared frame of reference to discuss particular issues.
In this book, Whistler (the heron) argues that this segregation is causing problems for them, so more of the Farthing Wood group should take mates from outside their own community. In fact, should they still keep referring to themselves as "the animals of Farthing Wood" or is that creating an artificial divide with the rest of the park? I can see his point: in my experience, familiarity is an effective counter to prejudice, because people can say "Hang on, not everyone in group X is bad. My friend Dave is gay/Polish/a cyclist/whatever, and he's alright."
Aside from all that, there's an interesting subplot with Fox and Adder: when I re-read this book, I first thought that the author was cheating, but I now think that he's deliberately trying to portray Fox as a flawed character. That's consistent with what's happened to various characters in previous books, e.g. the rabbits panicking in the river.
Overall, I don't think that this is the best story in the series. However, it does a good job of explaining important issues in a way that a child can understand, so it deserves 4 stars for that.
Later on I recognised some of the concepts coming up in real-life political discussions, and I often thought back to this story, so I think it acted a bit like a vaccine: it exposed me to a small dose of certain views, so that I learnt how to resist them. However, you could also view this as propaganda, so some people (parents) may prefer to discuss these concepts with their children before they read the book.
As established in previous books, a group of animals all travelled together from Farthing Wood when their home was being destroyed; after various dangers along the way, they found a refuge in White Deer Park. However, they still kept a close bond, and they all stayed together in their own corner of the park. After a while, some of the other animals (particularly a fox called "Scarface") started to resent their presence. In particular, he claimed that the initial numbers were manageable, but now that the Farthing Wood group had started to breed, they were competing for resources. In his view, the animals (or their ancestors) who'd been in the park for longer deserved priority.
Some of the new generation objected to this logic. For instance, here's a quote from Bold (one of Fox and Vixen's cubs): "On the contrary, I'm as much a White Deer Park fox as you are. I was born here too, you know." Since the Farthing Wood group are the familiar protagonists, the reader is naturally going to take their side, and I think they'd meet any reasonable definition of refugees: they can't simply go back where they came from.
There's an interesting question here about cultural identity. Turning to real life, there are parts of London (England) where lots of people are from a particular ethnic group: locally they're in the majority, but nationally they're a minority. For instance, Chinatown and Brick Lane have bilingual street signs. That may be more of a legacy now, but it was more topical when this book was first written (in 1982). I can certainly understand why people who've been uprooted to a foreign country will feel more comfortable in familiar surroundings; they'll literally speak the same language as their neighbours, and they'll have a shared frame of reference to discuss particular issues.
In this book, Whistler (the heron) argues that this segregation is causing problems for them, so more of the Farthing Wood group should take mates from outside their own community. In fact, should they still keep referring to themselves as "the animals of Farthing Wood" or is that creating an artificial divide with the rest of the park? I can see his point: in my experience, familiarity is an effective counter to prejudice, because people can say "Hang on, not everyone in group X is bad. My friend Dave is gay/Polish/a cyclist/whatever, and he's alright."
Aside from all that, there's an interesting subplot with Fox and Adder: when I re-read this book, I first thought that the author was cheating, but I now think that he's deliberately trying to portray Fox as a flawed character. That's consistent with what's happened to various characters in previous books, e.g. the rabbits panicking in the river.
Overall, I don't think that this is the best story in the series. However, it does a good job of explaining important issues in a way that a child can understand, so it deserves 4 stars for that.
September 3, 2025
These books have aged terribly. I find the writing style endearing, sentence structure very readable, and the drama in this one was enjoyed by my little sister. We have a fun time reading together and laughing at the absurdities. But this one ended on a strange note yet again (a new female character called "Mateless"... seriously?!) My least favourite book in the series so far, included the worst line: 🤮
January 25, 2016
Always one of my favourite - the world of the Farthing Wood gang really expands with the birth of Fox and Vixen's cubs and the subsequent rivalry with the resident foxes of White Deer Park. The next generation takes shape with varied and interesting personalities developing. There are times when some of the new cast aren't all that likable - Bold's insistence of hostility towards the other foxes, Ranger's lack of concern for Charmer's family - but overall it's still a vastly enjoyable read, especially when Adder is allowed a bigger part to play than previous books.
September 10, 2016
This is the only Farthing Wood book I read as a child. I can see why, at the time, I quite enjoyed reading it but in the end it didn't make much impression on me. I will always have an issue with Colin Dann's adverb abuse and often bearing towards the purple side of his prose. However, I did find this book more engaging than its two predecessors; there is a lot more in terms of plot and characterisation, and I didn't get bored reading it.
October 22, 2016
This book is a good continuation and full conclusion of the animals' efforts to establish themselves in their new home. With everyone becoming (in various ways) the Animals of White Deer Park at the end, the only loose end to be tied up is the rest of Bold's story; therefore I suspect that the series really should have finished with the next book, and I look forward to discovering just how redundant the final three entries really are.
February 13, 2023
In this third volume of the ‘Farthing Wood’ series, Fox and Vixen welcome a litter of cubs. The Farthing Wood animals are delighted, but vindictive veteran Scarface, one of the original White Deer Park foxes, sees the new arrivals as competition for his own offspring. Thus begins a feud between Scarface and his descendants and the Farthing Wood animals. This is probably my favourite of all the ‘Farthing Wood’ books – the plot is exciting and the characters well-drawn and memorable.
April 29, 2009
This is when things started to get a bit more dark and scary.
March 2, 2015
The birth of Fox and Vixen's Cubs leads to joy, excitement, new relationships and of course sadness and grief. A beautiful story of spring, new life and the challenges of the natural world.
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June 17, 2011Loved it.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews