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Fox & Chick #1
The Party: and Other Stories
Fox and Chick don't always agree. But Fox and Chick are always friends.
56 pages, Hardcover
Published April 17, 2018
16 people are currently reading
336 people want to read
About the author
Sergio Ruzzier
75 books104 followersWebsite and blog: http://www.ruzzier.com
Sergio Ruzzier was born in Milan, Italy, in 1966.
He began his career as an illustrator in 1986.
In 1995 he moved to New York City, where he’s been creating pictures and stories for national and international magazines and book publishers.
His work has been awarded by American Illustration, The Society of Illustrators, Communication Arts, and The Society of Publication Designers.
He won the Parents' Choice Gold Medal for “The Room of Wonders” and for his illustrations for “Why Mole Shouted."
He was a recipient of the 2011 Sendak Fellowship.
Sergio Ruzzier was born in Milan, Italy, in 1966.
He began his career as an illustrator in 1986.
In 1995 he moved to New York City, where he’s been creating pictures and stories for national and international magazines and book publishers.
His work has been awarded by American Illustration, The Society of Illustrators, Communication Arts, and The Society of Publication Designers.
He won the Parents' Choice Gold Medal for “The Room of Wonders” and for his illustrations for “Why Mole Shouted."
He was a recipient of the 2011 Sendak Fellowship.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 184 reviews
September 5, 2018
Have you ever sat down and looked at books meant to instruct children in the art of reading from the early 18th to 19th centuries? When Americans colonists first came around to the idea of teaching children to read via books, the titles weren’t exactly what we’ve come to associate as kid friendly. “In Adam’s Fall we sinned all,” reads one particularly strident abecedarian title. Since that time we’ve moved away from heavy-handed didacticism couched as literacy aids, but here in the 21st century the tactics have shifted to a new angle. Now many schools have fully embraced the idea of “leveling” the books, which is to say each title is ascribed a distinct letter or number that indicates its text complexity, word count, etc. The idea is that you’d slot kids into a distinct level and then have them carefully read “up” from there. No backsliding. No skipping levels. No reading outside the box or exploring grown-up books on the sly or engaging with reading as anything but strictly leveled homework. Pleasure be darned. This is why I’m so grateful for books like Sergio Ruzzier’s new Fox and Chick series, starting with The Party and Other Stories. I don’t mean to imply that the book hasn’t already been “leveled” by its publisher (Lexile Scale: 370), but it’s one of those funny little titles that eschews the rigorous rote categorization educators try to place on it. It’s picture book sized with an easy book text (or is it an early chapter book?). The images look like comics but the humor is distinctly across ages. It is, in short, just the loveliest little book that ever you did see. To coin an overused but not inaccurate description: sublime.
Friends Fox and Chick may get on one another's nerves from time to time, but their relationship is true blue. In this collection of three little stories, the first tale (“The Party”) follows Chick as he innocently asks Fox if he can use his bathroom. Fox agrees but when a great deal of time passes he discovers that the term “use the bathroom” can have multiple definitions. In “Good Soup”, Chick peppers Fox with questions about why he is denying his carnivorous tendencies. That is, until Fox reminds him that when you’re a baby chick in a great big world, maybe you shouldn’t go around pushing your luck. Finally, in “Sit Still”, Chick asks if he can be in Fox’s painting, but finds the art of posing more difficult than anticipated.
Almost without meaning to, I found myself trying to define the relationship of the two main characters. When Publishers Weekly reviewed the book, its reviewer was baffled as to why Fox put up with Chick. That aspect actually made a lot of sense to my eyes. For me, the book’s most notable quality, in a way, is its utter and total lack of snark. True, Chick plays the role of jester, sometimes at Fox’s expense, but in this book Fox treats his little friend the way a patient big brother might. With that in mind, I was reminded of those Charlie and Lola books by Lauren Child. This book contains that same sweet patience, with the older, taller member considering the younger one with amusement and, at times, a touch of annoyance. Yet there is real love between these characters, and you get a sense of that. Fox never snaps at Chick, though he does occasionally take him to task on one matter or another. Why does Fox tolerate Chick? Well, why does any sibling tolerate their young, ardent, all-too frustrating relations? Because deep down they really like them, loathe though they might be to admit it out loud.
Now I don’t want to alarm you but Mr. Sergio Ruzzier isn’t like those other illustrators out there. Uh-uh, the man is very different in one very notable respect: He is Italian. Shhh! You didn’t hear it from me! And honestly, you might well forget it were it not for the fact that his books are unapologetically European. Americans are lovely artists, but after a while it can all look a bit samey. The nice thing about Mr. Ruzzier is that he never blends in with the crowd. He might change his medium slightly or tweak the colors, but he can’t really get away from the fact that he just doesn’t look like anyone else. For example, in a particularly non-American move he doesn’t fill his books with big, violent, loud, crazy, slapdash scenes. The biggest accident that happens in this book involves a broken window that is never commented upon and that we never see break. These three stories are droll, but not boring. They amuse without slapstick. In this way they remind me of the best easy books out there, like Frog and Toad and Houndsley and Catina. Friends being friends in a world where the sky is always blue.
One other way that Mr. Ruzzier makes this book so lovely is that he grants realism to the most unlikely of places. Put another way, he likes to include just the smallest of details to his scenes, lending them this ineffable sense of reality. When little animals leave Fox’s bathroom, the mole walks off, trailing a couple squares of toilet paper from his foot. Later, when Fox serves his soup to Chick in the kitchen/dining room, I noticed a single floor tile amongst the blue, yellow, and orange linoleum that was broken in half, revealing the concrete slab beneath (it’s on the endpapers too, if you notice). Look at the tiny remains of chopped vegetables lingering on the cutting board. Or (again with the tiles) the bathroom tile broken into three parts with the third long since missing. There’s some part of your brain that will notice this, even if the conscious part does not. Some part of you that will realize that the tile floor on the front endpapers of the book is clean and on the back endpapers is covered with detritus from the stories. And without even really realizing it, you’ll find that you like this book. You might not know why. But you will.
I haven’t even really gotten into the fact that this is the first time I’ve seen Mr. Ruzzier try out a comic paneled format, complete with speech balloons. It’s perfect for this kind of book. You’d never in a million years imagine that he’d been doing anything other than comics all this time. The panels themselves change from time to time, and follow a couple patterns. For example, each of the three stories begin and end with two-page spreads. That said, he isn’t afraid to do four long vertical columns or line-less panels, should the scene necessitate it. Now imagine that he does all this while also using a highly textured watercolor paper that draws a certain level of attention to itself. The end result is comics that are unafraid to highlight their own medium. In short, the perfect way to meld classic picture book techniques with contemporary sequential art.
For all that I rail against leveling children’s books, there’s one thing the whole process has done well: it has brought attention to easy books. They’re just so hard to find otherwise. Every year I try to find the best ones out there. Books with simple language and engaging plots, and every year I’m able to find only three or four (five if I’m lucky). This year, I was so grateful when I read this book. As you might imagine, it can be hard to locate easy books that aren’t just funny and sweet but also interesting and original. Ruzzier starts his new series off with a bang, melding art forms, employing great (and funny!) storytelling, and (maybe hardest of all) doing it with memorable characters. Can’t wait to see where he goes with it next.
Friends Fox and Chick may get on one another's nerves from time to time, but their relationship is true blue. In this collection of three little stories, the first tale (“The Party”) follows Chick as he innocently asks Fox if he can use his bathroom. Fox agrees but when a great deal of time passes he discovers that the term “use the bathroom” can have multiple definitions. In “Good Soup”, Chick peppers Fox with questions about why he is denying his carnivorous tendencies. That is, until Fox reminds him that when you’re a baby chick in a great big world, maybe you shouldn’t go around pushing your luck. Finally, in “Sit Still”, Chick asks if he can be in Fox’s painting, but finds the art of posing more difficult than anticipated.
Almost without meaning to, I found myself trying to define the relationship of the two main characters. When Publishers Weekly reviewed the book, its reviewer was baffled as to why Fox put up with Chick. That aspect actually made a lot of sense to my eyes. For me, the book’s most notable quality, in a way, is its utter and total lack of snark. True, Chick plays the role of jester, sometimes at Fox’s expense, but in this book Fox treats his little friend the way a patient big brother might. With that in mind, I was reminded of those Charlie and Lola books by Lauren Child. This book contains that same sweet patience, with the older, taller member considering the younger one with amusement and, at times, a touch of annoyance. Yet there is real love between these characters, and you get a sense of that. Fox never snaps at Chick, though he does occasionally take him to task on one matter or another. Why does Fox tolerate Chick? Well, why does any sibling tolerate their young, ardent, all-too frustrating relations? Because deep down they really like them, loathe though they might be to admit it out loud.
Now I don’t want to alarm you but Mr. Sergio Ruzzier isn’t like those other illustrators out there. Uh-uh, the man is very different in one very notable respect: He is Italian. Shhh! You didn’t hear it from me! And honestly, you might well forget it were it not for the fact that his books are unapologetically European. Americans are lovely artists, but after a while it can all look a bit samey. The nice thing about Mr. Ruzzier is that he never blends in with the crowd. He might change his medium slightly or tweak the colors, but he can’t really get away from the fact that he just doesn’t look like anyone else. For example, in a particularly non-American move he doesn’t fill his books with big, violent, loud, crazy, slapdash scenes. The biggest accident that happens in this book involves a broken window that is never commented upon and that we never see break. These three stories are droll, but not boring. They amuse without slapstick. In this way they remind me of the best easy books out there, like Frog and Toad and Houndsley and Catina. Friends being friends in a world where the sky is always blue.
One other way that Mr. Ruzzier makes this book so lovely is that he grants realism to the most unlikely of places. Put another way, he likes to include just the smallest of details to his scenes, lending them this ineffable sense of reality. When little animals leave Fox’s bathroom, the mole walks off, trailing a couple squares of toilet paper from his foot. Later, when Fox serves his soup to Chick in the kitchen/dining room, I noticed a single floor tile amongst the blue, yellow, and orange linoleum that was broken in half, revealing the concrete slab beneath (it’s on the endpapers too, if you notice). Look at the tiny remains of chopped vegetables lingering on the cutting board. Or (again with the tiles) the bathroom tile broken into three parts with the third long since missing. There’s some part of your brain that will notice this, even if the conscious part does not. Some part of you that will realize that the tile floor on the front endpapers of the book is clean and on the back endpapers is covered with detritus from the stories. And without even really realizing it, you’ll find that you like this book. You might not know why. But you will.
I haven’t even really gotten into the fact that this is the first time I’ve seen Mr. Ruzzier try out a comic paneled format, complete with speech balloons. It’s perfect for this kind of book. You’d never in a million years imagine that he’d been doing anything other than comics all this time. The panels themselves change from time to time, and follow a couple patterns. For example, each of the three stories begin and end with two-page spreads. That said, he isn’t afraid to do four long vertical columns or line-less panels, should the scene necessitate it. Now imagine that he does all this while also using a highly textured watercolor paper that draws a certain level of attention to itself. The end result is comics that are unafraid to highlight their own medium. In short, the perfect way to meld classic picture book techniques with contemporary sequential art.
For all that I rail against leveling children’s books, there’s one thing the whole process has done well: it has brought attention to easy books. They’re just so hard to find otherwise. Every year I try to find the best ones out there. Books with simple language and engaging plots, and every year I’m able to find only three or four (five if I’m lucky). This year, I was so grateful when I read this book. As you might imagine, it can be hard to locate easy books that aren’t just funny and sweet but also interesting and original. Ruzzier starts his new series off with a bang, melding art forms, employing great (and funny!) storytelling, and (maybe hardest of all) doing it with memorable characters. Can’t wait to see where he goes with it next.
May 7, 2019
Now although I usually am not too much of a fan of Beginning Reader types of books, Sergio Ruzzier's Fox & Chick: The Party: Book 1 (which I downloaded as an e-book since my local library unfortunately does not have a paper copy) has been very much and surprisingly delightful both textually and illustratively (albeit I do wish that Fox's nose were depicted as being a trifle shorter, as he does with this longish proboscis kind of visually remind me a bit of Pinocchio). And yes, I do find the three short and sweetly presented graphic novel stories about Fox and Chick both delicately humorous and at the same time imbued with important but never overtly didactic messages (that one needs to communicate clearly in order to avoid misunderstandings, that just because Fox is vulpine, he does not automatically have to enjoy eating field mice, frogs and other typical fox-foods and finally that in order to have one's portrait painted, one does indeed need to sit still in order for the artist to be able to complete his/her work).
Furthermore and to and for me as a language instructor very much importantly and even essentially, while of course the three stories featured in Fox & Chick: The Party: Book 1 are first and foremost just fun and engaging little anecdotes for beginning readers to enjoy (or for children not quite as yet at the stage where they can read Sergio Ruzzier's narratives themselves to have them read aloud), ALL of the three stories also involve basic grammar, basic syntax recognition and practice (verb tenses, the use of modifiers, negation, and in the third story, so-called if constructions), providing a wonderful combination of both instruction and delight (that could be used both at home and in-class, as well as for elementary ESL instruction, and with ESL classes, Fox & Chick: The Party: Book 1 would in my opinion actually work for both children and adults, as while Sergio Ruzzier's stories are of course and by necessity simple and uncomplicated, the imbued and featured humour is not really all that childish and in my humble opinion even rather sophisticated in feel and scope).
Furthermore and to and for me as a language instructor very much importantly and even essentially, while of course the three stories featured in Fox & Chick: The Party: Book 1 are first and foremost just fun and engaging little anecdotes for beginning readers to enjoy (or for children not quite as yet at the stage where they can read Sergio Ruzzier's narratives themselves to have them read aloud), ALL of the three stories also involve basic grammar, basic syntax recognition and practice (verb tenses, the use of modifiers, negation, and in the third story, so-called if constructions), providing a wonderful combination of both instruction and delight (that could be used both at home and in-class, as well as for elementary ESL instruction, and with ESL classes, Fox & Chick: The Party: Book 1 would in my opinion actually work for both children and adults, as while Sergio Ruzzier's stories are of course and by necessity simple and uncomplicated, the imbued and featured humour is not really all that childish and in my humble opinion even rather sophisticated in feel and scope).
July 20, 2022
Reviewed for the NYT. Chick is a wacky little narcissist ping-ponging around the page; Fox is the fond, amused straight man. The minimal, deadpan text is entirely written in white-space-framed panels with word-balloon dialogue, and like Ruzzier’s clean, deceptively simple visual style, it goes down easy.
In the first story, Chick throws a wild pool party in Fox’s bathroom (oh, look, there’s a mole passed out in the corner) and it becomes clear that Fox and Chick have different interpretations of what “may I use your bathroom?” means. In the second story, Chick asks why Fox doesn’t follow a typical vulpine diet and chicksplains to him what proper foxes eat. (He intones, “They’re supposed to eat squirrels … lizards … and little birds.”) Three almost identical panels show the two friends chatting against a blue and white sky, but in the fourth panel, as Chick realizes what he’s just said (and gulps “uh-oh”), Chick is alone, oversize, in a frameless box of white space. In the next full-page spread, all the ambient details are back as Chick flees, screaming. It’s a visually hilarious one-two punch, a perfect use of the comics medium. Two pages later, the friends share a delicious vegetarian soup. (Whew.) In the third story, persnickety Chick finds it difficult to be an artist’s model. Fox, as ever, is imperturbable. It’s a subtle lesson, couched in humor: We can be friends with people who aren’t just like us.
In the first story, Chick throws a wild pool party in Fox’s bathroom (oh, look, there’s a mole passed out in the corner) and it becomes clear that Fox and Chick have different interpretations of what “may I use your bathroom?” means. In the second story, Chick asks why Fox doesn’t follow a typical vulpine diet and chicksplains to him what proper foxes eat. (He intones, “They’re supposed to eat squirrels … lizards … and little birds.”) Three almost identical panels show the two friends chatting against a blue and white sky, but in the fourth panel, as Chick realizes what he’s just said (and gulps “uh-oh”), Chick is alone, oversize, in a frameless box of white space. In the next full-page spread, all the ambient details are back as Chick flees, screaming. It’s a visually hilarious one-two punch, a perfect use of the comics medium. Two pages later, the friends share a delicious vegetarian soup. (Whew.) In the third story, persnickety Chick finds it difficult to be an artist’s model. Fox, as ever, is imperturbable. It’s a subtle lesson, couched in humor: We can be friends with people who aren’t just like us.
May 25, 2020
Three cute stories of an unlikely friendship between cautious, studious Fox, and impulsive, outgoing Chick.
The tales are funny and warm, and could be enjoyed by any age.
The tales are funny and warm, and could be enjoyed by any age.
April 3, 2018
I have discovered more and more books being written in the Mo Willems Elephant and Piggie style (I know that's not technically the term, but that's the easiest way to describe it!) lately and I am LOVING them! This is one of my new favorites ~ it's a collection of 3 stories about Fox and Chick, and is absolutely perfect for those emerging readers that want to read REAL books with real stories and CHAPTERS!
Highly recommend for parents and teachers of grades K-2 and as high as the interest will go! Highly recommended for all library early reader collections.
Thanks to Chronicle Books for this review copy! I have passed it along to @kidlitexchange for more reviews.
Highly recommend for parents and teachers of grades K-2 and as high as the interest will go! Highly recommended for all library early reader collections.
Thanks to Chronicle Books for this review copy! I have passed it along to @kidlitexchange for more reviews.
April 26, 2018
I saw Sergio Ruzzier speak at an event last weekend and I knew I had to pick up one of his books. Fox and Chick are great friends. Chick seems to be a bit of the trouble maker with Fox the voice of reason. I read The Party and other stories to my students this week. They Cleese not satisfied with hearing just one story. They wanted to read all three. I teach K-2nd grades and my first graders enjoyed being able to read a lot of the book on their own. I highly recommend for both teachers and parents.
January 2, 2019
From the 'Best Books of 2018' list, this book cracked me UP! Now, I need to find a small child to see if they can get this humor because it is so sarcastic and I find sarcasm sometimes just flies over kids heads. But I was laughing out loud for reals.
August 28, 2018
My kids fell in love with Elephant and Piggie this last year, so after hearing this book was written in the same style I knew I had to check it out. This 46-paged book has three separate stories: The Party, Good Soup, and Sit Still. In the first story, Fox learns that “May I use your bathroom?” doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone! In the second story, Chick learns that Fox must really like him if he’s chosen not eat him. And in the third story, Fox and Chick discover that paintings of landscapes are easier to complete than portraits of little chicks. 😉 This book is perfect for young readers who are excited to try out their first early chapter book. The soft illustrations are rendered in pen, ink, and watercolor. For this and more #kidlit, #mglit, and #yalit book reviews, please visit my blog: The Miller Memo.
April 30, 2018
Fox and Chick are friends; sometimes they agree and sometimes they don't. Their adventures are super entertaining and worth reading, though! Kids will feel confident reading this early chapter book, which is written in a style similar to Mo Willems' Elephant & Piggie. The illustrations are cute and include extra information and expressions that kids will love to discover. My only complaint is that it has more of a picture book shape than a chapter book shape.
Thanks to @kidlitexchange and Chronicle books for this review copy; all opinions are my own.
Thanks to @kidlitexchange and Chronicle books for this review copy; all opinions are my own.
January 30, 2021
La fiesta y otras historias es un cómic protagonizado por Chick y por Fox, un pajarito espabilado y un zorro inteligente y tranquilo. Una maravillosa lectura, rápida y divertida, llena de color y simpatía. La he empezado a leer sola pero enseguida mis dos lectores han dejado lo que estaban haciendo para mirar las viñetas y reírse con el listillo Chick y el paciente Fox. Perfecto para compartir con niños más pequeños y despertar las ganas de pasar las páginas.
Tres historias, dos amigos muy distintos y mucho color.
Tres historias, dos amigos muy distintos y mucho color.
August 7, 2023
Volumul de debut al seriei cuprinde trei povestiri: Petrecerea, O supă bună și Stai nemișcat!. Aici ne sunt prezentate cele două personaje, Puiul și Vulpoiul, care în ciuda neînțelegerilor dintre ei, sunt prieteni la cataramă. Puiu este într-un mod simpatic mai necioplit, mereu cu o întrebare în cioc, pe când Vulpoiul e înțelegător și răbdător. Această combinație le permite să fie prieteni în ciuda prostioarelor pe care Puiul le tot face.
https://ciobanuldeazi.home.blog/2023/...
https://ciobanuldeazi.home.blog/2023/...
August 3, 2018
The first story in this easy graphic novel was delightful, it is nice to see humor that is in subtle in a picture book, and the punchline at the end made me laugh out loud.
January 27, 2019
Fans of Lisa Como will enjoy reading this with their budding reader
January 29, 2019
I laughed twice on the first page! Great book for beginner readers told in comic frame layout.
November 20, 2020
Brilliant. My kiddos loved Fox and Chick.
June 26, 2018
It's a true testament to their friendship that Fox didn't just eat that annoying little Chick.
October 9, 2019
I liked the last story the most because chick would not sit still for his picture.
April 22, 2022
Read this one for a paper as well. Some stories are more amusing than others. Pretty cute overall.
April 17, 2018
Loved the humor and the characters. Laughed out loud.
January 1, 2019
Super cute! Looking forward to more.
November 5, 2025
A charmer. It's got a modern sly sense of humor that helps it appeal even to this jaded adult... if I had a child who begged for this over and over, I would readily comply. And the messages, esp. the one about clear communication in the first story, are valuable.
I like the book design, too. It's small enough for a beginning reader to handle, but large enough that it will also appeal to the lapsit picture-book crowd. It doesn't really look like a leveled reader either, so that's good for kids who are embarrassed to be seen with them. The cartoony drawings are perfectly apt, and bright, clear, and timeless.
I will look for more in the series and even more by the author.
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Reread for theme month in Children's Books. The fox is a vegan!!
I like the book design, too. It's small enough for a beginning reader to handle, but large enough that it will also appeal to the lapsit picture-book crowd. It doesn't really look like a leveled reader either, so that's good for kids who are embarrassed to be seen with them. The cartoony drawings are perfectly apt, and bright, clear, and timeless.
I will look for more in the series and even more by the author.
---
Reread for theme month in Children's Books. The fox is a vegan!!
May 4, 2019
There are three stories in this one book. Quite a bit of each of the stories is depicted like a graphic novel, with the action in four separate panels, along with some single- and double-page spreads as well. Unlike the usual reader, the text is handwritten in cartoon balloons, but the text is large, and the font is easy to read. And the stories are humorous and chuckle-worthy.
May 26, 2018
Fox and Chick are memorable, well-developed stars in this easy-reader, graphic/comic style book. Love the dialog-only text in the three stories and Sergio Ruzzier's illustrations. Well-deserved SLJ star! I can't wait to gift this book to my young family members.
July 14, 2018
Not sure how to feel about this one. I like the illustrations but the tone is challenging. It feels like a book for adults that like kids books as opposed to a kids book.
April 21, 2020
Sergio Ruzzier's Fox + Chick: The Party and Other Stories is filled with delightful stories for young children. The writing is places in text bubbles and only consists of a sentence typically. The book is full of humor and sarcasm. These stories show polar-opposite friends. Duck is shown as wild and care-free, such as when he asks Fox to use his bathroom and then has a little party in said bathroom. Fox of course wasn't happy. Fox is shown as interested in art and has a snappy personality who calls Duck out on things. The art work has distinct outlines and textures images made with pen, ink, and watercolor. These stories are all fun and entertaining but don't necessarily teach children lessons, except maybe be specific in what you say and maybe be kind to your friends. It does have a great sense of humor which I think kids will like. The tone is defiantly humorous and fun. The text is simple and great for children to practice reading. This book did make me smile and giggle a little. I was a tad annoyed at Duck's character though. I do think I would include this in my class library because it will be a good starter book for young readers and put a smile on their faces and can follow characters through different readers. I gave this book 3/5 because I didn't feel a lot of depth in this book.
June 1, 2018
I'd score this one 3.5 because it made me laugh and smile in self-recognition. Reading about two unlikely friends such as Fox and Chick is very addictive. Not only did I like the illustrations, created in pen, ink, and watercolor, but I had to smile at Chick's antics in these three stories. It seems that he's not the easiest animal to be around, and his penchant for taking things literally causes quite a few problems. I particularly liked the first story, "The Party," in which Chick interrupts Fox's reading time and then asks if he can use his friend's bathroom. As it turns out, he is using it for a very different purpose than Fox had in mind. The second one also amused me because Chick just keeps insisting that Fox should be adding protein to his diet in the form of various animals while Fox is gathering veggies for his soup. When Chick realizes that most foxes prefer to eat birds, he has a moment of dawning awareness of how much trouble he might be in if this were the case for this Fox. Pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations fill the cartoon panels and help readers get to know two characters than will become their friends in the future. I have no doubt that youngsters will clamor for more books featuring these two unlikely friends. It's clear that while they are friends, they don't always have smooth sailing in their relationship or get along. I cannot imagine a better lesson for youngsters to learn.
April 19, 2020
Fox & Chick tells the story of an unlikely friendship between two profoundly different animals. Targeted toward emerging readers, this book presents silly stories about the pair that often serve to teach valuable lessons. The second short story in the book was my favorite, as it made me, an adult reader smile and chuckle to myself. Chick insists that Fox include more than just veggies in his meal, urging him to opt for some sort of meat. Chick soon realizes that birds, such as himself, are often enjoyed as meals by their fox counterparts, causing Chick to regret his previous statements. I really enjoyed this book and feel that the stories of Fox & Chick are great ways to help entry level readers begin to feel confident reading on their own. The relationship between the two friends may not always be perfect, but there is often a sweet resolution in the en, which I feel is yet another reason why this book is so great for young readers! The short stories in the book are so light-heated and downright funny, which is a great way to engage and entertain early readers. In addition, this book features adorable illustrations with an aesthetically pleasing color pallet. The illustrations are light-hearted and juvenile, which aligns perfectly with the written content. I really enjoyed reading this picture book and feel it could really benefit emerging readers.
February 11, 2019
First sentence: Knock Knock
Premise/plot: This early reader stars Fox and Chick. These two star in three stories: "The Party," "Good Soup" and "Sit Still." In the first story, Chick invites himself into Fox's house. Fox is reluctant at first because he is busy reading a book and doesn't want to be disturbed. But when Chick asks if he can use Fox's bathroom...well, Fox relents. But what is Chick doing in Fox's bathroom that takes SO LONG?!?! In the second story, Fox is in his garden harvesting vegetables. Chick is there--readers don't know if he's uninvited, but, if I had to guess I'd say he is uninvited. Chick has opinions on what foxes are supposed to eat--and vegetables and vegetable soup aren't it. But Chick realizes that he's thankful Fox is not your typical Fox. In the third story, Chick doesn't like that Fox is painting a landscape portrait instead of an exciting portrait--a portrait of him. Fox reluctantly agrees that he will paint Chick IF Chick can manage to sit still. But can Chick sit still?! What do you think?!
My thoughts: I like this one. I do. Fox and Chick are likable characters. A second book starring Fox and Chick will release in March 2019: Fox & Chick: The Quiet Boat Ride and Other Stories. I look forward to reading it.
Premise/plot: This early reader stars Fox and Chick. These two star in three stories: "The Party," "Good Soup" and "Sit Still." In the first story, Chick invites himself into Fox's house. Fox is reluctant at first because he is busy reading a book and doesn't want to be disturbed. But when Chick asks if he can use Fox's bathroom...well, Fox relents. But what is Chick doing in Fox's bathroom that takes SO LONG?!?! In the second story, Fox is in his garden harvesting vegetables. Chick is there--readers don't know if he's uninvited, but, if I had to guess I'd say he is uninvited. Chick has opinions on what foxes are supposed to eat--and vegetables and vegetable soup aren't it. But Chick realizes that he's thankful Fox is not your typical Fox. In the third story, Chick doesn't like that Fox is painting a landscape portrait instead of an exciting portrait--a portrait of him. Fox reluctantly agrees that he will paint Chick IF Chick can manage to sit still. But can Chick sit still?! What do you think?!
My thoughts: I like this one. I do. Fox and Chick are likable characters. A second book starring Fox and Chick will release in March 2019: Fox & Chick: The Quiet Boat Ride and Other Stories. I look forward to reading it.
May 2, 2019
In this book of three adventures: Fox lets Chick use his bathroom and Chick uses this permission in unforeseen ways; Chick critiques Fox's choice of foods until he realizes something; and then Fox paints a landscape and Chick offers to be in it but the result isn't quite what they planned.
In this comedy duo, Fox is the straight man and Chick is the source of the punch lines. Chick doesn't always think things through, and the results are entertaining for the reader while Fox just calmly carries on. They are a little bit like Abbot and Costello for a beginning reader audience (though the target audience likely will have no idea who those two are). Definitely entertaining and a little different from any other beginning reader duo. You almost get the feeling that these two aren't necessarily best friends but that Fox is very patient and allows Chick to hang around. So these two aren't Frog & Toad or Elephant & Piggie, but they are certainly entertaining. I also liked the color palette that Ruzzier chose. It is a little bit like he let Dr. Seuss paint the backgrounds. They are a little zany, but they work and are eye-catching. Recommended to beginning readers who like little doses of dry humor.
In this comedy duo, Fox is the straight man and Chick is the source of the punch lines. Chick doesn't always think things through, and the results are entertaining for the reader while Fox just calmly carries on. They are a little bit like Abbot and Costello for a beginning reader audience (though the target audience likely will have no idea who those two are). Definitely entertaining and a little different from any other beginning reader duo. You almost get the feeling that these two aren't necessarily best friends but that Fox is very patient and allows Chick to hang around. So these two aren't Frog & Toad or Elephant & Piggie, but they are certainly entertaining. I also liked the color palette that Ruzzier chose. It is a little bit like he let Dr. Seuss paint the backgrounds. They are a little zany, but they work and are eye-catching. Recommended to beginning readers who like little doses of dry humor.
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