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Tales from Acorn Wood
Fox's Socks
"Poor old fox has lost his socks. He looks in a chest and finds a vest." Can you help fox find his socks? Are they in the kitchen or under the stairs? Are they inside the clock or hidden in a chest? Lift the flaps and find out!
20 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
9 people are currently reading
337 people want to read
About the author
Julia Donaldson
1,224 books1,897 followersGrowing up
I grew up in a tall Victorian London house with my parents, grandmother, aunt, uncle, younger sister Mary and cat Geoffrey (who was really a prince in disguise. Mary and I would argue about which of us would marry him).
Mary and I were always creating imaginary characters and mimicking real ones, and I used to write shows and choreograph ballets for us. A wind-up gramophone wafted out Chopin waltzes.
I studied Drama and French at Bristol University, where I met Malcolm, a guitar-playing medic to whom I’m now married.
Busking and books
Before Malcolm and I had our three sons we used to go busking together and I would write special songs for each country; the best one was in Italian about pasta.
The busking led to a career in singing and songwriting, mainly for children’s television. I became an expert at writing to order on such subjects as guinea pigs, window-cleaning and horrible smells. “We want a song about throwing crumpled-up wrapping paper into the bin” was a typical request from the BBC.
I also continued to write “grown-up” songs and perform them in folk clubs and on the radio, and have recently released two CDs of these songs.
One of my television songs, A SQUASH AND A SQUEEZE, was made into a book in 1993, with illustrations by the wonderful Axel Scheffler. It was great to hold the book in my hand without it vanishing in the air the way the songs did. This prompted me to unearth some plays I’d written for a school reading group, and since then I’ve had 20 plays published. Most children love acting and it’s a tremendous way to improve their reading.
My real breakthrough was THE GRUFFALO, again illustrated by Axel. We work separately - he’s in London and I’m in Glasgow - but he sends me letters with lovely funny pictures on the envelopes.
I really enjoy writing verse, even though it can be fiendishly difficult. I used to memorise poems as a child and it means a lot to me when parents tell me their child can recite one of my books.
Funnily enough, I find it harder to write not in verse, though I feel I am now getting the hang of it! My novel THE GIANTS AND THE JONESES is going to be made into a film by the same team who made the Harry Potter movies, and I have written three books of stories about the anarchic PRINCESS MIRROR-BELLE who appears from the mirror and disrupts the life of an otherwise ordinary eight-year-old. I have just finished writing a novel for teenagers.
When I’m not writing I am often performing, at book festivals and in theatres. I really enjoy getting the children in the audience to help me act out the stories and sing the songs. When Malcolm can take time off from the hospital he and his guitar come too. and it feels as if we’ve come full circle - back to busking.
I grew up in a tall Victorian London house with my parents, grandmother, aunt, uncle, younger sister Mary and cat Geoffrey (who was really a prince in disguise. Mary and I would argue about which of us would marry him).
Mary and I were always creating imaginary characters and mimicking real ones, and I used to write shows and choreograph ballets for us. A wind-up gramophone wafted out Chopin waltzes.
I studied Drama and French at Bristol University, where I met Malcolm, a guitar-playing medic to whom I’m now married.
Busking and books
Before Malcolm and I had our three sons we used to go busking together and I would write special songs for each country; the best one was in Italian about pasta.
The busking led to a career in singing and songwriting, mainly for children’s television. I became an expert at writing to order on such subjects as guinea pigs, window-cleaning and horrible smells. “We want a song about throwing crumpled-up wrapping paper into the bin” was a typical request from the BBC.
I also continued to write “grown-up” songs and perform them in folk clubs and on the radio, and have recently released two CDs of these songs.
One of my television songs, A SQUASH AND A SQUEEZE, was made into a book in 1993, with illustrations by the wonderful Axel Scheffler. It was great to hold the book in my hand without it vanishing in the air the way the songs did. This prompted me to unearth some plays I’d written for a school reading group, and since then I’ve had 20 plays published. Most children love acting and it’s a tremendous way to improve their reading.
My real breakthrough was THE GRUFFALO, again illustrated by Axel. We work separately - he’s in London and I’m in Glasgow - but he sends me letters with lovely funny pictures on the envelopes.
I really enjoy writing verse, even though it can be fiendishly difficult. I used to memorise poems as a child and it means a lot to me when parents tell me their child can recite one of my books.
Funnily enough, I find it harder to write not in verse, though I feel I am now getting the hang of it! My novel THE GIANTS AND THE JONESES is going to be made into a film by the same team who made the Harry Potter movies, and I have written three books of stories about the anarchic PRINCESS MIRROR-BELLE who appears from the mirror and disrupts the life of an otherwise ordinary eight-year-old. I have just finished writing a novel for teenagers.
When I’m not writing I am often performing, at book festivals and in theatres. I really enjoy getting the children in the audience to help me act out the stories and sing the songs. When Malcolm can take time off from the hospital he and his guitar come too. and it feels as if we’ve come full circle - back to busking.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
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September 26, 2016In this child's thriller, Fox finds himself in a state of undress, compounded by a case of amnesia over where he left his various articles of clothing. You see, he has an event to get to, and it is imperative that he is fully dressed, replete with a bow tie. What the event is we are never briefed. Presumably that's on a need-to-know basis, and we simply don't need to know. What's important here is, where are Fox's socks?
As the story progresses, Fox looks in various unlikely locations (revealed by lifting flaps) and locates items of clothing that aren't his socks, but are ultimately going to prove useful in attending whatever this event is. A job interview, perhaps? But will he find his socks - the most important items?
Fox is aided by a little mouse character, whose relation to Fox is never revealed; friend? Companion? Lover? Maid? I feel this relationship could have been more fully developed.
Another thing that remains ambiguous, is how the hell did these items of clothing end up in such unlikely places - under stairs, in sideboards, underneath rugs...? I wonder whether the mouse has been hiding them, but as I say, it does appear that the mouse is actually helping with the search. And anyway, he/she isn't saying, "warmer... colder... BOILING! BOILING HOT!!", as they would be if this were some kind of game. The only logical explanation is that Fox frequently comes home drunk and undresses throughout the house, stowing clothing in a most haphazard fashion.
In spite of all these unanswered questions, the story of Fox's socks is fun and has a satisfying conclusion. Without wanting to give it away, the manner in which Fox focuses on finding his socks but conveniently finds everything else he needs to wear along the way is so much more interesting than if he were to say at the start of the story: "Right, I need a vest, a shirt, a hat, a bow tie and both my socks. I'm looking for any and all of those items in no particular order." As it is, Fox greets the location of each item with uninterested nonchalance, never allowing himself to be distracted from the sock problem. He must lose his socks often and, given where he finds them, that isn't surprising. He is the best advertisement for balling up pairs of socks and keeping them together I have ever come across.
Does the little girl like it? Yes, she seems to. She likes lifting the flaps, but sometimes finds them a bit stiff and fiddly for her little fingers. I also made a bit of a mess early on trying to open the flaps for the first time. Sometimes it isn't clear which way you're supposed to open an apparent flap and a little ripping can be the result.
The story rhymes, which I find to be useful in a child's story, but the rhyme scheme can be a bit clunky if you pause while trying to open the flap for each reveal. Nevertheless, that's a small gripe. It doesn't affect the fun, and it does amp up the suspense that little bit more, like finding out whether or not you've made the judges' houses.
I'm not going to give this a star rating, as I don't really know how to translate this into numerical form.
As the story progresses, Fox looks in various unlikely locations (revealed by lifting flaps) and locates items of clothing that aren't his socks, but are ultimately going to prove useful in attending whatever this event is. A job interview, perhaps? But will he find his socks - the most important items?
Fox is aided by a little mouse character, whose relation to Fox is never revealed; friend? Companion? Lover? Maid? I feel this relationship could have been more fully developed.
Another thing that remains ambiguous, is how the hell did these items of clothing end up in such unlikely places - under stairs, in sideboards, underneath rugs...? I wonder whether the mouse has been hiding them, but as I say, it does appear that the mouse is actually helping with the search. And anyway, he/she isn't saying, "warmer... colder... BOILING! BOILING HOT!!", as they would be if this were some kind of game. The only logical explanation is that Fox frequently comes home drunk and undresses throughout the house, stowing clothing in a most haphazard fashion.
In spite of all these unanswered questions, the story of Fox's socks is fun and has a satisfying conclusion. Without wanting to give it away, the manner in which Fox focuses on finding his socks but conveniently finds everything else he needs to wear along the way is so much more interesting than if he were to say at the start of the story: "Right, I need a vest, a shirt, a hat, a bow tie and both my socks. I'm looking for any and all of those items in no particular order." As it is, Fox greets the location of each item with uninterested nonchalance, never allowing himself to be distracted from the sock problem. He must lose his socks often and, given where he finds them, that isn't surprising. He is the best advertisement for balling up pairs of socks and keeping them together I have ever come across.
Does the little girl like it? Yes, she seems to. She likes lifting the flaps, but sometimes finds them a bit stiff and fiddly for her little fingers. I also made a bit of a mess early on trying to open the flaps for the first time. Sometimes it isn't clear which way you're supposed to open an apparent flap and a little ripping can be the result.
The story rhymes, which I find to be useful in a child's story, but the rhyme scheme can be a bit clunky if you pause while trying to open the flap for each reveal. Nevertheless, that's a small gripe. It doesn't affect the fun, and it does amp up the suspense that little bit more, like finding out whether or not you've made the judges' houses.
I'm not going to give this a star rating, as I don't really know how to translate this into numerical form.
December 29, 2025
Fox is getting ready to go out, but his socks are missing. He lifts the flaps and finds other items of clothing, but not his socks. Clever rhyme and cute illustrations.
March 9, 2017
My son loves this book.
June 30, 2018
The Fox in this tiny tiny book cannot find his socks. Watching him going gaga about it is an element of fun and Moms are supposed to be the ultimate helpers.
Recommended for the toddlers.
Recommended for the toddlers.
July 13, 2018
This was good but doesn't he end up with three socks by the end?
November 9, 2018
Решила трекать детские книжки, которые мы читаем по 10 раз в день. Эта в украинском варианте называется «Халепка зі шкарпетками», очень хорошие рифмы, история, окошки-открывашки.
November 28, 2018
The tinies love this one. Worth every penny!
July 29, 2022
4,5 sterren - Nederlandse hardcover
Doorgegaan naar dependance op het AZC.
Doorgegaan naar dependance op het AZC.
January 1, 2023
A Tölgyerdő meséi közül az egyik lejobban sikerült darab! A sztori is aranyos - zoknikeresés közben mindenféle más ruhadarabba akadunk, és a szöveg is szuper, ritmusos, rímes. Az nekem különösen tetszik, hogy meg lehet figyelni, egérke mit csinál minden képen a keresgélés közben. :)
April 21, 2024
Li a versão portuguesa da Editora Jacarandá, e tem as páginas duras e com flips flaps para a criança interagir com o livro, mas apesar dos desenhos giros, não achei muito educativo, à medida que íamos folheando o livro, e íamos vestindo o Sr. Raposo, onde a roupa se encontrava.
April 24, 2025
krasse Auflösung
October 2, 2021
As with many of Julia Donaldson’s books; Noah really enjoyed lifting the flaps. He also excelled in spotting other items dotted around Fox’s house.
May 3, 2012
'Fox’s Socks' By Julia Donaldson
Poor old fox has lost his socks and he goes around the house trying to find them. It is a lift the flap book and on each page the fox finds an item of clothing under the flap. The search is conducted through two line rhymes; for example, “He looks in a chest and finds his vest”, and “Under the stair is a shirt to wear.”
The book is fairly short and has very few words but excellent illustrations. Very young children will love lifting the flaps to help the fox to find his socks, but they will undoubtedly also point out all the other socks that appear to be lying around the house.
Poor old fox has lost his socks and he goes around the house trying to find them. It is a lift the flap book and on each page the fox finds an item of clothing under the flap. The search is conducted through two line rhymes; for example, “He looks in a chest and finds his vest”, and “Under the stair is a shirt to wear.”
The book is fairly short and has very few words but excellent illustrations. Very young children will love lifting the flaps to help the fox to find his socks, but they will undoubtedly also point out all the other socks that appear to be lying around the house.
July 18, 2016
Read Harder - read a book out loud to someone else. Of course I read to Charlie!
What a delightful story! Bonny recommended this one for Charlie (and me) after he dressed up as a Fox (in a vest) for Halloween 2015. I love that the Fox is looking for Socks and Charlie loves flaps.
We read this one several times on Tuesday and I think it's going to be a favorite for us both.
What a delightful story! Bonny recommended this one for Charlie (and me) after he dressed up as a Fox (in a vest) for Halloween 2015. I love that the Fox is looking for Socks and Charlie loves flaps.
We read this one several times on Tuesday and I think it's going to be a favorite for us both.
April 30, 2025
A well written, fun lift-the-flap book. Would recommend.
Changed to from 4 stars to 5 stars based on a one-year-old’s immediate love for this book (and insistence on reading it four more times in a row.)
Changed to from 4 stars to 5 stars based on a one-year-old’s immediate love for this book (and insistence on reading it four more times in a row.)
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January 8, 2016
This is a very untidy fox, no wonder he can't find his socks. Short but sweet, and quite amusing, though lacking depth. And don't say "depth? It's a kids book" because they do have it.
January 11, 2025
Fox's Socks by Julia Donaldson is a charming and interactive tale that captivates young readers with its delightful rhyming text and lift-the-flap surprises. The story follows Fox as he searches for his misplaced clothes throughout his cozy home, with each flap revealing playful illustrations that keep children eagerly engaged.
The simple yet captivating storyline, combined with Donaldson's signature rhythm, makes it a perfect book for toddlers. My little one loves lifting the flaps and spotting hidden details, while the gentle humor keeps us both smiling. The sturdy pages are also well-suited for enthusiastic little hands.
This book encourages curiosity, problem-solving, and vocabulary development while providing plenty of fun. It’s a fantastic addition to any child’s bookshelf and a lovely part of the Tales from Acorn Wood series. Highly recommended for storytime!
The simple yet captivating storyline, combined with Donaldson's signature rhythm, makes it a perfect book for toddlers. My little one loves lifting the flaps and spotting hidden details, while the gentle humor keeps us both smiling. The sturdy pages are also well-suited for enthusiastic little hands.
This book encourages curiosity, problem-solving, and vocabulary development while providing plenty of fun. It’s a fantastic addition to any child’s bookshelf and a lovely part of the Tales from Acorn Wood series. Highly recommended for storytime!
February 24, 2018
Fox can't find his socks, and you must help him by lifting the flaps to see if his socks may be tucked away in cabinets, under rugs, or any other number of places, except you already know that they aren't there, and exactly what is, because this book gives it away every single time!!! Are Fox's socks under the rug? No, but his bowtie is! So why bother looking under the rug for his socks if you already know they aren't there?? And the big reveal at the end, will you help Fox find his socks under the very last flap?? You will, and you already know it, because the cutesy little rhyme has already told you so!
Still, Fox seems to appreciate the much needed help getting dressed, so there is that.
Still, Fox seems to appreciate the much needed help getting dressed, so there is that.
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September 22, 2019This book takes on the story of a fox who has lost his socks and goes around the house trying to find them. The book engages the reader through the use of a flap on each page, which reveals an item of clothing for the fox to put on. The search is conducted through two line rhymes; for example, “He looks in a chest and finds his vest”. The book is short, simple and uses great illustrations to make the book fun and engaging for the reader.
March 4, 2022
Another lovely book from Acorn Wood. A fun tale of mystery and intrigue!
Full of Donaldsons classic rhymes, the lift the flaps book really engaged Bud and he likes looking under each flap as a new clothing item turns up until, finally, a rather dapper looking Fox is ready for his day complete with bow tie and straw boater.
This was a pre-loved book and one that instantly intrigued 10 month old Bud, and I think will for a few years yet.
Full of Donaldsons classic rhymes, the lift the flaps book really engaged Bud and he likes looking under each flap as a new clothing item turns up until, finally, a rather dapper looking Fox is ready for his day complete with bow tie and straw boater.
This was a pre-loved book and one that instantly intrigued 10 month old Bud, and I think will for a few years yet.
books-i-have-read-to-eleanor
May 12, 2025I read her this whilst waiting in a clinic waiting room. My entire arm and one boob out so she could feed. I was about to head back into work for a half day and wasn't anticipating needing to feed her before I handed her off to granny and grandad so I was absolutely not dressed for breastfeeding in public. The book provided both entertainment and a handy cover up from everyone else waiting in there.
November 21, 2020
My 8 month old son enjoys looking at and listening to me read this book. It’s a standard lift the flap book where you help Fox to locate his socks. He is a very disorganised fox as his clothes turn up in the strangest of places. I’m not sure what shenanigans he must have got up to, to lose a sock in a grandfather clock, the mind boggles. The illustrations are lovely and there is lots of repetition and rhyme that make this an easy to pick up book for those just starting to read for themselves. I don’t enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy reading some of the other books that Logan has which is why I’ve only given it three stars.
July 27, 2019
It's interesting book that teaches kids about different clothing, also it's a lift a flap book which is good for toddlers.
What we loved
*Clothing name, lil N trying to repeat it
*Rhyming words
*Few texts,more pictures
*Fun flaps
What we loved
*Clothing name, lil N trying to repeat it
*Rhyming words
*Few texts,more pictures
*Fun flaps
March 2, 2023
This one is a favourite in our house to read aloud. My daughter loves picking up the books on her shelves and make me read them to her. Reading is so important and fun. So, I’m glad she loves it, too.
We will be reading more of this Acorn Wood series,
We will be reading more of this Acorn Wood series,
May 2, 2023
I love lifting the flap to help fox find his socks. There are lots of lovely illustrations and lots of the characters from acorn wood make an appearance. So far I haven’t broken any of the flaps which mummy says is an all time record!
October 29, 2024
A lift-the-flap book with riming text to catch the attention of the little ones. Great illustrations with an incredible level of detail (try to play a spy game with your children by spotting one duck on almost every page).
December 27, 2024
Doesn't love this one as much as the bunny one, but I think as she gets older she will prefer this. She still likes opening all the little sections to find the socks, although i really don't think she grasps the fact that we're looking for socks hehe
My opinion: cute as a button
My opinion: cute as a button
November 15, 2025
One of the pleasures of being a grandparent is finding books that you can read to your grandchild.
However, my thought is how drunk was Fox the night before to put his clothes in such unusual places? LOL
However, my thought is how drunk was Fox the night before to put his clothes in such unusual places? LOL
December 31, 2025
На пръсти се броят детските поредици, които отговарят на всичките ми критерии. Затова и не спазвам посочените възрастови ограничения, при все рисковете. "Приказките на стария дъб" бяха перфектният избор за мен (е, и за бебето).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews