The Big Bad Fox - Softcover

Renner, Benjamin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1626723311 ISBN 13: 9781626723313

Publisher: First Second, 2017

Synopsis

Who’s afraid of the Big Bad Fox? No one, it seems.

The fox dreams of being the terror of the barnyard. But no one is intimidated by him, least of all the hens―when he picks a fight with one, he always ends up on the losing end. Even the wolf, the most fearsome beast of the forest, can’t teach him how to be a proper predator. It looks like the fox will have to spend the rest of his life eating turnips.

But then the wolf comes up with the perfect scheme. If the fox steals some eggs, he could hatch the chicks himself and raise them to be a plump, juicy chicken dinner. Unfortunately, this plan falls apart when three adorable chicks hatch and call the fox Mommy.

Beautifully rendered in watercolor by Benjamin Renner, The Big Bad Fox is a hilarious and surprisingly tender parable about parenthood that's sure to be a hit with new parents (and their kids too).

About this title

About the Author

Benjamin Renner is an award-winning French cartoonist, animator, and filmmaker. He received a 2014 Academy Awards nomination in the category of Best Animated Feature for the film Ernest & Celestine. Look for the animated adaptation of his comic, Le grand mechant renard (The Big Bad Fox).

Reviews

Gr 3–6—The proverbial fox may be a menace to the henhouse—but not the hero of this work. The titular character lacks gumption, guile, or cunning, and the chickens send him running each time he ventures into the farmyard. Taking pity on the fox, the wolf proposes playing the long game: stealing eggs and eventually eating the hatched chickens. The fox successfully makes off with the eggs, but things get complicated when the chicks emerge and (surprise, surprise!) assume that the fox is their mother. Though this work is similar in look and tone to typical comic strips (bulging-eyed, caricaturelike characters with exaggerated expressions; occasional slapstick violence; motion lines), there's a sophistication to the art that recalls the author/illustrator's roots as a celebrated filmmaker and cartoonist. Renner sets the individual scenes against a white backdrop, free of borders, resulting in a clean design, and the use of color, texture, and shading is top-notch. While much of the humor derives from somewhat predictable setups, such as the fox's botched attempts at proving that he can be just as intimidating as the wolf, it's sure to tickle young funny bones, and the author injects the narrative with a sly, edgy sensibility that sets this title apart from more typical fare. This one has heart, too, depicting the fox's burgeoning feelings of affection toward his unlikely ward. VERDICT Bound to keep adults and kids alike laughing, this is a winning selection for comic book fans, reluctant readers, and those who enjoy subversive comedy.—Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal

Edition details

• Publisher: First Second
• Publication date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1626723311
• ISBN 13: 9781626723313
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 192