The Fox and the Hen

Starred Review. Kindergarten-Grade 2—Henrietta Hen lays her first egg and innocently trades it to Red Fox for a worm. The other farm animals quickly tell her that she must get her precious egg back and go with her to make the trade. Rabbit offers vegetable seeds, Goose has soft white feathers, and Goat provides delicious cheese. Each time Red Fox refuses and thinks of a new way to eat the egg. Sheep brings wool, Pig makes marmalade, and Cow offers milk—but still Red Fox refuses. Henrietta Hen finds an enormous stone that her friends paint white, and Red Fox eagerly trades her egg for this bigger one. When a little yellow chick hatches from Henrietta's egg, all are happy except for Red Fox, who waits impatiently beside a black pot for his giant hard-boiled egg. The animals are outlined in thick, black line and dabs of white highlight the vibrant red and orange palette. The farm background changes with each animal's visit to Red Fox and yet appears much the same, giving children a chance to spot the differences. With great economy, Battut gives each animal an expressive face and moves the story to a satisfying conclusion. The print size and word placement, as well as the simple vocabulary, make this a selection that children will want to read themselves. It's also a great choice for storytimes.—Mary Jean Smith, Southside Elementary School, Lebanon, TN
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Henrietta Hen, after laying her first egg and wondering what it is, accepts Red Fox’s offer to trade it for a tasty worm. Six farm animals explain to Henrietta what she has done and offer to help her get the egg back. One by one, they accompany her to the fox, who disdains their offers to swap it for Rabbit’s seeds, Goose’s feathers, Goat’s cheese, and so on. Finally, Henrietta makes an offer that he is too greedy to refuse. The expressive acrylic paintings, with warm undertones of reddish orange, have their own naive charm. Outlined in bold, black lines, the figures of the animals show up well, even from a distance. However, long before Henrietta’s seventh visit to the fox, the repetitive nature of the text’s phrasing and the illustrations’ composition slip over the line from predicable into monotonous. First published in France, this picture book is pleasing in many ways, but it goes on too long. Preschool-Grade 1. --Carolyn Phelan