The Wedding of Mistress Fox

A cleverly illustrated retelling of a classic tale from the Grimm Brothers concerns the search of Mistress Fox for an appropriate new husband after the first Mr. Fox dies.

Grade 3-4-A fine rendition of an obscure tale. The story itself is a slight one: when old Mr. Fox dies, Mrs. Fox becomes a dignified, highly desirable widow. Master Wolf and other hopeful suitors arrive, only to be rejected because none possesses the desired qualities: red trousers, sharp nose, a tail dipped in white. At last, young Master Fox arrives, and is received and accepted. This retelling skillfully enlarges this simple story. Here, it is fittingly set in the Victorian period. Mistress Fox lives in an elegant mansion, filled to the brim with ornate furniture, knickknacks, and ponderous portraits of old Mr. Fox in various triumphant poses. (One whimsically depicts him in the classic great hunter stance, standing atop a pile of dead geese.) The action is facilitated by the maid, a sly orange cat who gossips with the villagers, ushers suitors in and out, and who lives happily well-fed ever after. Bishop's wonderfully detailed, pen-and-ink illustrations (reminiscent of Ardizzone's lively art) perfectly complement the text, and expand upon the action. Libraries with strong folklore collections will especially appreciate this excellent retelling.
Marilyn Taniguchi, Santa Monica Public Library, CA
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Modifying one of the Grimm Brothers' classics, first-time author Bailey preserves its 19th-century mood and mores. Likewise, Bishop's (Chicken Licken) shadowy, cross-hatched ink-and-watercolor illustrations return to an earlier era, depicting a mansion decorated to excess and populated by animals in Dickensian garb. In the original, Mistress Fox's husband feigns death, then punishes her for courting; once he truly meets his maker, his wife marries another fox. This volume finds Mistress Fox in mourning while Miss Kitty, her maid, greets suitors downstairs. A wolf, a dog, a hare and a bear are rejected; apples on the trees, then snowflakes indicate the passing seasons. Only with the arrival of Master Fox, a mirror image of the fellow whose portraits dominates the house's foyer, do the gray overtones of Bishop's subtle spreads give way to pink-and-gold springtime hues. Bailey preserves the original story's combination of couplets, unrhymed prose and onomatopoeia. The old-fashioned formalities are well-matched by the artwork, notable for its architectural details. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.