FOX IN A TRAP

by Jane Resh Thomas ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 20, 1987

A brief but effective story about a young boy's first experience with the brutality of small-game trapping. Daniel's farmer parents cultivate peach orchards in Michigan, a life of dedicated hard work he finds ""unglamorous"" when compared to that of his Uncle Pete, a sportsman and writer. At Daniel's insistence, his uncle promises to teach him how to trap the foxes that have been killing wild pheasants on the farm. Both Daniel's parents voice reservations, but Daniel insists he is grown up enough to do this, that he ""has the stomach"" for trapping. Daniel does not understand the realities of small-game trapping, however, until after the retrieval and killing of their first trapped fox. Caught between the desire to emulate his idolized (and idealized) uncle and his new desire not to harm living creatures, Daniel must act. in the early hours of dawn, he follows the trapline he and his uncle set and springs all the traps, leaving them harmless. The message in this short novel is unmistakable, the story line direct and well-plotted, with fast action and authentic emotions. Good for transitional readers looking for their first ""older"" books.

Pub Date: April 20, 1987

ISBN: 0395544262

Page Count: 96

Publisher: Clarion/Houghton Mifflin

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1987

Categories: CHILDREN'S