THE CHRISTMAS FOX

A young fox follows other animals into a stable, where he makes a newborn baby smile.

In this understated, beautifully illustrated Nativity story, a little fox is invited to come along on a journey because a baby will be arriving soon. A woodpecker states, “There’s work to be done.” A cow, a lamb, and a bluebird all plan something to give to the baby, but at each invitation, the fox stays behind to play alone in the snow. Even the stars call out to the fox, but he thinks he has nothing to offer to a baby. A kind donkey invites the fox inside the stable: “Just come. It is enough.” The fox creeps up to the manger, holding up his paws; the baby responds by holding out his arms with a smile. A final wordless page shows the fox curled up asleep next to the lamb. Observant readers will notice the fox is playing with an acorn in the snowy scenes, and he does offer his acorn to the newborn child. The baby has pink skin and auburn hair, and he is never named as Jesus. Only the animals are present in this interpretation; the parents of the baby are not included in the scene. Glowing watercolor illustrations in a loose, expressive style capture the antics of the fox and create an exciting environment of starry skies, snowy fields, and a light-filled stable.

A lovely, gentle, and open-ended introduction to the story of the birth of baby Jesus.