FOX WALKED ALONE

The appealing cover of this Noah’s Ark story shows the dapper Fox strutting along, turning his head toward the reader to smile invitingly. Reid’s distinctive illustrations are done with her specialized style of modeling clay molded into flattened collages, resulting in a three-dimensional quality that is unusual in children’s-book illustration. Children who like intricate illustrations will be fascinated by the tiny details of fur and feathers in the pairs of animals, as well as by Fox’s rusty coat, bristling whiskers and expressive face. The short, amusing text is told in pleasingly smooth rhyming couplets as Fox follows the animals on their hurried journey while storm clouds gather overhead. As the animal procession reaches the ark, Fox is joined by a female fox who has been waiting for him to complete their own pair, and they are welcomed into the ark by Noah and his wife. The quality of the wry, understated text and the fascinating, unusual illustrations make this version stand out in a crowded sea of Noah’s Ark interpretations. (Picture book/religion. 3-6)