WONDERS OF FOXES

The latest entry in the Wonders of. . .series offers a dry but serviceable overview of the fox. Starting with a brief introduction to the canine family and continuing with examples of fox lore in history and legend, the author uses the common red fox (Vulpes) as an example of the fox's physical characteristics, nature, and relationship with man. While the format is accessible to middle-grade readers and most of the attractive black-and-white photographs are clear, the writing is disjointed; some points are repeated several times, yet the information is generally so thin that this is only a step above encyclopedic coverage. The text teases with brief mention of recent research into fox behavior and discusses opposing views of ranchers and naturalists, but not enough material is given to make a case for either. As a result, readers will come away with the stereotype of the fox as wily predator unchanged. Little else on foxes for this age group is in print; for younger kids, Marilyn Roach's Dune Fox offers an insightful portrait of one fox and its environment.