Foxy and Egg: Alex T. Smith
December 28, 2011
Book: Foxy and Egg
Author: Alex T. Smith (@Alex_T_Smith)
Pages: 24
Age Range: 4-8
Foxy and Egg by Alex T. Smith is an entertaining picture book about confounded expectations. When a pretty little pink egg shows up on Foxy DuBois' doorstep, she invites him for a "BITE" to eat. But, in classic storybook fashion, she decides that before eating him she'll fatten him up a bit. Foxy invites Egg to spend the night, but she's in for a HUGE surprise in the morning. I must admit that (although I didn't imagine that Foxy would succeed in eating Egg), the ending surprised me. I think that young kids will find it hilarious.
The whole book is written in a melodramatic, tongue-in-cheek manner. The text begins:
"Of all the suspicious-looking houses in all the deserted woods in the all the world, he had to roll up to hers..."
I also enjoyed:
"Foxy wanted the biggest, most delicious egg to eat, so she put part one of her conniving plan into action: she would fatten Egg up!
When dinner was served, it was a very splendid affair. Egg wobbled with excitement."
It's not often that one can write about a character "wobbling" with excitement, and have it make sense.
Smith's illustrations are a nice mix of bold and ornate, and filled with absurd details. Foxy and Egg is definitely a book that benefits from having the author as illustrator. We get things like Egg remarking on Foxy's "interesting paintings", where the paintings are of chickens, and eggs. We see Foxy holding a cookbook, full of ways to cook eggs. And, of course, there's the general absurdity of having an egg as a guest. Because Foxy wants "a fit egg", she engages Egg in a series of games. The image of a bow-tie-wearing Egg and a fox in heels playing musical chairs will be difficult to forget. There's also a very cute image of nightcap-wearing Egg bouncing up the stairs behind Foxy (who wears little chick slippers).
Foxy and Egg is funny throughout, both in text and pictures, and offers up a surprise at the end. What more can one ask of a picture book? Recommended for individual or group read-aloud.
Publisher: Holiday House (@HolidayHouseBks)
Publication Date: April 1, 2011
Source of Book: Library copy
Nominated for 2011 Cybils in Fiction Picture Books by: Shirley Duke
© 2011 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through Amazon links may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).