{"id":33090,"date":"2017-07-06T22:08:49","date_gmt":"2017-07-07T02:08:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=33090"},"modified":"2017-07-06T22:08:49","modified_gmt":"2017-07-07T02:08:49","slug":"review-of-the-fox-wish-by-kimiko-aman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=33090","title":{"rendered":"Review of The Fox Wish, by Kimiko Aman"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>The Fox Wish<\/em><\/p>\n

by Kimiko Aman
\nillustrated by Komako Sakai<\/p>\n

Chronicle Books, 2017. Originally published in Japan in 2003. 32 pages.
\nStarred Review<\/p>\n

This book charmed, surprised, and enchanted me.<\/p>\n

The book starts in the middle of the action, well, in the middle of a snack. We see a little blonde girl and her younger brother, and she\u2019s got big surprised eyes. She left her jump rope at the park!<\/p>\n

She goes to get it, and Lukie comes along. But when they get to the park, the jump rope isn\u2019t there. But they hear laughter in the trees. They go to investigate.<\/p>\n

The laughs were louder now, and I could hear it:
\nthe swish, whip of the jump rope.<\/p>\n

But it wasn\u2019t Thomas and Samantha jump-roping.
\nIt was foxes.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoxy, foxy,
\ntouch the ground.<\/p>\n

Doxy, foxy,
\nturn around.<\/p>\n

Turn to the east,
\nand turn to the west,<\/p>\n

and choose the one that
\nyou like best.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The spread shows the children looking out from behind some trees at a line of foxes jumping rope. Two are turning the rope, one is watching, and seven foxes are joyfully jumping, in various poses in the air.<\/p>\n

The foxes were not very good at jump rope.
\nThey were good jumpers, but their tails kept getting caught in the rope.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Lukie can\u2019t help but laugh. So then they come out and join the foxes. The foxes politely ask them how to jump rope without tripping, and Roxie is glad to explain that they simply need to hold their tails up.<\/p>\n

They all have a lovely time jumping rope together until it starts to get dark. When it\u2019s Roxie\u2019s time to turn the rope, she sees that the rope indeed has her name on the handle.<\/p>\n

But when it\u2019s time to go home, there\u2019s a surprise. This is the part where I was utterly charmed. I don\u2019t want to give it away, so let me just say that it\u2019s delightful to watch wishes come true.<\/p>\n

I love this book. The illustrations (Those fox faces! The joyful jumping!) are a big part of that. But also the story of a little girl who learns to give joy to others.<\/p>\n

chroniclekids.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Picture_Books\/fox_wish.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Source: This review is based on a library book from Fairfax County Public Library.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but I maintain my website and blogs on my own time. The views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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