This short and entertaining tale by the author of the (honestly, so much better) Lincoln on the Bardo goes by at a fast clip. Accompanied by cute fox drawings by Chelsea Cardinal, Fox 8 tells the story of Fox 8, a quick-learning inquisitive fox who learns to speak and read “yuman” by watching a family as they go about their daily business. As civilization begins to encroach on their forest home and the food supply begins to dwindle, Fox 8 (one of many numbered foxes in his pack) takes it upon himself to figure out how to help his friends and family. Tragic, humorous and heart-warming, Fox 8 is a fable in the true sense of the word, although I can’t really say that it has the subtlety of some of the better ones. Delivered in a broken and frequently misspelled voice (as one might expect from as clever and inquisitive fox cub who learned English from watching families in secret), Saunders acheives a relatable narrator who sounds true to the character. At times coming off a little zen, at others straight surfer boy, Fox 8 is an enjoyable story that essentially comes down to “Why are Yumans so messed up?”. Cardinal’s drawings really help the story along with what amounts to fox reaction shots. A good book for teens but the aforementioned tragedy will upset any soft-hearted animal lover so gauge appropriately.
Recommended