Tiny Fox and Great Boar Book Two: Furthest has three different stories that are connected. Berenika Kolomycka’s second book in this series is set in three different locations. The first is a meadow, the second during their travels and a foggy mountain, and the final one the seaside/the ocean. Now, it might have helped to have known book one, but this book does mostly stand on its own. The format is broken into three chapters that show the travels and adventures of two characters, Tiny Fox and Great Boar, two unlikely but close and dear friends.
Kolomycka’s story recalls several classics such as Frog and Toad by Lobel or Morris and Boris by Wiseman. And of course, modern buddies like Elephant and Piggie
by Mo Willems. The theme is simple, Fox and Boar travel from the forest (where I learned they met by finding a sample of book one) to the meadow. Boar is pretty laid back, Fox more outgoing. When they are board of the meadow, they convince Boar to move on. They go to two other places (first the meadow where Fox learns a lesson about kindness, the second the foggy journey to their destination) finding themselves finally smelling a strange smell and then at the ocean. This makes Boar find contentment with the seals they find leisurely attitude. Yet, when the seals move on, Boar wants too as well. But he is a seal. This is when Fox points out that while it might be grand to be a seal, and see amazing things, they also miss seeing other things.
The moral of the story is friendship and being true to yourself. It is a simple idea, but of course, important. The text is simplified and could work as a read-aloud or for stronger early-to-more confident readers. The tone is awkward sometimes, but that could be due to the fact the author is Polish and it is because of the translation.
The illustrations are what I am not sure of. I am not thrilled over the text or story but did not hate it. At first, I loathed the artwork, thinking it a car wreck I could not look away from. They were just dead, ugly. But also, there is an odd beauty to them. The colors are deep, darker, but not too dark. There is lightness. They are not for everyone, and for the adult reader, could be an interesting conversation piece.
