The Fox on the Swing

Summary:

“Our story starts with a boy named Paul, who lives in a cozy treehouse in a big city with his family. And then something unexpected happens—Paul befriends a wise, friendly fox on a walk home from the bakery. The fox gives Paul a space to think about what makes him happy and what friendship means.” (Taken from Goodreads)

Review:

Originally published in Lithuanian, The Fox on the Swing won the Mildred L. Batchelder Award for best translation this year. I am always interested to see how other countries are creating picture books as it tends to be quite different from what we expect in the U.S.

The Fox on the Swing is weird, unique and very different from what we’re used to – it’s longer than typical picture books and has a lot more text than most. It’s a funny little story about a boy who lives with his parents in a big, old tree. He meets a fox who becomes a friend as they share rolls, wisdom and a swing.

I’d be interested to see what an older elementary school age child thinks of a book like this – I think it’s a little deeper than most books for preschoolers. With themes of friendship, sharing, moving away, change, patience and happiness, there is a lot to discuss in this book. I could also see how you could extend learning by giving kids the opportunity to share or draw what makes them happy.

Final Thoughts:

The Fox on the Swing is the story of growing up, change, friendship and above all, happiness. Because, as everyone knows, “Happiness is a fox!”

Important Info:

Title: The Fox on the Swing
Author: Evelina Daciūtė
Illustrator: Aušra Kiudulaitė
Publisher: Thames & Hudson, Inc.
Translated by: The Translation Bureau
Publication Date: June 19, 2018
Page Number: 48 pgs.