RED FOX AT MCCLOSKEY’S FARM

Comical visual characterizations carry the day—or more accurately, the night—in this rhyming tale of a wistful fox intent on invading a hen house. A lazily sly hound dog and a skinny farmer in his underwear combine forces to vanquish the predator, keeping the bug-eyed chickens safe for another morning of laying eggs. The hazy, textured paintings in rich, nocturnal hues feature interestingly elongated forms and an accomplished handling of light and shadow. These lighthearted and soothing pictures are sometimes out of step with the verse, steering clear of such realistically dark elements as the canine’s “frothing mouth,” “snarling shouts” and “crushing teeth and jaws.” Sheban’s attempt to make four lines rhyme in each stanza can feel forced, although this phonetic element may appeal to teachers. The book design is inventive, with the opening stanza appearing before the title page and the child-pleasing foldout spreads propelling the storyline with their surprises. (Picture book. 4-7)