UP AND DOWN

In what ways do you show your loyalty to your friends?

In this latest installment to the wildly successful and endearing Fox and Chick series, readers once again find three stories that show just how much Fox and Chick care for one another. In “Up and Down,” Fox helps Chick overcome their fear of climbing down from a high tree branch. In “Seventeen Snowflakes,” it’s a sunny day, but Chick is waiting for enough snow to be able to go sledding; Fox implores Chick to be patient. In “The New Bookcase,” Fox brings Chick a gift. Chick wonders, “Is it a large meringue cake?” It’s in fact a book, and Chick immediately builds a bookcase for it to show their appreciation. Fox shows amazing patience with, and love for, Chick throughout. The brilliant pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations have spare backgrounds, placing the focus on Fox and Chick, who have delightfully detailed facial expressions. Even when we see Chick from a distance, stuck in the tree, we can tell how distressed they are. The lettering uses just the right mix of standard and fancy fonts to be unique yet easy for emerging readers to decipher. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A marvelous visit with familiar friends!