Description

A little fox is digging for food when–OUCH! What is that?–the fox finds a box! When the fox brings the box home to his animal friends–and turns a funny-looking knob–the box starts to sing, and music fills the forest. Everyone agrees that it feels nice. Day and night, they listen to the box’s songs, until, one day, it goes quiet. No matter what they try, they just can’t get the box to sing again. The animals stop swishing their tails and flapping their wings…. But, in the silence, the fox hears the drip-drop rhythm of melting icicles and the thump thump of a beaver’s tail and comes to realize music is everywhere. The noises of the forest and the animals build into a symphony, until, eventually, everyone joins together in a joyous dance party.

From the author of fan favorite Douglas, You Need Glasses!, here is a wonderful celebration of music–and appreciating the little things that have surrounded you all along.

Publication date: Oct 29th 2019

Reviews:

A Fox Found a Box

Ged Adamson. Random/Schwartz & Wade.

In wintry watercolors and colored pencil drawings, Adamson (Douglas, You’re a Genius!) tells the Zen-like story of a group of forest creatures who learn to listen deeply. While searching for food beneath the snow, Fox unearths a “box” (a little blue radio). At first, the object flummoxes Fox and the other creatures. They fiddle with the antenna and dials until, with a “click,” the box begins to emit noises, which Adamson visualizes with music notes and colorful instruments. The animals “swish their tails, flap their wings, and move their feet,” feeling by turns “dreamy,” “sort of sad,” and the urge to “ROCK OUT.” When one day the radio stops playing, the critters mourn the singing box, then awaken to the sounds of the forest: “the whoosh-whoosh of the wind,” “the gurgle-gurgle of the river.” Before long, they’re noticing and appreciating sights, smells, even the experience of catching snowflakes on their tongues. Adamson’s joyful scenes emphasize the quiet contentment to be found in nature, issuing a call to pay attention, technology in hand or no. Ages 3–7. (Oct.) Publishers Weekly, July 8^th 2019.