Fantastic Mr Fox

Dahl, Roald

ISBN 10: 0007158963 ISBN 13: 9780007158966

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2004

Synopsis

New look for this backlist classic favourite, read by Roald Dahl, himself.

Boggis, Bunce and Bean are just about the nastiest and meanest three farmers you could meet – and they hate Mr Fox! They are determined to catch him, and lie outside his hole, ready to shoot, starve or dig him out.

Of course, fantastic Mr Fox has other plans.

Tale of a family hero.

About this title

Review:

In the tradition of The Adventures of Peter Rabbit, this is a "garden tale" of farmer versus vermin, or vice versa. The farmers in this case are a vaguely criminal team of three stooges: "Boggis and Bunce and Bean / One fat, one short, one lean. / These horrible crooks / So different in looks / Were nonetheless equally mean." Whatever their prowess as poultry farmers, within these pages their sole objective is the extermination of our hero--the noble, the clever, the Fantastic Mr. Fox. Our loyalties are defined from the start; after all, how could you cheer for a man named Bunce who eats his doughnuts stuffed with mashed goose livers? As one might expect, the farmers in this story come out smelling like ... well, what farmers occasionally do smell like.

This early Roald Dahl adventure is great for reading aloud to three- to seven-year-olds, who will be delighted to hear that Mr. Fox keeps his family one step ahead of the obsessed farmers. When they try to dig him out, he digs faster; when they lay siege to his den, he tunnels to where the farmers least expect him--their own larders! In the end, Mr. Fox not only survives, but also helps the whole community of burrowing creatures live happily ever after. With his usual flourish, Dahl evokes a magical animal world that, as children, we always knew existed, had we only known where or how to look for it. (Ages 9 to 12)

Review:

* The audio titles read by Roald Dahl himself have been solid backlist titles for over a decade now. Of historical archive interest, as well as being modern classics in their own right, these should provide a real audio backlist boost. * Roald Dahl and Collins brand strengthened via vibrant new look for the twenty-first century. * Narrated by Roald Dahl, who tells his own stories in his own inimitable way. * Five titles available. * Unabridged.

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0007158963
• ISBN 13: 9780007158966
• Binding: Audio CD