Faraway Fox

Faraway Fox
by Jolene Thompson; illus. by Justin K. Thompson
32 pages; ages 4-7
HMH, 2016

themes: nature, animal stories, nonfiction

This was the forest where I lived with my family. We used to race through the undergrowth and rest under the great shade trees after playing all day.

Faraway from his family, Fox wanders the same forest he grew up in. He remembers beautiful trees and streams. But the landscape he travels through is unfamiliar, filled with cars and houses, and paved over.

What I like about this book is that is shows wildlife in an urban landscape. It also highlights the challenges a fox - or any other wild animal - faces when trying to return to their familiar habitat. This fox is lucky, because he won't have to dodge cars while crossing a busy highway. Instead, people have engineered a better solution to help him get home.

In an author's note, Jolene Thompson discusses human encroachment into wild animal habitats, and some of the things people are doing to minimize the impacts. Wildlife crossings have been built under highways and over highways to ensure that animals aren't cut off from the resources they need. She provides resources for people who want to learn more.

Beyond the book:

Go on a wildlife hike. What wild animals live near you? We have foxes, deer, coyotes, and lots of squirrels. There are even coyotes and deer in New York City (though you have to be out at dusk or in the evening to see them).

Design a critter crossing for crabs. Or turtles. Or deer. Then check out these examples of animal road crossings from around the world.

Get involved in Citizen Science, doing a salamander crossing. Information here. If you don't live near salamanders, ask your local fish and wildlife officers what sort of critter crossings they are working on.

If you're looking for humorous animal stories, check out Sally's Bookshelf. Today is Perfect Picture Book Friday, an event in which bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. She keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books.We're also joining the STEM Friday roundup. Drop by STEM Friday blog for more science books and resources. Review copy provided by publisher.