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Fantastic Mr. Fox

by Roald Dahl, Quentin Blake (Illustrator)

3.96 of 5 stars 3.96 · rating details · 31,223 ratings · 1,239 reviews

Mr. Fox is surrounded! He's going to have to come up with a truly fantastic plan to dig himself out of trouble this time.

Paperback, 81 pages

Published June 1st 1998 by Puffin Books (first published 1970)

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May 16, 2013 karen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kiddiwinx

greg's birthday is on sunday, so i am floating this now to remind you that you still have time to shower him with presents!

it is greg's birthday!!! and as a treat for him, i am going to create a book review in which i use plenty of pictures of foxes!!! they are his favorite!!

first, a sleepy fox:

a grouchy fox:

a defiant fox:

a hide-y fox:

fox and friends:

bad fox:

chilly fox:

charming fox:

suspicious fox:

mischievous fox:

meditating fox:

super-orange fox:

fox in a tube:

smiling fox:

stretchy fox:

sharp-nailed...more

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Jul 18, 2009 Greg rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-for-kids, foxes

Mr. Fox steals food nightly from one of the three disgusting and gluttonous farmers who have more then they need. The farmers get mad and set out to kill Mr. Fox. They have a hard time catching him, they destroy the earth trying to get him out of his hole, they waste many man-hours by making their workers surround the woods with weapons and ultimately Mr. Fox with the help of other underground animals find another way into the farms and go about their stealing in peace while the farmers sit endl...more Mr. Fox steals food nightly from one of the three disgusting and gluttonous farmers who have more then they need. The farmers get mad and set out to kill Mr. Fox. They have a hard time catching him, they destroy the earth trying to get him out of his hole, they waste many man-hours by making their workers surround the woods with weapons and ultimately Mr. Fox with the help of other underground animals find another way into the farms and go about their stealing in peace while the farmers sit endlessly waiting to kill the fox and any other animals that pop up from the ground.

This book teaches you that stealing is ok, as long as it is done against evil and wicked people. That's a fine message and one that kids probably won't be exposed to for the first time by reading this book. Basically Robin Hood is that message too, although this seems a little bit more anarchic in it's presentation, maybe it's the drawings, or all the fun the fox has in stealing that makes it seem like a revolution going on that you can dance to.

But is it ok to tell kids that stealing is alright? Yes it is. Children will be taught eventually in school that stealing is perfectly fine, but they will be taught it under the more civilized and devastating guise of capitalism, the rights of corporations over people and the other legalized theft that our society holds up as the makings of success. But am I saying that kids should go out and steal? No they shouldn't. First because most of them are really bad at it and if you are bad at stealing you will get caught, or at least noticed and that's not a good thing. Second because stealing for the sake of stealing isn't good. Stealing can be political and it can be used as a very very weak brick against the wall of capitalism (but really it's more like throwing a feather into a tornado, it's not going to do shit), but it can also just be selfish and unnecessary. I was going to write more, but I'm running out of time before I goto work and see if I can spy any shoplifters, who I will try to have get caught because a) they make my life more difficult, in that I need to then remember what books have numbers off so they can be ordered manually, and a.2) mean that it gives reason for me to get yelled at by some idiot who can't understand just because the computer says we have something doesn't mean we really do (we don't have computers that know when someone has stolen something without our noticing it). And b) because the publishing industry has enough problems right now with money, and it's not as if books aren't available for free at libraries. Go there and get the book for free and read it, B&N might be an big corporation, but as Ralph Nader said, (not an exact quote) "they sell books, and books are a good thing".

So if you're going to go steal, go to some Wal-Mart or something, but watch out they have a wall of video screens in the back room with a small army watching them, just waiting to see you pocket some of their items. (less)

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Mar 04, 2013 Steve rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My cousin gave my son this book, saying it was given to him as a child and that he really liked it, and thus inter-generational sharing of the literary tradition is shared.

I read this book to my sons over the weekend and finished it last night. Quite a joyous book. First he establishes the characters, then presents a challenge, and then Mr. Fox becomes fantastic by his ideas, and is feted by all. It's a book about mean farmers, exploiters and murderers, and wildlife.

I was absolutely thrilled to...more

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Sep 12, 2011 Liam Leftley rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Fantastic Mr Fox exhibits the very best of Roald Dahl as we see Mr Fox battle against the three mean farmers: Boggis, Bunce and Bean. Initially Mr. Fox has no problem in taking poultry from the farms to feed his family; however, Boggis, Bunce and Bean soon develop a plan that’ll end their fox problem once and for all.

The evil trio plan to dig Mr Fox out of his home and soon recruit all their staff to their mission. However, not to be outdone, the canine simply tunnels underground to each of the...more

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Mar 15, 2013 Lynda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens-literature, 2013, author-uk

"My lucky thing," Roald Dahl once said, "is that I laugh at the same things children laugh at." And children do laugh at the things he writes.

Quirky, adult sensibility in a book written for children.

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Sep 06, 2011 Eoin Cody rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In my opinion Roald Dahl has undoubtedly created a unique and fascinating character in Mr. Fox. From the opening page Mr. Fox immediately catches the readers attention and interest. The book itself describes the adventures, mishaps and success stories of the main character while also portraying the devastation he creats upon other character such as the farmer and on the chickens too. Although some people may not agree with my opinions I believe this book accurately diplays the ways and habits an...more

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Oct 10, 2011 Jennifer rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake

Fantastic Mr Fox, written by Roald Dahl, tells the story of a country Fox and his family. Their peace and lives are shattered by three farmers that live near-by, who become increasingly outraged and obsessed about the foxes stealing food. The farmers’ determination leads to more and more extreme measures to kill Mr Fox and his family. The story ends happily with Mr Fox managing to outsmart the farmers and living happily after.
The st...more Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake

Fantastic Mr Fox, written by Roald Dahl, tells the story of a country Fox and his family. Their peace and lives are shattered by three farmers that live near-by, who become increasingly outraged and obsessed about the foxes stealing food. The farmers’ determination leads to more and more extreme measures to kill Mr Fox and his family. The story ends happily with Mr Fox managing to outsmart the farmers and living happily after.
The story is simple but very effective and gives children a humorous insight into the lives of a fox family and the way they relate to each-other with their strong relationships in the face of brutality. The story is action packed and the language helps to create a sense of urgency. When the farmers dig into the hill where the foxes live the foxes dig as fast as they can. “Go downwards!’ ordered Mr Fox. ‘We’ve got to go deep! as deep as we possibly can!”(Dahl, 1970, pg 18). Children may be left to question “will the fox get out in time?” Roald Dahl ends the book by stating “As far as I know they are still waiting.” This relieves the tension and adds more humour to the comical characters of the farmers. The characters in the book are well developed and each posses a distinctive personality. Mr Fox is the hero and main character in the book and is portrayed as cunning, clever and brave. Events are dramatised by the various acts of bravery and come together at the end where he manages to finally outsmart the farmers. Mrs Fox is rather traditionally portrayed as a stereotypical mother and plays a supportive role supplying kindness and love to both Mr Fox and the children. Mr and Mrs Fox work well together as they are both dependant on each-other. In the case of Mr Fox when he finds food for her and the children in their time of need. Mrs Fox, when she comforts Mr Fox after loosing his tail to the farmers.
The three farmers Boggis, Bean and Bunce are introduced and described right at the start of the book, each being given a comical name, appearance and trait. Boggis is described as enormously fat, and is the chicken farmer, Bunce as a pot-bellied dwarf who farms duck and Geese and Bean who is characterized by being as ‘thin as a pencil’ due to the large amount of cider he drinks. The illustrations, carried out by Quentin Blake, aid in the character development, so when the farmers are being described by Dahl a comical, simple pen and ink picture is included. The images also help to illustrate key moments in the book such as when Mr Fox manages to steal food from the three farmers.
Mr Fox is a delightful read and a story that was a big part of my own childhood. The story is action packed and full of suspense. The characters provide us with a rich supply of qualities that work together; humour, sensitivity and kindness and deals with real danger and threat. It is an excellent book that would be suitable for both a KS1 and KS2 reader and also as a possible class-read. The book could be used as a starting point for environmental class projects and a number of issues could be discussed.
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May 27, 2011 Jeanette rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: all-fiction, for-the-munchkins

Mr. Fox outwits three farmers who are trying to kill him because he steals food from them. All the animals who live underground (rabbits, badgers, foxes, etc.) are starving. They can't go above ground because the farmers are waiting to blast away at them. Mr. Fox finds a way to steal food and drink for everyone by tunneling directly to the various farms. All the critters celebrate with a huge feast.

I found it odd that all the animals were praising and cheering Mr. Fox for his ingenuity in "savi...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Hayley Nisbet rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I decided to read this book because I hadn't read it before and I thought it was an interesting book even though it is for a younger audience.

On the bingo board this book comes under 'a book written by a male author'. This book was written by Roald Dalh who was an amazing children's book writer. In my opinion he has put a bit of himself in the different character to make them more personal to him. It is not that interesting that this book was written my a male however many of the characters are...more

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Mar 11, 2013 Elizabeth Leonard rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book has a great story just as all Roald Dahl books do. The pictures are denser in the beginning of the book which I think is a great idea to keep children interested in this chapter book. This book tells the story of the family of Mr. Fox. Mr. Foxes family lives off of food that three farmers grow. They are all very grumpy farmers and they each specialize in something different Boggis is a chicken farmer, Bunce is a duck and goose farmer, and Bean is a turkey and apple farmer. Every Night...more

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Mar 10, 2013 Sam rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I decided to read this because I hadn't read it before and I wanted to know what it was about.

On the bingo board this book comes under "a book written by a male author". This book was written by Roald Dahl who was a very good writer even though his books were written for more of the younger audience. Roald Dahl makes it interesting as he puts his own personal touch into the characters.

My favourite quote from this book was when Mrs Fox says, "My husband is a fantastic Fox". This is my favourite q...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Cruth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013-read-aloud-personal-challenge, childrens-chapter-book, read-aloud

Author: Roald Dahl
Illustrator: Quentin Blake
First published: 1970 with illustrations by Jill Bennett.
Pages: about 80

It's nice to mix Dahl's novellas with longer books - the light relief and short, but complete, story gives us both a mental break. Dahl's novellas are a comfortable one or two evening read, entirely original, and sufficiently expressive that reading it aloud is a pleasure.

"The Fantastic Mr Fox" is a modern day fairy tale of anti-hunting (not as strong as "The Magic Finger") and a t...more

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Feb 28, 2013 Cleo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned-books, classics

Ah, how I love Roald Dahl. I recently reread Boy and The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More, so I figured it was time to reread some more of his children's books, all of which I love. Fantastic Mr. Fox is a short, but really clever and entertaining book. It is the story of "Fantastic" Mr. Fox, and his ongoing battle against Boggis, Bunce, and Bean, three farmers who despise him because he always steals poultry from them. In Fantastic Mr. Fox, they are determined to dig him out and then...more

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Jan 23, 2013 Christina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Just finished reading this aloud with Isobel. She really, really liked it; the intended age group is probably a little older, but since I was reading aloud I could explain unfamiliar terms and context (like what a weasel is and that the cider here is the alcohol kind). So it ended up being just about right. She looked forward to reading a (nice and short) chapter or two each night and she was sorry when it ended.
I'm eager to read more Roald Dahl with her, now that we've both enjoyed this one so...more

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Dec 17, 2012 Alicia Scully rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-s-lit, classic, fantasy, fiction, gr-1-3, gr-k-1

Mr Fox steals from three farmers in order to feed his family and they are sick of it. They decide to hunt down the fox and his family to make him pay for all of the thefts. The fox family must dig for their lives and outsmart the farmers as best they can.

I had never read this book before and it really was quite fun. I found it a little interesting for me because my family has a farm and has to deal with foxes stealing our chickens from time to time, so being on the other side was strange. The be...more

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Nov 20, 2012 Brittany Hastings rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Grade Level: 4th
Lexile: 600
Main Character: Mr. Fox, Mrs. Fox, Boggis, Bunce, Bean
Setting: Forest, Underground
POV: 3rd Person
Genre: Fantasy

-Summary: In this book, a fox and his family live in their fox hole happily. However, three neighboring farmers do not like the fact that there is a fox family living on their property. Therefore, the farmers decide that they are going to guard the hole and kill the family so that they do not steal any of the farmer’s belongings. The foxes begin to worry abou...more

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Nov 18, 2012 Vianey Sanchez rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl
Genre: Traditional Literature
Interest level: Grades 3-5
Guided reading: P
Lexile level: 600L
Main Characters: Mr. Fox

Summary: This is the story of clever Mr. Fox, who lives underground with his wife and four kids and steals food from local farmers Boggis, Bunce and Bean. The farmers grow tired of being outsmarted by the fox, so the create a plan to get rid of Mr. Fox once and for all. They try shooting him and fail and then they try pointing guns and cannons into his...more

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Nov 10, 2012 Sadia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This story is about three wicked farmers and a fox named ‘Mr Fox’. The farmers do not like Mr fox, Mr Fox and his family live underground. Mr. fox sneaks in to the farm all the time to hunt for food for his family , the farm however belongs to the three farmers named Boggis, Bunce and Bean they all dislike the fox and plot plans to shoot him. They manage to shoot off Mr fox’s tail, but that’s as far as it goes,Mr Fox is always one step ahead of them and has better plans, the story ends with Mr f...more

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Oct 17, 2012 Emma Speake rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My absolute all time favourite book from my childhood is Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr Fox. Although arguably it is not one of Dahl's greatest 'classics' according to critics, it is my favourite because of the characters. I love the idea of small mischievious animals making tunnels under the ground to steal food unbeknown to the big horrible humans.
I had read this book countless times as a child and even now when Im feeling sad or stressed I can read this book and I feel better!

Although critics hav...more

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Sep 08, 2012 Tim Carson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It’s no wonder Roald Dahl is one of the best loved children’s authors ever. His books are timeless classics which can be read and enjoyed by successive generations of children. Fantastic Mr Fox is a perfect example of why that’s the case. It’s full of vividly created characters - from evil farmers Boggis, Bunce and Bean to the frumpy Badger and the quick-witted Mr Fox – a gripping plot and a large dollop of Dahl’s humour.

The story follows the exploits of the Fantastic Mr Fox and his struggle to...more

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Sep 06, 2012 Livash Ramduth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My first review is of Roald Dahl’s classic story, The Fantastic Mr Fox which is set in a farmyard environment. This story centres around Mr Fox and three local farmers (Boggis, Bunce and Bean) from whom Mr Fox used to steal chickens and geese on a daily basis to feed his family. However, this constant supply of food began to run out as the farmers devised methods to stop Mr Fox. Other families faced similar problems to. Not only were the farmers trying to stop their stock been stolen, they wante...more

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Sep 06, 2012 Andrew rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr Fox is not a book I was familiar with, so in reading it I was hoping for some Roald Dahl magic; as can be found in his classics such as ‘James and the Giant Peach’ and ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. However, I was sadly disappointed. Admittedly this book is aimed at younger readers, but this still does not excuse what is quite a dreary and unimaginative story line.

Mr Fox is the bane of three farmers as he is forever stealing food from them. The fa...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Jesse Boucher rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ks1, ks2, primary-teaching

This was one of my favourite books as a child and is still a very enjoyable read today.

The main character, Mr Fox, is a cunning and clever fox who regularly steals from the three local farmers the delightfully named Boggis, Bunce and Bean. The book follows the increasingly desparate attempt by the Farmers to stop him ruining their livelihoods.

Unfortunately, the more desperate the Farmers become, the more there are consequences for all the other animals around.

Only after Mr Fox has the cunning p...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Victoria Stickland rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A literary and visual delight from the genius team of Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake.

This well-loved fable never fails to capture the imaginations of children (and big children!) through the classic adage of hero versus villain. We meet the cunning Mr Fox living underground, who to feed his family, regularly outwits three cruel and farmers Boggis, Bunce and Ben, by stealing their livestock. These revolting characters grow tired of being outsmarted and devise a wicked plan to kill Mr Fox, so lie in...more A literary and visual delight from the genius team of Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake.

This well-loved fable never fails to capture the imaginations of children (and big children!) through the classic adage of hero versus villain. We meet the cunning Mr Fox living underground, who to feed his family, regularly outwits three cruel and farmers Boggis, Bunce and Ben, by stealing their livestock. These revolting characters grow tired of being outsmarted and devise a wicked plan to kill Mr Fox, so lie in wait at the entrance to the home leaving the Foxes trapped and starving underground. Never fear though, the clever Mr Fox comes up with a ingenious plan to tunnel underground right into each of the farms so all the underground creatures have a plentiful supply of food and never risk the wrath of the evil farmers. The final chapter is witty and brilliant, stating that "And as far as I know, they [the farmers] are still waiting."

This is not your typical sugar-coated children's tale, there is no disguising these farmers want to kill Mr Fox: "'I'd like to rip his guts out!' said Bunce." Even our hero is no victim to be pitied, he is confident, crafty and his manners leave a lot to be desired at times, "...he let fly a tremendous belch." However, this is all balanced with the love and generosity shown between the members of the Fox family and strong morals which might not seem so apparent at first, "do you know anyone in the whole world who wouldn't swipe a few chickens if his children were starving to death?".

This is a brilliant book to read aloud to classes, as the the language is rich and vivid. Potential classroom activities for KS1/2 could include:

Ask students to brainstorm adjectives to describe Mr Fox and find evidence for these from the book.

Imagine you are one of the farmers and create a reward poster for the capture of Mr Fox, what language would you use to describe him?

Ask students to partner up and draw a picture of their partner, stating underneath why they are 'Fantastic' - encouraging the idea that we are all fantastic in our individual way

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Aug 31, 2012 Pustulio rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Roald Dahl tenía magia en los dedos.

Fantastic Mr. Fox cuenta la historia de un zorrito bastante hábil, como todo buen zorro. Y también cuenta la historia del odio de unos granjeros hacia este amigable zorrito. Es un libro muy corto y con ilustraciones de Quentin Blake, me falto agregarle el adjetivo bellas.

El libro parece tan sencillo que uno lo da por sentado desde el principio, historia lineal, nada de sorpresas en el camino, y efectivamente no decepciona, la historia no es nada fuera de lo...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I decided upon Fantastic Mr Fox as my third review as its the only Roald Dahl book I have not previously read.

This story centres around Mr Fox and three farmers, and follows their efforts to catch Mr Fox. However, the farmers failed to realise that Mr Fox had a fantastic plan all of his own.

The story gets going by first introducing the three farmers to the readers, Boggis, Bunce and Bean. They may all look different but they all have something in common, they are mean and nasty. Next, its time...more I decided upon Fantastic Mr Fox as my third review as its the only Roald Dahl book I have not previously read.

This story centres around Mr Fox and three farmers, and follows their efforts to catch Mr Fox. However, the farmers failed to realise that Mr Fox had a fantastic plan all of his own.

The story gets going by first introducing the three farmers to the readers, Boggis, Bunce and Bean. They may all look different but they all have something in common, they are mean and nasty. Next, its time to meet Mr Fox and learn that he lives in the hill above the valley and every night he asks Mrs Fox what she would like for dinner, then creeps off into the valley and helps himself to whatever he wants from one of the three farms.

The rest of the book follows the adventures of the farmers and their plan to catch Mr Fox, and how Mr Fox evades capture with his very own plan. The farmers start with shotguns and when this fails they move onto shovels and diggers and finally they decide to wait for Mr Fox to leave his home. We follow Mr Fox and his family as they dig deeper and deeper to evade capture and as Mr Fox's plan swings into action, to dig under each farm and steal food from each farmer, we encounter more characters that dig. The climax of the story comes as Mr Fox and his new found digging friends come together for a feast and declare that they will live underground and continue to gather food via the underground tunnels they have created. The farmers, we are told, are still waiting for Mr Fox to come out, unaware of Mr Fox's fantastic plan.

This is yet another classic book from Roald Dahl, and for this reason I believe that it will span every year group within a primary setting. In younger years groups the book can be used in group reading sessions, and then as children progress and their reading skills improve the book can be read alone or as part of guided reading sessions.

Fantastic Mr fox can be used in a variety of different ways, other than purely reading it. There is a film by Wes Anderson that children could watch and then review as part of english lessons, giving a new dimension to the story. There are also many different possibilities, within the setting of English lessons, for children to explore alternatives to the plans by both Mr Fox and the farmers.

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Jun 23, 2012 Anna Nerkowski rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am currently reading this wonderful story to my year 3 class who are thoroughly enjoying it.

The story is about a determined fox and his family. To feed themselves, Mr Fox usually steals from three farmers; Farmer Boggis, Farmer Bunce and Farmer Bean. However, the farmers decide they have had enough of Mr Fox and his thieving ways. They hatch a plan to dig the foxes out of their hole. This is when Mr Fox becomes fantastic... He comes up with an idea to trick the idiotic farmers and allow his f...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Kyran Delaney rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read the book over a couple of sittings to a Year 3 class and was very surprised to discover that none of children had hard tell of the book. Whilst a favourite from my own childhood I was confident that this timeless classic was still in fact a classic.
The tale centres around a fox and a trio of farmers;
"Boggis and Bunce and Bean
One fat, one short, one lean
These horrible crooks
So different in looks
Were nonetheless equally mean." The trio raise chickens, geese and turkeys respectively and...more

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May 17, 2012 Ed Fincham rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr Fox is an excellent introduction to Dahl’s work, a fast paced, humorous, and well illustrated piece of writing, which at present fits into early KS2 schemes of work.

Fantastic Mr Fox is set around a tripartite of farms and farmers, Boggis, Bunce, and Bean and their respective, chicken, duck and goose, and turkey and apple farms. The farmers whose names bear some onomatopoeic relationship to their physical characteristics, are presented as evil, both in characteristics,...more Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr Fox is an excellent introduction to Dahl’s work, a fast paced, humorous, and well illustrated piece of writing, which at present fits into early KS2 schemes of work.

Fantastic Mr Fox is set around a tripartite of farms and farmers, Boggis, Bunce, and Bean and their respective, chicken, duck and goose, and turkey and apple farms. The farmers whose names bear some onomatopoeic relationship to their physical characteristics, are presented as evil, both in characteristics, and in illustration - namely as greedy and selfish.
Much of the story is structured around threes, from the farmers and farms, to the days underground, and the tunnels dug.

Boggis and Bunce and Bean
One fat one short one mean
These horrible crooks
So different in looks
Were nonetheless equally mean
(pg 14)

The animals in contrast are not given names and simply referred to as Mr or Mrs animal; presumably to offer a distinct point of difference to the humans, and quite possibly because wild animals do not have names ! Dahl very clearly sets out the contrasts between people and animals and the division would be very clear to the children reading, and this may open up avenues of deeper level discussion into how the differences are presented. The animals characteristics are largely constrained to the characteristics of the animals themselves, the foxes are cunning, the badgers can’t see etc.

Dahl’s language is, characteristically, excellently descriptive and fast paced and makes good use of rhythm and rhyme. This makes the book well suited to been read by the teacher as well as read by children themselves, the teacher being able to bring the book to life through exaggerating the language - and in this way the book may be suitable for a younger audience.

Illustrations are used frequently throughout the book, generally depicting key incidents without reference in the text, however during the destruction of the mound illustrations are referenced directly, being used to quickly demonstrate the event without wordy description, maintain the pace of the narrative.

Slight reservations I would have with using this book in the classroom is the slight issue of the book's hero being a profound prolific and proud thief. Whilst it is bracketed within necessity to feed his family, and explicitly dealt with during a conversation between fox and badger, the pre-incident thievery is not explained.

A further reservation I have with this book is that the narrative is set very much within outmoded gender roles of Mr fox as the provider and key protagonist and Mrs Fox as the homemaker being largely anonymous; indeed throughout the story most female characters are presented as weak, or found only within the home. Fantastic Mr Fox I suppose is very much of its time in that respect, and as such jars with modern attitudes. The dilemma in this case is of not wanting to dismiss a great story, against the wish to present a balanced and equal view of family life and roles. (less)

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May 07, 2012 Matt Linzey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have always been a fan of Roald Dahl's books and found Fantastic Mr Fox (FMF) an excellent literacy focus while on placement in a Year 2 class. Over a two-week period we read through as a class and in ability groups the entirety of the story. As we completed chapters I would set work based on the story so far. Over the two-week period the children were introduced to the concept of writing a story, using FMF as a structure to follow. The story is essentially a 'good vs evil' tale that introduce...more

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About Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl (13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990) was a British novelist, short story writer and screenwriter of Norwegian descent, who rose to prominence in the 1940s with works for both children and adults, and became one of the world's bestselling authors.

Dahl's first published work, inspired by a meeting with C. S. Forester, was Shot Down Over Libya. Today the story is published as "A Piece of...more

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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Charlie Bucket, #1)

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Quotes from Fantastic Mr. Fox

“I understand what you're saying, and your comments are valuable, but I'm gonna ignore your advice.” — 350 people liked it

“Badger: The cuss you are.
Mr. Fox: The cuss am I? Are you cussing with me?” — 37 people liked it

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title link	preview: Fantastic Mr. Fox
avg rating	preview: Fantastic Mr. Fox Goodreads rating: 3.96 (31223 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/773689.Fantastic_Mr_Fox?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1178228089l/773689.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/773689.Fantastic_Mr_Fox?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl[/url]

Fantastic Mr. Fox

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