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Animal Ark [GB Order] #7
Cub in the Cupboard
Mandy and James are horrified when they discover a mother fox caught in a cruel trap. They're sure someone local is responsible and are determined to find out who. But first the injured fox needs their attention.
160 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 1999
8 people are currently reading
446 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Daniels
352 books118 followersLucy Daniels is the collective name for the writing team that created the bestselling children's book series Animal Ark, many of the books are also published under the name of the series creator, Ben M. Baglio.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
January 7, 2021
(LL)
This is an important book for kids to read, as it talks about how wild animals should STAY wild because that is the most humane and fair treatment for these creatures. Foxes should not be kept as pets, and this book handles that fact in an age appropriate way while telling a wholesome story.
This is an important book for kids to read, as it talks about how wild animals should STAY wild because that is the most humane and fair treatment for these creatures. Foxes should not be kept as pets, and this book handles that fact in an age appropriate way while telling a wholesome story.
January 11, 2026
This is a review of the American edition, which is number 8 in the series. In the real (original) UK order, this is book 7. Book 7 in the American order is Sheepdog in the Snow. Why the order was screwed about with in America I have no idea.
This book is important because this is the first of a trilogy of books about foxes in Welford. This one was written by Helen Magee. As such, this book does read differently than many other previous books in the series, since most were written by Jenny Oldfield. Mandy and James seem a bit dreamier and contemplative here. Blackie, James' black Lab, however, is still the same ol' Blackie.
There are more passages of description than in the previous books, which slowed the book down considerably. At first this seemed to be a particularly slow episode in the series, but two-thirds of the way through, the action suddenly speed up and makes for a good read, no matter what your age or country of origin.
When I lived in the UK, foxhunting was England's abortion issue. What I mean is that (as abortion in the USA) divides people violently. You can see some of this controversy here although without the protests and the violence and the stubbing out cigarettes on ponies's rumps or kicking foxhounds as what happened in the UK. The foxhunting issue became a class issue and wound up having nothing to do with foxes or hunting. In this book, the issue sticks to foxes in an area that traditionally held foxhunts.
Moralizing aside, there are some pretty silly bits in the book. The baddie who wants to kill all foxes keeps two bulldogs considered "vicious." Bulldogs? Really? This is a breed that drops into a dead faint when the humidity level rises. They are about as vicious as throw pillows. Another breed (or mix) should have been chosen.
This book also contains the worst line I've read in the series so far -- "Drop that cub!"
This book is important because this is the first of a trilogy of books about foxes in Welford. This one was written by Helen Magee. As such, this book does read differently than many other previous books in the series, since most were written by Jenny Oldfield. Mandy and James seem a bit dreamier and contemplative here. Blackie, James' black Lab, however, is still the same ol' Blackie.
There are more passages of description than in the previous books, which slowed the book down considerably. At first this seemed to be a particularly slow episode in the series, but two-thirds of the way through, the action suddenly speed up and makes for a good read, no matter what your age or country of origin.
When I lived in the UK, foxhunting was England's abortion issue. What I mean is that (as abortion in the USA) divides people violently. You can see some of this controversy here although without the protests and the violence and the stubbing out cigarettes on ponies's rumps or kicking foxhounds as what happened in the UK. The foxhunting issue became a class issue and wound up having nothing to do with foxes or hunting. In this book, the issue sticks to foxes in an area that traditionally held foxhunts.
Moralizing aside, there are some pretty silly bits in the book. The baddie who wants to kill all foxes keeps two bulldogs considered "vicious." Bulldogs? Really? This is a breed that drops into a dead faint when the humidity level rises. They are about as vicious as throw pillows. Another breed (or mix) should have been chosen.
This book also contains the worst line I've read in the series so far -- "Drop that cub!"
April 5, 2021
The beginning was a little bumpy and it took a chapter or so for the ghostwriter to settle into the story, but after that, this was great. Plenty of capers & escapades outside of the main storyline, great villain, satisfying happy ending. It finds good middle ground between youthful wish fulfilment (parading a baby fox on a leash through town!) and good animal welfare practices (leave wild animals wild, kids).
Mandy and James are a little one note as characters - they’re both crazy about animals and, in the deeply obsessive way of children, have seemingly no other interests or hobbies! Mandy is bolder, while James is her super shy sidekick! That said, Mandy is brave af (can I say that in a kids’ book review), I didn’t clock it as a kid but this little girl literally puts herself bodily into danger to save these foxes. And I think the dynamic really appealed to me as a child. We get so many adventurous, naughty boys in early reader books that I liked that Mandy was taller and braver and the leader. I liked that the boy was gentle and uncertain.
The town of Welford is one of the strongest parts of the series. It genuinely felt like a fully inhabited world. That charming, rural English village thing is tried-and-true for North American kids. Look, the publishers really churned these books out, they can get a little paint-by-numbers, but the setting made this world seem more real, more alive.
However, rereading elementary school old favs as an adult is just the constant realization that the best characters are the old people. Ernie and Mrs. Ponsonby are the GREATEST, little-me would’ve been horrified to hear old-me say this but it’s the truth, they’re both strong personalities (on opposite sides of the spectrum) who secretly love animals and have a heart of gold, and I ship it. Give me my Ernie x Mrs Ponsonby fanfiction.
Anyways I guess in this pandemic year, I’m not only rereading kids’ books, but continuing to overthink them as well. I didn’t fall in love with this one in a way that made me immediately want to pass this on to my future spawn, but it’s a solid read.
Mandy and James are a little one note as characters - they’re both crazy about animals and, in the deeply obsessive way of children, have seemingly no other interests or hobbies! Mandy is bolder, while James is her super shy sidekick! That said, Mandy is brave af (can I say that in a kids’ book review), I didn’t clock it as a kid but this little girl literally puts herself bodily into danger to save these foxes. And I think the dynamic really appealed to me as a child. We get so many adventurous, naughty boys in early reader books that I liked that Mandy was taller and braver and the leader. I liked that the boy was gentle and uncertain.
The town of Welford is one of the strongest parts of the series. It genuinely felt like a fully inhabited world. That charming, rural English village thing is tried-and-true for North American kids. Look, the publishers really churned these books out, they can get a little paint-by-numbers, but the setting made this world seem more real, more alive.
However, rereading elementary school old favs as an adult is just the constant realization that the best characters are the old people. Ernie and Mrs. Ponsonby are the GREATEST, little-me would’ve been horrified to hear old-me say this but it’s the truth, they’re both strong personalities (on opposite sides of the spectrum) who secretly love animals and have a heart of gold, and I ship it. Give me my Ernie x Mrs Ponsonby fanfiction.
Anyways I guess in this pandemic year, I’m not only rereading kids’ books, but continuing to overthink them as well. I didn’t fall in love with this one in a way that made me immediately want to pass this on to my future spawn, but it’s a solid read.
July 4, 2021
For me, this book started badly, and then continued badly for a long time. The writing contains a lot of awkward info-dumping, particularly in the very early chapters, and peppered throughout are little snatches of characterisation that seem off e.g. as Mandy concerning herself with the remains of animals it's too late to save, and Mrs Ponsonby thinking the pub is 'bad for the village' (what?!) - both symptoms of a basic understanding of character taken in an entirely wrong direction. Meanwhile, contributions from other characters are pretty much facsimiles of what they've done in earlier books, particularly when it comes to Ernie Bell; his role in the story is a complete re-hash of Goat in the Garden!
But all the time, a decent enough story is simmering beneath the surface - and in the last few chapters, it finally comes to the boil. The author makes new and interesting use of the Spry twins, and adds another dimension to Sam Western's villainy, while Mandy and James act appropriately and in character to save Lucky the fox cub. The cupboard even makes a relevant contribution; for a long time, I didn't think that it would!
But all the time, a decent enough story is simmering beneath the surface - and in the last few chapters, it finally comes to the boil. The author makes new and interesting use of the Spry twins, and adds another dimension to Sam Western's villainy, while Mandy and James act appropriately and in character to save Lucky the fox cub. The cupboard even makes a relevant contribution; for a long time, I didn't think that it would!
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December 30, 2018Ein Fuchs in der Falle
My first book that I read in German! And I understood most of it. I chose to read a book from the Animal Ark series because I used to love to read them when I was younger in my native language. I knew exactly what I was in for: a cute animal and a happy ending. The book did not disappoint.
My first book that I read in German! And I understood most of it. I chose to read a book from the Animal Ark series because I used to love to read them when I was younger in my native language. I knew exactly what I was in for: a cute animal and a happy ending. The book did not disappoint.
January 5, 2022
I remember wanting this book so bad as a kid because it was about foxes. I specifically remember asking the school librarian who had it checked out so that I could get it next. It's nothing special in terms of story and the characters are very two dimensional. What I will give this book credit for is they actually did research on the veterinary procedure and the natural behaviour of foxes.
March 5, 2020
This was a cute story about a baby fox being born and his mums leg got caught it a trap.
Mandy and James help to nurse them back to health as well as get them ready for the wild again.
I had a definite happy and nostalgic feeling when re-reading this.
I look forwards to the next volume!
Mandy and James help to nurse them back to health as well as get them ready for the wild again.
I had a definite happy and nostalgic feeling when re-reading this.
I look forwards to the next volume!
March 19, 2018
It's an amazing book about nasty Fox traps and a vixen and her cub. It shows how nasty Fox hunters are. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
April 7, 2020
Sweet book but not amazing.
January 27, 2021
I read this book weekly as a child. I was obsessed with this series because I love animals.
June 18, 2025
Great story
September 20, 2025
I'm PRETTY sure now (but haven't checked the internet or anything to verify) that this series is British, based on Twyford, but that's my bias talking, maybe. Fiction is funny, though, so it could be Twyford, Arizona for all I know (though since the twin ladies have a concern regarding their father having gone fox hunting, still a point in favour of the UK/Europe-ish area in general).
The art is a *little* better this time about matching the size of the baby animal to its age, or I would suppose since I didn't look up, "How old should a premature fox cub be to be about the size of what most people think of as a kitten?" (grapefruit or so) Like, two weeks I could believe, vs. in the first book (which I could've SWORN I reviewed, but ok), a SMALL mother cat had FOUR FIST-SIZE DAYS-OLD KITTENS.
...come to think of it, that was book one when those kittens were born, and one of them mentioned in this book is STILL a kitten, so these books don't cover a lot of time, huh? Like, six months is almost a full-grown cat! Eight books in six months!
Also, I guess I don't understand knowingly keeping a boisterous animal like a Labrador AND having a favourite vase for it to break. Like, why are you setting it up to fail?
I did expect a karmic ending for the villain(s) like in The Fox and the Hound (this The Fox and the Hound, not THAT The Fox and the Hound), but I guess that would be too much for a book series focused on nonviolent solutions... despite Mrs. Ponsonby, haha. It DOES strike me as a bit "Cardboard Cutout Villain" having [SPOILER] behave that way, though. I don't know. I guess after being pleasantly surprised by some books having positive resolutions, it felt somewhat weak having this ending.
At least, fox!
Recommended for animal lovers... or, ones who aren't squeamish about descriptions of animal harm. :(
The art is a *little* better this time about matching the size of the baby animal to its age, or I would suppose since I didn't look up, "How old should a premature fox cub be to be about the size of what most people think of as a kitten?" (grapefruit or so) Like, two weeks I could believe, vs. in the first book (which I could've SWORN I reviewed, but ok), a SMALL mother cat had FOUR FIST-SIZE DAYS-OLD KITTENS.
...come to think of it, that was book one when those kittens were born, and one of them mentioned in this book is STILL a kitten, so these books don't cover a lot of time, huh? Like, six months is almost a full-grown cat! Eight books in six months!
Also, I guess I don't understand knowingly keeping a boisterous animal like a Labrador AND having a favourite vase for it to break. Like, why are you setting it up to fail?
I did expect a karmic ending for the villain(s) like in The Fox and the Hound (this The Fox and the Hound, not THAT The Fox and the Hound), but I guess that would be too much for a book series focused on nonviolent solutions... despite Mrs. Ponsonby, haha. It DOES strike me as a bit "Cardboard Cutout Villain" having [SPOILER] behave that way, though. I don't know. I guess after being pleasantly surprised by some books having positive resolutions, it felt somewhat weak having this ending.
At least, fox!
Recommended for animal lovers... or, ones who aren't squeamish about descriptions of animal harm. :(
October 17, 2014
A poor mother fox is trapped in a steel trap she has one young fox left and two kids name Mandy Hope and James Hunter help the mother by taking care of the young fox till both foxes are strong enough to go in the wild. I chose this book because the title seemed very interesting to me, also the picture drew me in. Mandy seemed like she was the most interesting character because she is adventurous in the woods and she loves taking care of animals with her mom and dad in animal ark. The least interesting person may have to be James because I feel like he is a side kick of Mandy. He follows her around and does what she says like a puppy. Even though he is trying to be a good friend.
My favorite part of the book has to be when the baby fox health improved. My least favorite part of the book was when Mandy and James had to see the helpless mother fox almost die in the woods. Reading Mandy cried her eyes out when she saw this made me relate, when one of my animals were dieing. A important symbol in the book has to be the young fox which they called lucky to me the fox represents new life and a new begging. I would like to tell the author of how he did a really nice job with the book, it was a book with very descriptive writing and also it was just a very excellent story. I would properly trade places with James, Because I feel like I would be more help then he is. Instead of James agreeing to let the animals go into the wild I would tell Mandy to keep the animals in the animal ark to be in a safer environment.
"Mandy felt the tears roll down her cheeks, She would miss lucky so much but she knew that a wild animal belonged in the wild" to me that quote is very interesting because even though Mandy wanted the mother and lucky to be with her and James she let those emotions go, so that both animals can be free. I learned from this book about letting go and helping others in need. I would read more animal ark story later in life because to me each story teaches you new things.
My favorite part of the book has to be when the baby fox health improved. My least favorite part of the book was when Mandy and James had to see the helpless mother fox almost die in the woods. Reading Mandy cried her eyes out when she saw this made me relate, when one of my animals were dieing. A important symbol in the book has to be the young fox which they called lucky to me the fox represents new life and a new begging. I would like to tell the author of how he did a really nice job with the book, it was a book with very descriptive writing and also it was just a very excellent story. I would properly trade places with James, Because I feel like I would be more help then he is. Instead of James agreeing to let the animals go into the wild I would tell Mandy to keep the animals in the animal ark to be in a safer environment.
"Mandy felt the tears roll down her cheeks, She would miss lucky so much but she knew that a wild animal belonged in the wild" to me that quote is very interesting because even though Mandy wanted the mother and lucky to be with her and James she let those emotions go, so that both animals can be free. I learned from this book about letting go and helping others in need. I would read more animal ark story later in life because to me each story teaches you new things.
October 28, 2016
This series was a childhood favorite that lived long into my teens, and finally still gets read as an adult. How I longed to be Mandy, and save animals all the time! Not just dogs and cats, but in this book James and Mandy save a fox cub and its mother! -sigh- Bliss.
The whole series are equally good and a great starter for children who love animals and reading. Animal Ark is definitely a winner! Five stars.
The whole series are equally good and a great starter for children who love animals and reading. Animal Ark is definitely a winner! Five stars.
May 11, 2016
Mandy and James find a mother fox caught in a trap! Soon, they find baby foxes beside her. All of them are dead except for one. They have to raise the little fox and help the mother fox get better so that they can be released back into the wild.
This book is a great book. I really like it. You should read it to see what happens.
This book is a great book. I really like it. You should read it to see what happens.
August 2, 2009
it was a great and cute book! i got it as a birthday present it was so awesome!
November 9, 2012
Mandy and James of a fox cub.
November 25, 2010
Only on page 16 but I like it so far!!!
December 16, 2010
this made me com to adore foxes i have a huge heart for theme whenever i see one i always remeber this book wich ill charish forever i loved the animal ark books forever.
January 24, 2011
IT WAS AMAZING! It's almost a real book! it Tell's how to take care of foxes.
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March 2, 2016I really enjoyed this whole series as a child. Back then I'd devour each of the books as soon as I could get my hands on them.
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August 7, 2011I was completely obsessed with this series of books when I was a child and my aim was to read every single book. They are a really good children's series.
Want to read
December 28, 2015Loved this series when I was younger. Still a huge animal lover and would like to read the rest of this series!
March 28, 2014
I think the first book I ever read myself, it formed my love for foxes.
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June 15, 2015I really enjoyed reading these books when I was younger at school
February 7, 2016
I learned that people need to be craeful where they put traps,.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2019
As great as when I first read it.
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May 1, 2018VERY INTRESTING
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