The Tale Of The Animals' Christmas In Crouch End: a fable for children and their parents

by Lance Lee, Meilo So (Illustrator)

A year of unusually heavy rains spark a series of events that lead the Animals of Crouch End in North London to decide to celebrate Christmas for the first time. These begin when Rufus Fox hires Marvin Mole & Sons to repair his flooded home. As he wanders Crouch End and sees Christmas decorations begin to appear soon Belinda, a wood pigeon, Hilda Hedgehog, The Magpies, Silas Squirrel and family, Franklin Frog and his family, and the large, fierce, tiger-striped tabby, Goya, who overhear Rufus' bewilderment over Christmas, decide to suspend their usual activities and, led by Rufus, to collaborate on putting together their own Christmas and Christmas Feast in order to understand Christmas. Magic is involved, too, as Rufus has second sight, and is helped by the Fairy, Tinya, who first explains what Christmas is about, and then helps make Rufus' home Marvin Mole & Sons repair large enough for everyone-even though it isn't. But she warns Rufus there is something he must discover on his own that is the real secret of Christmas. Even after all has gone off splendidly Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Rufus is still puzzled, but at the end with Tinya he realizes the secret is not getting, but giving; not having a truce among unlikely animals, but a family relationship, all motivated by love for one another. He decides to become a vegetarian to keep his new 'family' together.

Genres: Childrens

80 pages, Paperback

Published October 18, 2023

About the author

My poems, stories and articles have appeared widely in both American and English journals. Books of poetry include "Wrestling With The Angel "(1990), "Becoming Human "(2001), "Human/Nature"(2006), "Seasons of Defiance" (2010), which placed as a finalist in the 8th. National USA Book Awards, "Transformations" combining art and poetry (2013), and "Homecomings" (2015). "Elemental Natures, selected lyrics, sequences, and prose,"appeared in 2020. I am a recipient of a Creative Writing Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, and various other scholarships

Among plays, "Rasputin" and "Gambits" were produced at the Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference. "Time’s Up" and "Fox, Hound, and Huntress" were premiered in Los Angeles; publications include "Time’s Up;" "Fox, Hound & Huntress;" and "Time’s Up and Other Plays."

I founded graduate playwrighting and the graduate screenwriting programs at USC and California State University, Northridge, respectively. I have published a screenwriting textbook, "The Understructure of Writing for Film & Television," and "A Poetics for Screenwriters," as well as "The Death and Life of Drama, reflections on writing and human nature."

My works also include a novel, "Second Chances" (2001). A children's novel, "Orpheus Rising," appeared in 2021, and a shorter children's book, "The Tale of Brian and the House Painter Mervyn" is due in early 2022.

My family is split between Los Angeles, where I helped establish the California State Park System in the Santa Monica Mountains, and London, where a married daughter lives in Crouch End, the family seat for generations on my wife’s side.

Reviews

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Destined to be a Christmas classic, The Tale of the Animals' Christmas in Crouch End will charm the socks off readers young and old--preferably enjoyed jointly as a holiday read-aloud. This book combined so many of my favorite things: talking animals (reminiscent of Wind in the Willows), a British setting, a home project, and a bit of magic sprinkled throughout.

An unusually wet season has forced Marvin's mole family to reroute their front door. Imagine the mole's surprise when the new door is adjacent to the den of Rufus, the resident fox of the neighborhood and known hunter of small animals. Marvin is wielding tools (handy defense should the fox become unfriendly), and explains that he does home repairs. Very serendipitous because Rufus' home has been utterly ruined with standing water everywhere.

Rufus hires Marvin to do repairs and so begins the start of a tentative truce among the animals. Rufus' nephew, Rupert, will be visiting over Christmas and Rufus wants to make the best impression possible.

As the home repairs continue, Rufus finds that his hunting has been curtailed which gives him more time to explore the curious traditions that humans follow at this time of year. Lights and decorated trees appear and a festive spirit permeates the neighborhood that seems to cast a spell over even the animals. A feast is proposed and the animals agree to a period of harmony to share the holiday. When problems arise, Rufus calls upon his gift of second sight and seeks the help of Tinya the fairy.

So many fun details and heartwarming aspects of this story. It will make a wonderful book to read as a family year after year. With 9 chapters, it makes the perfect run-up to the holiday--creating anticipation to know what will happen next while slowly ushering in the most magical time of year.

I appreciated that while Santa was an obvious part of the story, the Christ child was also mentioned. And while the story is not particularly religious, it does offer a touching lesson on what makes Christmas special that anyone can appreciate. Pick up your copy today and be enchanted by not only the story but the delightful illustrations drawn by the talented Meilo So.

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of The Tale of the Animals' Chrismas in Crouch End from Reedsy Discovery for the purpose of review. The opinions expressed are my own.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captures the meaning of the season

[Jarno · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book talks about animals getting into the spirit of
The holiday season. I hope everybody had a good
Weekend and I will be back another day to update more
Books on here.