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Fantastic Mr Fox
Adaptation for the stage.
70 pages, Paperback
Published July 21, 2003
18 people are currently reading
2439 people want to read
About the author
David Wood
288 books41 followersDAVID WOOD began writing as a student at Oxford University in the sixties.
He wrote his first play for children in 1967 and has since written over sixty more.
They are performed all over the world and include THE GINGERBREAD MAN (nine London seasons), THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT WENT TO SEE... (six London seasons, co-written with Sheila Ruskin), THE SELFISH SHELLFISH, THE SEE-SAW TREE, SAVE THE HUMAN (from the story he wrote with cartoonist Tony Husband), THE IDEAL GNOME EXPEDITION and THE PLOTTERS OF CABBAGE PATCH CORNER.
His stage adaptations of well-known books include Dick King-Smith's BABE THE SHEEP-PIG, Roald Dahl's THE BFG and THE WITCHES (both of which played long tours and two West End seasons), THE TWITS, JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH and FANTASTIC MR FOX, DANNY THE CHAMPION OF THE WORLD and GEORGE’S MARVELLOUS MEDICINE, HRH The Prince of Wales' THE OLD MAN OF LOCHNAGAR, Michael Foreman's DINOSAURS AND ALL THAT RUBBISH, Helen Nicoll and Jan Pienkowski's MEG AND MOG SHOW (five London seasons for Unicorn Theatre), Philippa Pearce's TOM'S MIDNIGHT GARDEN (which Unicorn Theatre played on tour, in the West End and on Broadway) and Judith Kerr’s THE TIGER WHO CAME TO TEA.
He was dubbed 'the national children's dramatist' by Irving Wardle in The Times and published, to rave reviews, THEATRE FOR CHILDREN: GUIDE TO WRITING, ADAPTING, DIRECTING AND ACTING (Faber), co-written with Janet Grant, which has become required reading on the subject in the UK and the US, and is now published in China.
He directed many of his plays for his own company, Whirligig Theatre (founded with John Gould in 1979), which for 25 years toured to major theatres nationwide include Sadler's Wells in London.
Film screenplays include SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS and BACK HOME, which won a gold award at the New York Film and TV Festival 1991. Writing for television includes the series CHIPS' COMIC, CHISH 'N' FIPS and THE GINGERBREAD MAN; and TIDE RACE, his filmed drama for Central Television and the European Broadcasting Union, has won several international awards.
For BBC Radio 4 he adapted Arthur Ransome's SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS.
He also writes children's books; with Richard Fowler he has co-created novelty books including BEDTIME STORY, MOLE'S SUMMER STORY, MOLE'S WINTER STORY, SILLY SPIDER, THE MAGIC SHOW, FUNNY BUNNY'S MAGIC SHOW and THE TOY CUPBOARD. He wrote THE PHANTOM CAT OF THE OPERA (illustrated by Peters Day).
David Wood has followed a parallel career as an actor, best remembered as Johnny in Lindsay Anderson's cult film IF... He is married to Jacqueline Stanbury; they have two grown-up daughters, Katherine and Rebecca.
In 2004 he was awarded an OBE for services to literature and drama in the Queen's birthday honours.
In 2006 he wrote THE QUEEN’S HANDBAG, a play to celebrate the Queen’s 80th birthday. It was performed by an all-star cast in Buckingham Palace Gardens at the Children’s Party at the Palace, and seen live on BBC 1 by 8,000,000 television viewers.
from http://www.davidwood.org.uk/all_about...
He wrote his first play for children in 1967 and has since written over sixty more.
They are performed all over the world and include THE GINGERBREAD MAN (nine London seasons), THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT WENT TO SEE... (six London seasons, co-written with Sheila Ruskin), THE SELFISH SHELLFISH, THE SEE-SAW TREE, SAVE THE HUMAN (from the story he wrote with cartoonist Tony Husband), THE IDEAL GNOME EXPEDITION and THE PLOTTERS OF CABBAGE PATCH CORNER.
His stage adaptations of well-known books include Dick King-Smith's BABE THE SHEEP-PIG, Roald Dahl's THE BFG and THE WITCHES (both of which played long tours and two West End seasons), THE TWITS, JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH and FANTASTIC MR FOX, DANNY THE CHAMPION OF THE WORLD and GEORGE’S MARVELLOUS MEDICINE, HRH The Prince of Wales' THE OLD MAN OF LOCHNAGAR, Michael Foreman's DINOSAURS AND ALL THAT RUBBISH, Helen Nicoll and Jan Pienkowski's MEG AND MOG SHOW (five London seasons for Unicorn Theatre), Philippa Pearce's TOM'S MIDNIGHT GARDEN (which Unicorn Theatre played on tour, in the West End and on Broadway) and Judith Kerr’s THE TIGER WHO CAME TO TEA.
He was dubbed 'the national children's dramatist' by Irving Wardle in The Times and published, to rave reviews, THEATRE FOR CHILDREN: GUIDE TO WRITING, ADAPTING, DIRECTING AND ACTING (Faber), co-written with Janet Grant, which has become required reading on the subject in the UK and the US, and is now published in China.
He directed many of his plays for his own company, Whirligig Theatre (founded with John Gould in 1979), which for 25 years toured to major theatres nationwide include Sadler's Wells in London.
Film screenplays include SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS and BACK HOME, which won a gold award at the New York Film and TV Festival 1991. Writing for television includes the series CHIPS' COMIC, CHISH 'N' FIPS and THE GINGERBREAD MAN; and TIDE RACE, his filmed drama for Central Television and the European Broadcasting Union, has won several international awards.
For BBC Radio 4 he adapted Arthur Ransome's SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS.
He also writes children's books; with Richard Fowler he has co-created novelty books including BEDTIME STORY, MOLE'S SUMMER STORY, MOLE'S WINTER STORY, SILLY SPIDER, THE MAGIC SHOW, FUNNY BUNNY'S MAGIC SHOW and THE TOY CUPBOARD. He wrote THE PHANTOM CAT OF THE OPERA (illustrated by Peters Day).
David Wood has followed a parallel career as an actor, best remembered as Johnny in Lindsay Anderson's cult film IF... He is married to Jacqueline Stanbury; they have two grown-up daughters, Katherine and Rebecca.
In 2004 he was awarded an OBE for services to literature and drama in the Queen's birthday honours.
In 2006 he wrote THE QUEEN’S HANDBAG, a play to celebrate the Queen’s 80th birthday. It was performed by an all-star cast in Buckingham Palace Gardens at the Children’s Party at the Palace, and seen live on BBC 1 by 8,000,000 television viewers.
from http://www.davidwood.org.uk/all_about...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
July 25, 2022
I really enjoyed Wes Andersons adaption of this novel so I figured I would read the book and see what I think. If I am being completely honest I had no idea it was a novel until TJ posted it on here as reading it.
It was a good book and I highly recommend the movie.
It was a good book and I highly recommend the movie.
June 16, 2024
Þetta var mjög góð bók las hana í skotlandi 😀
February 1, 2024
This book was fast-paced and the action kept things moving. My 9yo loved the sneaky fox for his wit and proclaimed this one of her favorite books. I had other thoughts. As is found in many of Roald Dahl's books, there was quite a bit of name calling (both by the narrator in the descriptions or the characters, and by the characters when referring to each other). I also didn't feel like any of the characters ever really changed much if any and there wasn't a lesson learned. The fox was a sneaky fox, the farmers stayed angry holding their grudges, nobody had any different perspective at the end of the book than they'd had at the beginning. It kept the kids entertained, but it was definitely not "quality" reading.
November 12, 2021
The kids thought this book was hilarious.
January 11, 2023
Good book for kids
September 22, 2022
De los poquísimos casos en que prefiero la adaptación al libro :')
March 25, 2024
I think you would like this book if you like reading about animals that are trying not to be killed by mad, fat,lean and short farmers. I think you should read the Roald Dahl collection.
March 19, 2021
Fabulous book by an amazing author. Definite must read to share with primary grade-middle grade children.
February 18, 2025
It’s good book
August 26, 2021
I think this book is so funny.Because the three farmers are too persistent.But Mr fox is clever.I want to know are the three farmer wait forever,
August 26, 2025
Is your book fiction or non-fiction? fiction
What is the book about?The book was about a fox and his family who every night stole food from 3 farmers and one day farmers start digging where mr. fox lived and the fox family started digging so that farmers didn’t get them and then they stopped ‘cause they were starving so mr. fox had a plan he dug and found where one of the farmers had his chickens then they found a badger and a rabbit and a weasel and a mole so he invited them to his feast then he found where the other farmer had his ducks and geese so he gave them to her wife to prepare the feast and finally they got cider from the last farmer and then the had his feast and lived happily in the hole.
What's your opinion on the book? What did you like it? What did you not like? the book is super funny but I didn't like when one of the farmers said ''dang and blast'' because cursing is bad
Did the book change you or helped you grow? How? no because I think it's funny but it only teaches me to be responsible and help others
Who would you recommend this book to? Why? to people who like roald Dahl's books
What is the book about?The book was about a fox and his family who every night stole food from 3 farmers and one day farmers start digging where mr. fox lived and the fox family started digging so that farmers didn’t get them and then they stopped ‘cause they were starving so mr. fox had a plan he dug and found where one of the farmers had his chickens then they found a badger and a rabbit and a weasel and a mole so he invited them to his feast then he found where the other farmer had his ducks and geese so he gave them to her wife to prepare the feast and finally they got cider from the last farmer and then the had his feast and lived happily in the hole.
What's your opinion on the book? What did you like it? What did you not like? the book is super funny but I didn't like when one of the farmers said ''dang and blast'' because cursing is bad
Did the book change you or helped you grow? How? no because I think it's funny but it only teaches me to be responsible and help others
Who would you recommend this book to? Why? to people who like roald Dahl's books
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December 3, 2021This book tells the story of the owners of three farms and the fox family，at the beginning, Mr. Fox was going to a random farm to get some food but the owners of the three farmhouses had expected Mr. Fox to come out to hunt，so three farmers who squatted out of the hole waiting for Mr. Fox，in the middle of the story，Mr. Fox was shot frantically with guns by three farm owners as soon as he got out of the cave. Fortunately, Mr. Fox just lost a tail.The fox family began to run away frantically while the farm owner was digging with an excavator，they dug in this way for four days, but because the farm owner was tired, he decided to wait at the entrance of the cave and wanted to starve the foxes to death.At the end of the story, relying on Mr. Fox’s super high IQ, he took their children to the farm owner’s warehouse and threw a party.The story ends like this
July 7, 2022
I enjoyed this book very much due to the sudden plot twists and challenges that the characters come across in the story SPOILER I also liked how in the end Mr fox and the community of animals secure enough food to rescue them.
June 8, 2025
It was fun. I love a small nibble of entertainment such as this in between lengthy novels.
Mr Fox is cunning, and friendly. A great story for kids. Hoping to be able to write something as entertaining one day.
Mr Fox is cunning, and friendly. A great story for kids. Hoping to be able to write something as entertaining one day.
September 14, 2020
Funny book and the great thing is they get to eat so much.
January 8, 2021
It's a little too political/scary for reading it with the kids
November 10, 2021
Favourite book
September 2, 2022
Definitely would have loved this as a kid. Roald Dahl's imagination is something else.
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November 9, 2022how do you read the books???
February 12, 2023
My favourite Roald Dahl book of all time. The Wes Anderson film of this is good as well.
March 5, 2023
I don't like that Mr. Fox had his tail shot off.
I liked when they got the food.
I liked when they got the food.
July 31, 2023
My third grade students love reading this one. They giggle the whole way and beg to keep reading. Easy to finish in one week..
August 17, 2023
I just love the original!
December 1, 2023
A little late to my annual re-read but this has been one of my favorite books since I was 8 and it's magical every time.
January 15, 2024
HE IS THE FANTASTIC MR FOX! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, this story was very joyful
February 7, 2024
My kids loved it. Begged to keep reading! Ages 3-16 much enjoyed.
March 10, 2024
This was a short and cute read. We read this aloud for our family. My kids liked it a lot! It has traditional gender roles, a nuclear family, and masculine heroics to save the day!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews