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The Dingle Ridge Fox, and Other Stories
A collection of short stories about a variety of animals and their relationship with each other and with humans.
- GenresAnimalsShort Stories
122 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 10, 2019
I'm not normally a fan of short stories, but I would read every single one of these as a full length novel while absolutely adoring them at exactly the size they are. The fifth story (Kelly) is super sad, as wartime stories often are, but the rest are great. In particular, I cried a bucket of happy tears at Randy the ramblin' retriever, just looking for the person who needed him most, who turned out to be a . The collection also includes Jamie, barn cat loyal to a favorite horse; Paragon, a close read of a day at a horse show; and begins and ends with foxhunting: the first story being from the title character's point of view; the second from a semi-retired horse who escapes his pen to run with the hounds for a day.
December 31, 2020
I really liked this book beacuse it was about animals and it had alot of pictures!! :)
July 6, 2017
This was a beloved favorite of mine when I was a kid that I read over and over, not least because I never grew out of the loving-horses phase and Savitt has several horse stories in here (having owned and ridden them most of his life). They do assume a certain knowledge of horsemanship, though, so be aware.
In reading this as an adult, though, I can't help but notice that this is a helluva bittersweet collection. No story is really happy, in a traditional sense, and several are outright sad. Animals die here, and not even the beautiful illustrations can fix that. I love Savitt's characterizations of animals and easy voice in each of the stories, but damn. I don't have the emotional bank to invest in stories like this right now.
I do recommend it. But perhaps not for kids.
In reading this as an adult, though, I can't help but notice that this is a helluva bittersweet collection. No story is really happy, in a traditional sense, and several are outright sad. Animals die here, and not even the beautiful illustrations can fix that. I love Savitt's characterizations of animals and easy voice in each of the stories, but damn. I don't have the emotional bank to invest in stories like this right now.
I do recommend it. But perhaps not for kids.
April 29, 2009
I loved dog stories growing up, so that extended to foxes as well - and a lot of other wild animals too, of course, but the more canine the better :)
September 21, 2025
I have rarely been so disappointed in a book. Sam Savitt was a great artist, and did write two classic horse books for kids, (and a pretty decent book about a steeplechaser), but this was AWFUL. Dead animals and piss-poor animal keeping all over the place. I would've thought Savitt would've known his market better by 1978 (when this aas first published.)
The only reason this got one star instead of zero stars was for the artwork, which was decent, but for the most part, not up to Savitt's usual high standards. He uses ink wash here instead of his usual pencil or pen and ink illustrations. It makes him look a little like Wesley Dennis at times.
* The Dingle Ridge Fox: It's a typical lie that foxhunting folk tell themselves -- that the fox enjoys being hunted. Savitt, and a lot of his clients, were hunters, so this story seems to be written to appeal to them. Complete tosh -- no animal enjoys being hunted.
* Jamie: I'm not sure if this was a true story, but it's has that sort of flavor. It's about an orange and white cat that becomes friends with a black mare.
* Randy: about a golden retriever puppy owned by a disgusting rich couple. When this was written, it was considered normal to let your dog wander all over the place. Yes -- there were idiots in those days. Randy, acting like no golden retriever ever, breaks many hearts before he settles down.
* Paragon: An 18 year old boy gets to ride the magnificent chestnut Thoroughbred Paragon at a horse show. Things do not go according to plan.
* Kelly: A soldier during WWII takes on a 10 month old German Shephard puppy. Predictably sad ending. Choke chains are used. An American soldier kills another puppy. What the fuck, Savitt?
* La Tour: Another chestnut Thoroughbred story. Another fox hunting story. Jesus fucking Christ.
The only reason this got one star instead of zero stars was for the artwork, which was decent, but for the most part, not up to Savitt's usual high standards. He uses ink wash here instead of his usual pencil or pen and ink illustrations. It makes him look a little like Wesley Dennis at times.
* The Dingle Ridge Fox: It's a typical lie that foxhunting folk tell themselves -- that the fox enjoys being hunted. Savitt, and a lot of his clients, were hunters, so this story seems to be written to appeal to them. Complete tosh -- no animal enjoys being hunted.
* Jamie: I'm not sure if this was a true story, but it's has that sort of flavor. It's about an orange and white cat that becomes friends with a black mare.
* Randy: about a golden retriever puppy owned by a disgusting rich couple. When this was written, it was considered normal to let your dog wander all over the place. Yes -- there were idiots in those days. Randy, acting like no golden retriever ever, breaks many hearts before he settles down.
* Paragon: An 18 year old boy gets to ride the magnificent chestnut Thoroughbred Paragon at a horse show. Things do not go according to plan.
* Kelly: A soldier during WWII takes on a 10 month old German Shephard puppy. Predictably sad ending. Choke chains are used. An American soldier kills another puppy. What the fuck, Savitt?
* La Tour: Another chestnut Thoroughbred story. Another fox hunting story. Jesus fucking Christ.
March 21, 2012
This was a good bok it was really goog
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews