Fox Has a Problem

Fox books

by Corey R. Tabor

In his next I Can Read adventure, Fox--the hilarious trickster character featured in Geisel Award winners Fox at Night and Fox the Tiger--learns to solve a problem in an unexpected way.


Fox has a problem: his kite is stuck in a tree! But every clever plan creates even more problems for him - and for all his friends. Can they work together to fix things before it's too late?

Carefully crafted using basic language, word repetition, sight words, and whimsical illustrations, Fox has a Problem is ideal for sharing with your emergent reader. The active, engaging My First I Can Read stories have appealing plots and lovable characters, encouraging children to continue their reading journey. Other Fox books include Fox at Night, Fox Versus Winter, Fox the Tiger, Fox is Late, Fox and the Jumping Contest, and Fox and the Bike Ride.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Humor, Childrens, Fiction, Juvenile, Friendship

32 pages, Hardcover

Published August 1, 2023

About the author

Corey R. Tabor grew up in Wyoming, where he once spent the night in a cave by an underground waterfall. He now lives with his wife in Seattle, where he draws and reads and explores. Please visit him at coreyrtabor.com.

from https://www.readbrightly.com/meet-ill...

Reviews

[DaNae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, perfection! Even if the abilities of vacuum cleaners might be misrepresented.

[Cheriee Weichel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fox has a problem. It's not a new one. When he tries to come up with a solution, he ends up with an even bigger problem. As he keeps trying to fix his last mistake, the results get more and more disastrous and his friends get increasingly cranky. Luckily for him, Elephant has a plan to make everyone happy.
My two youngest granddaughters loved this book so much we ended up reading it again and again.

[Becky B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fox is trying to solve the problem of some kites stuck in trees, but he just keeps creating other new problems. Will the problems never end?

This was hilarious and well deserving of its shiny new Geisel Medal. The pattern of the story feels somewhat like a play on the Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly or Stuck by Jeffers but in an utterly original twist. Gotta give props to Fox and the other animals for creative problem solving!

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fox is brilliant!

[Ms. Arca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute. A lot like “Stuck” by Jeffers.

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Free from the Family Resources Fair | Good word repetition and lots of opportunity for littles to laugh and be engaged (the noises, for example), though I somehow was expecting one more sentence at the end, it felt open.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute. Fox keeps losing kites in the trees. Each solution Fox comes up with causes a problem for another animal. Can an acceptable solution be found before the animals decide the problem is fox?

Winner of the Theodore Geisel Award.

[Alo Gaytan-Arroyo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to follow along to this book, great starter books for k-2nd graders. The art style is used throughout the pages. If I were to use this book in my future classroom I would mention how Fox seems to make mistakes. But that it is okay because at the end that mistake was mixed, but unfortunately the other characters got really upset at him.
Copyright Date: 2023
Award Book Won: Geisel Award

[Michelle Tuite · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading 2024
Book 154: Fox Has a Problem by Corey R. Tabor, A Letter for Bob by Kim Rogers, There Was a Party for Langston by Jason Reynolds

Reviewing three books together since they are short, and I read them to do some research for purchase.

Synopsis:
Fox: Fox has a problem: his kite is stuck in a tree! But every clever plan creates even more problems for him - and for all his friends. Can they work together to fix things before it's too late?

Bob: With humor and heart, and brought to life by Jonathan Nelson’s warm, distinctive artwork, Kim Rogers’s A Letter for Bob celebrates the treasured cars that carry us through our most meaningful childhood moments.

Langston: New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Jason Reynolds’s debut picture book is a snappy, joyous ode to Word King, literary genius, and glass-ceiling smasher Langston Hughes and the luminaries he inspired.

Reviews:
Fox: Was looking for a cute easy reader book for a burgeoning reader. I liked this one with the fun illustrations. Reminded me a bit of Winne the Pooh. 4⭐️.

Bob: This picture book was something my kids would have enjoyed as we transitioned from one minivan to the next. I remember my son being very attached to our green van. 4⭐️.

Langston: Jason Reynolds writes a book, I need to read it. Loved his foray into the picture book scene, and his lyrical writing made itself evident in this book. It was all brought to life with the great illustrations as well. My rating 4.5⭐️.

[John Mullarkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fox certainly has his share of problems to fix - and the solutions? They seem to make it all much worse until Fox's friends have had enough; it takes Elephant to figure out a solution that makes everyone happy. This all sounds simple enough and nothing we have not read before; but wait - this is all hilarious! Corey Tabor has created a story that emerging readers and older ones - as well as adults will want to read again and again. Fox's problem solving ingenuity comes right out of the Loony Tunes or Tex Avery playbook. The wordplay also adds to, and builds the humor with simple sentences and repetition; the concept of problem and solution can also come into play albeit most solutions are simply: very funny. The artwork is reminiscent of classic animation as it generates a sense of movement as well as humor. This is a part of a series that young readers will truly enjoy.

[Kamryn Duritza · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book it has a good cover page, great illustrators, and a good storyline. I just would not like this book personally in my classroom library to read and work with the students. I believe it would be a good book to have the students silent read or partner read but not as a whole group instruction. I love the I Can Read books but they are only good for beginning readers because then others start to get bored with them, so if I had an advanced student this would not intrigued them. I do like the use of teamwork and friendship that occurs in the main plot of this story, it is a good book for individual students to read. I also like that it is a first in the series so students can continue reading on throughout them once they master the first one.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

First sentence: Fox has a problem. It is not a new problem. But Fox has an idea. A big idea.

Premise/plot: Fox's problem changes throughout this new early reader by Corey R. Tabor. His problem? His kite--one of many kites--is stuck in a tree. A problem sure enough, but is his solution a true solution? Maybe. Maybe not. Is Fox smart enough to find a true solution? Maybe. Maybe not. But with a little help from his friends, all of his problems might find solutions...

My thoughts: I laughed out loud. I'm not lying. I laughed so hard when reading this one. It was such a DELIGHT. There are more in the series that I am excited to read now. I loved, loved, loved it.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part of a simple and entertaining series of easy readers about Fox. In this installment, Fox's problem relates to kites stuck in trees, and every time he solves his problem he creates a new problem for someone else. The text is boiled away to the most basic, repetitive words, and the illustrations carry a lot of the storytelling details, making this perfect for learning readers.

It takes some teamwork and problem solving to get to a point where the animals have solved the various problems and are able to enjoy themselves, but we get there in the end.

[LaShonda Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is about a Fox that has a problem: It is his kite that is stuck in a tree! But with every clever plan creates even more problems for him and getting his kite out of this tree. And for all his friends they all can they work together to fix things before it’s too late? The illustration of the pages of this book is really simple but really illustrated very well throughout the book. And these easy to understand and easy to read books, will give new reader the confidence that she or he may need to maybe enjoy this endearing but soothed problem-solving fox to help rescue his red kite.

[Maria Rowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

• 2024 Geisel Winner •

Very charming and funny! Fox has a problem but just seems to make it worse and worse. But when he and his friends work together, they are able to fix the problem. I like how he tried to create a solution on his own first, but the book also shows that sometimes a group working together can be helpful. Lovely, gentle illustrations.

Materials used: “The artist used pencil, colored pencil, and watercolor, assembled digitally, to create the illustrations for this book.”

Typeface used: text: unlisted; display: hand lettering by Alexandra Snowdon

[Kirsten Caldwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tabor is at it again with another installation to his Fox books. Fox encounters a series of problems and as he works to fix them, he causes new problems for his friends along the way. The words on each page are simple and some pages don't have any words at all. The newest of readers will feel confident that they understood the story even without a strong reading foundation. I loved this read and this book is just as good as Tabor's other titles.

[Karen Kline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oops! Fox seems to enjoy flying kites, and there is another one caught up in a tree...along with many more. One solution is to blow it out of the tree with a very big fan, but that creates another problem. Kids will love this easy reader that shows how one thing leads to another. The art adds info needed to appreciate the story, and readers will want to go back and study the pictures and reread. Just what we want to inspire in developing readers!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very early easy readers that are also very interesting is very hard to do, yet this nails it. Beginning readers will enjoy it because they only have to read a few, repeated words, yet they will have fun with the humor as a lot of the story is told in pictures. But this would also work for a storytime about kites, or foxes, or persistence, or even friends. You could even pair this with "My Friend Rabbit" because they both involve retrieving things stuck in trees by stacking animals.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

2024 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award
for the most distinguished beginning reader book:
-“Fox Has a Problem” written and illustrated by Corey R. Tabor.
Fox comes up with an idea to solve his problem, but it causes a problem for bear. Fox ‘s solution to bear’s problem makes a huge problem for rabbit. Fox has a sharp idea to solve that. All the animals have a fox problem, but elephant has a solution that makes all the animals happy.

[Ellon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars (I really liked it)

It's that time of year where all the ALA Youth Media winners and honors I put on hold came in at the library...

This book won the Geisel award and I can see why. It's super cute, has short phrases, and lots of repetition for beginning readers.

I like that the book encourages problem solving and working together. It's not my favorite beginning reader though (which is why I feel like I'm in the minority for giving it 4 stars instead of 5...)

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Fox Has a Problem to a couple of my kindergarten classes and all of my first-grade classes. The story is so simple and engaging. I loved having the students vote (thumbs up or thumbs down) on whether fox's ideas were going to work. And I made a coloring page where they could draw their own solution to getting the kite out of the tree. This was a big hit and I will absolutely be using it for a library lesson each school year.

[Kara Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book's art style! It was also a funny read. The text was simple and let the art shine and take center stage. The main character, Fox gets his kite stuck in a tree. His problem then leads to a sequence of troubles as he tries to get his kite down. From flooding a bear's cave to getting all the kites stuck on the tree, there were a lot of problems. This book teaches children that working together can fix a problem. Super cute!

[Isabella Beato · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book teaches a good lesson on how to problem solve and to never give up on your problems. The fox in the book goes through challenges and seeks help from people to figure out how to solve the problem he has. This story also teaches how to deal with emotions and feeling you make be going through. I also enjoy the simplicity of the illustrations of this book to allow the writing to add more to the drawings.

[Janet Squires · Rating 5 out of 5]

Follow Fox as he tries devise a plan to get his kite out of a tree. In the process, Fox’s problems go from bad to worse. Not only do his solutions fail, they create bigger problems for his friends—until at last, they all band together to save the kite!

Short, three-to-five-word sentences and simple vocabulary paired with action-packed illustrations makes this an appealing first reader.

Recommended for beginning readers.

[BobbiJo Emmett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fox Has a Problem by Corey R. Tabor is a charming story about problem-solving and perseverance. As a future teacher, I love how it teaches young readers the importance of facing challenges and thinking creatively. The illustrations are adorable, and the simple text makes it perfect for early readers. While the book is enjoyable and educational, the pacing feels a bit slow in parts. Overall, it’s a great addition to a classroom library.

[Jonelle McIntyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fox Has a Problem was a good book. Short, punchy, and easy to follow. My niece recognized a lot of her “frequency words” that she’s been learning in kindergarten and was almost able to read it on her own. She even made some inferences as we went along. I read it to her in a “read-aloud” format, asking questions before, during, and after the story. It was a cute story about friendship and perseverance in its own way, and it really engaged her while still supporting her reading skills.

[Themountainbookie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really tells a story! Some early readers just practice reading words on a page. I did not find that with this book. The illustrations are captivating. The book does a lot of showing without telling. Fox with his problem teaches kids about cause and effect. I laughed at fox too! Great early reader.

[Amy Goldstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had to read this as it was on Betsy Bird's humorous book list 2023. Corey R. Tabor is one of those authors that can do simple so effectively (think Mo Willems, Kevin Henkes). The illustrations provide perfect hyperbole problems that the animals in the forest encouter. And each time, Fox comes up with plausible and ridiculous solutions!
Can't wait to read this to the kiddos!

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fox has a problem, and he gets a big idea on how to solve it. But his big idea leads to another problem for someone else, and the cycle repeats. Will fox ever get a solution to his problem and all the other ones he's created?

I'm impressed how this short simple read could pack so much humor in ways that I didn't expect. This is a good bood to talk about problem solving and teamwork.

[Katie Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

What Corey R. Tabor is able to do in these little fox books is indescribably impressive to me. He's a genius! Funny, heartwarming, detailed illustrations, simple words. I'm not surprised in the least that he won the Geisel for this book, his third for a fox book. Keep it up Corey, thank you for these wonderful books for our youngest readers!