Customer Reviews

What's the Hurry, Fox?: And Other Animal Stories

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Joyce Carol Thomas proves that classics can be fun in her adaptation of Zora Neale Hurston stories in WHAT'S THE HURRY, FOX? AND OTHER ANIMAL STORIES. The book contains a sampling of tales included in Hurston's Every Tongue Got To Confess. In addition to the title story, some of the collection includes "Why Buzzard Has No Home," "Why the Waves Have Whitecaps," and "Why Donkey Has Long Ears."

Collier's illustrations lend themselves to the folksy theme throughout the book. I particularly enjoyed the fact that each stories illustrations have their own unique look and style. The stories in the collection are diverse, some will make you laugh out loud and others will make you say "hmmmm." WHAT'S THE HURRY, FOX? is a terrific, child-friendly introduction to a very important American literary figure.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

What's The Hurry, Fox?: And Other Animal Stories, Collected by Zora Neale Hurston, Adapted By Joyce Carol Thomas, Illustrated by Bryan Collier

Why do dogs hate cats? Why do waves have whitecaps? Why is the fox in a hurry?

What's the Hurry, Fox? is a delightful and humorous picture book of porquoi tales. In the introduction to these tales, acclaimed children's author, Joyce Carol Thomas tells her young readers that the rich words in these stories, which were collected by Zora Neale Hurston in the 1930s, fell like "diamonds from the mouths of poor people." Thomas has skillfully and beautifully adapted these jewels so that any child who reads them will be both tickled and enchanted. Zora Neale Hurston, according to Thomas "willed us a legacy of laughter." Joyce Carol Thomas, in her own unique and signature way has adapted these stories "for a child's eye and ear." Additionally, the rich collages of Bryan Collier capture the spirit of rural storytelling tradition. What's the Hurry, Fox?: And Other Animal Stories should be in every child's library.