Flossie and the Fox (Hardcover)

~ Patricia McKissack (Author), Rachel Isadora (Illustrator) "FLO-O-O-OSSIE!" The sound of Big Mama's voice floated past the cabins in Sophie's Quarters, round the smokehouse, beyond the chicken coop, all the way down..." (more)
Key Phrases: Big Mama, Miz Viola

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Flossie carefully stores her straw doll in a hollow tree stump when Big Mama calls her away from play. She wants Flossie to deliver eggs to "Miz Viola over at the McCutchin Place. Seem like they been troubled by a fox. Miz Viola's chickens be so scared, they can't even now lay a stone." Flossie has never seen a fox, but sets off through the shady, cool woods. When she meets the fox, she doesn't recognize him, and so introduces herself. He identifies himself, but Flossie doesn't believe him. He points out his thick fur. "Feels like rabbit fur to me," Flossie replies. "You a rabbit." The fox notes his long pointed nose, and Flossie decides that rats have similar noses. "You a rat trying to pass yo'self off as a fox." The fox desperately tries to persuade Flossie of his identity. She just keeps walking, until they are in the road, where the McCutchin hounds are ready to pounce on the fox. "The hounds know who I am!" the fox cries. "I know," says Flossie. Her eggs are safe, and the little girl has outfoxed the "ol' confidencer." This is a sly tale, richly evoked by both Isadora's lavish paintings and the storyteller's dialect.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3 McKissack recounts this story which was told to her as a child by her grandfather. Flossie is a young black girl who lives with her grandmother in the rural south. When Big Mama sends Flossie to deliver a basket of eggs to a neighbor, she cautions her to be careful of the fox who had been frightening the chickens and stealing their eggs. To Flossie's "How do a fox look?," Big Mama responds that "A fox be just a fox." Having no idea what this means, Flossie sets out on her mission through a wooded area, where she is greeted by the fox. As he tries to convince her that he is to be feared, she refutes him by insisting that he prove who he is. To readers' delight, the frustrated fox fails every attempt. Fox' final confrontation with a fierce dog saves the day for Flossie, who proves herself to be more cunning than the fox. The watercolor and ink illustrations, with realistic figures set on impressionistic backgrounds, enliven this humorous and well-structured story which is told in the black language of the rural south. The language is true, and the illustrations are marvelously complementary in their interpretation of the events. This spirited little girl will capture readers from the beginning, and they'll adore her by the end of this delightful story. Helen E. Williams, University of Maryland, College Park
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dial; Later Printing edition (October 30, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803702507
• ISBN-13: 978-0803702509
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #254,562 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Story, January 19, 2000

By	CaroleAnn Greene (Hiram, Ga) - See all my reviews

This has become my favorite children's book! I bought it for my "almost" three yr old son and he was captivated by the story and the beautiful pictures. Flossie is so innocently sly! She will not be out-witted by some ol' fox! The idea that this regal creature is being insulted by a mere child is absurd to him, yet he can't get past his own ego to see he is being out-foxed! I adored everything about this book.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Meet the smartest and bravest little girl in children's lit., September 2, 2001

By	"bluemamma" (San Luis Obispo, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Flossie Finley, the smart and feisty heroine of this book is one of my favorite characters in all of childrenÕs literature. The story is an African American variation on Little Red Riding Hood, but Flossie is no wide-eyed innocent who has to be saved in the end by the big, brave woodcutter. She can save herself, thank you very much. The way she tricks the fox who wants to devour her basket of eggs is delightful. Every little girl (and probably every boy as well) ought to be introduced to this brave and resourceful child.

And Flossie is not the only great thing about this book. Patricia McKissack based it on a story her grandfather told her and she tried to reproduce the way he told it, in "the rich and colorful dialect of the rural south." The language is lovely, musical and poetic Ð a joy to read aloud. And the illustrations are equally gorgeous. The pictures of sun-dappled wood remind me of Impressionist paintings.

Great story, great writing, great pictures, great character Ð this is one of the best childrenÕs books IÕve ever read.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Flossie and THe Fox, a winner with the children, September 20, 2000

By	Andrea Rose (Buena Park, Ca USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Flossie & the Fox (Hb327) (Hardcover)

Flossie And The Fox is a story that is absolutly loved by my children, one you will be asked to read again and agian. When flosie is asked to run an errand for her grandmother, the curios girl runs into a fox on her way, yet not the typical fox. In order to keep her eggs from being eaten she must keep the fox's mind of those eggs. Through her journey in the woods she is able to use her qaint childlike cleverness to entertain the foxes ego. Great story! Brilliant plot! Should be made into a movie! Exellent anti bias story as well, flossie speaks as a young african american girl would growing up in the country in Tennese, The fox uses proper Engish, and the narrator uses the language of the day. Highly recomended!