The Party and Other Stories

About the Book

Fox and Chick are friends, even though energetic little Chick rarely pays attention or sits still. Quieter Fox gets exasperated at times but remains kind. Endearing, often hilarious, pastel-colored illustrations and a simple text tell three stories. In the first, Chick interrupts Fox, who’s reading a book, and asks to use his bathroom. After hours have gone by and Chick hasn’t emerged, Fox discovers that Chick is hosting a party and creating a mess. Irritated, Fox evicts the partygoers. As they leave, Chick can be heard to say, “I guess he didn’t mean it when he said I could use the bathroom.” In the next story, Fox gardens and makes vegetarian soup, even though–Chick figures out–some foxes eat little birds. In the final story, Fox tries to paint Chick’s portrait but Chick just can’t sit still.

Why this Book?

I’m amazed at how Ruzzier and other skilled children’s book creators can infuse characters with such distinctive personalities through pictures and a limited amount of text. Here the dynamic between the two protagonists is a familiar one between friends or siblings. Fox is calm and level-headed but understandably gets a bit annoyed. Chick means well but is hyperactive and sometimes oblivious to Fox’s feelings. Still, they have a good time together thanks to Fox’s patience and Chick’s enthusiasm. The text is all dialogue which appears in cartoon bubbles like in a graphic novel. Winner of the Geisel Award for books aimed at beginning readers, this has several similarly charming sequels in the “Fox & Chick” series. A gem.