Fox

Arnold, Caroline; Hewett, Richard

ISBN 10: 0688137296 ISBN 13: 9780688137298

Publisher: William Morrow & Co, 1996

Synopsis

Focusing on the tiny kit fox of North America, a young reader's introduction profiles the fox as one of the smartest predators in the world and describes the regions in which it makes a home.

About this title

About the Author:

African Animals is Caroline Arnold's one hundredth book for children. She writes both fiction and nonfiction on a variety of subjects, including animals, fossils, and sports. In 1994 she was presented with an award from the Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People for her outstanding body of work. She also teaches part-time in the Writers' Program at UCLA Extension. She lives in Los Angeles, California, with her husband, Arthur, a neurobiologist at UCLA. They have two children, Jennifer and Matthew.

In Her Own Words...

"I grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and, until I was ten, lived in a settlement house where my parents worked as social workers. My summers, however, were spent at a small camp in northern Wisconsin, and it was there that I developed my love of animals and the outdoors. I delighted in catching sight of a deer leaping through the underbrush or a porcupine scrambling up a pine tree.

"One of the best things about writing animal books today is that I am able to spEND

a great deal of time in zoos and wildlife parks, watching how animals behave. I also try to observe the animals I write about in their natural habitats. I saw most of the species in African Animals when I spent four months in East Africa.

"Writing allows me to read many books. I was always an avid reader; as a child, I once embarked on a project with my best friEND

to read all the books in the local branch of our public library. I studied art and English at Grinnell College in Iowa and later received my M.A. in art from the University of Iowa.

"When my children were young, I thought I would use my art training to illustrate books for them. I soon realized, however, that I needed stories to illustrate, so I began to write. Both artists and writers must develop a keen sense of observation; they must notice what things look like and how they work. My goal in each of my books is to provide a close-up view of my subject, and I do that by focusing on details.

"I no longer draw. Today, most of my books are illustrated with photographs. I have learned to appreciate the difficulty of getting just the right photo. You can't tell an elephant, "Just turn this way a little more, please."

"I am amazed by the enormous diversity in the natural world and fascinated by the ways in which every creature is adapted to survive. My hope is that if kids fall in love with the animals in my books, as I do when I write about them, they will be concerned for the animals' future and want to do what they can to protect the animals and the places where they live."

From Kirkus Reviews:

Another entry about animals from frequent collaborators (Killer Whale, 1994, etc.), and this one's a gem. A full-color photo essay covers the world of the six fox species found in North America, with special emphasis given to the smallest of these, the kit fox, a clever and resourceful predator who lives in an extremely hostile environment. Details of how kit foxes live are fascinating; Arnold covers their homes, predatory activity, mating, family life, play, and communication. Two final sections deal with the dangers they face in the wild and the much greater danger they and all other fox species face from human beings. A useful index is included but the book's great strengths are its clear, highly informative text, and Hewett's stunning photos of these beautiful animals in their natural habitat, which, alas, is fast disappearing. (Nonfiction. 8-12) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

About this edition

• Publisher: William Morrow & Co
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 0688137296
• ISBN 13: 9780688137298
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 48
• Illustrator: Hewett Richard