Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl

Summary (actually by me, for once):  You might already be familiar with this story if you've seen the movie *and more about that in a moment*.   According to the back of my book, this is "Concerning the extraordinary adventures of three nasty farmers, two curious creatures, a family of foxes and our hero..."    The three nasty farmer, Boggis, Bunce, and Bean, are determined to destroy Mr. Fox after discovering that Mr. Fox has been stealing from their storehouses.   Bean comes up with an idea to dig out Mr. Fox, destroying the Fox home and forcing the Fox family to run for their lives.   Question is: how long can the foxes, and other animals, survive against the three farmers?

And here's what I thought:   I chose this book as the first one to write about for my "Dahlathon" celebration in September.   I don't remember if this was the first of Dahl's books that I read as a child, but it was always one of my favorites.   Dahl writes this book for children, but I think that his sly, clever humor can also really be appreciated by adults.   The story is fairly simple:  animals versus humans. 

  Let's start with the humans.  Boggis, Bunce and Bean are all pretty awful; in fact, right at the beginning, we learn, "All three of them were about as nasty and mean as any men you could meet."   Boggis, a chicken farmer, eats nothing but chickens all day.  Bean raises turkeys and has apple orchards and exists on nothing but hard cider (which, I have to admit, I actually enjoy quite a bit -- although the idea of cider and nothing else is not appealing).  Bunce raises ducks and geese and -- get this --- eats nothing but doughnuts stuffed with goose livers.   Ugh!   Dahl really seems to delight in the disgusting, but this was the kind of thing that as a child, I found wonderfully icky.     And, it makes it really easy to despise these farmers right off the bat.

So let's move on to the animals, shall we?   Mr. Fox, is "a fantastic fellow."  He's clever, and creative, and a family man, determined to protect his family against the horrifying farmers.   And...he's a thief.   This has never bothered me, as I always knew that foxes, as wild animals, would steal chickens.   I suppose I always figured it was in Mr. Fox' nature, and since he didn't seem overtly greedy in this story (only taking enough to feed his family), I never thought of him as being despicable, himself.   And really, he's quite charming -- and a natty dresser (see illustrations).     


The other supporting animal characters include Badger, who is respectable and kind (and a great digger), and Rat, who's a despicable twerp.   


The story is rather short, and I don't want to give anything away --- but suffice to say, it's clear that Mr. Fox is much cleverer than the farmers.    Dahl does a nice job of making Mr. Fox a fully realized character, and one that the reader sides with.   The illustrations, as well, really lend something special to the story.  In my book, a Bantam edition from 1978, the illustrations are the original ones, by Donald Chaffin.  I've included two pictures in this post to show you just how natty he makes Mr. Fox look, but all of the illustrations really make the story come alive.  I have always loved all of the little details he includes, and how realistic they were (well, as realistic as a fox in knickers could be).    


And a quick word about the new-ish film that was made out of this story.  I watched it over this last weekend, and while I thought it was okay, I really wasn't that wild about it.   Because the book is so short, the film had to expand the story --- but there were some parts I thought were a little excessive.  I also thought it was interesting that the movie borrowed something from one of Dahl's other stories, Danny The Champion of the World (it's the thing about blueberries and beagles ---- more on that when I post about Danny).   In the film, I thought Mr. Fox was actually a little obnoxious; he was sometimes pretty rude, especially to the others around him, and frankly, I just didn't find him very charming.   I had been curious to see what the movie was going to be like, but I don't think I'll watch it again --- I'll just stick to this wonderful book!

Teaser Tuesday!!!

Welcome back, everyone, after a long weekend!!!    Personally, I could use another day or two.....

So, here we are at Teaser Tuesday ---- Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by the wonderful MizB of Should be Reading and it asks us to...

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers

This week's teaser comes from one of my favorite books from Roald Dahl:  Danny, The Champion of the World (which I'm re-reading for my celebration of Roald Dahl month).

And actually, it's three sentences today: "Captain Lancaster was a violent man, and we were all terrified of him.  He used to sit at his desk stroking his carrotty moustache and watching us with pale watery-blue eyes, searching for trouble.  And as he sat there, he would make queer snuffling grunts through his nose, like some dog sniffing around a rabbit hole."   p. 103

Enjoy your Tuesday, everyone!

Cleo: The Cat who mended a family by Helen Brown

Summary (modified from GoodReads):  Helen Brown wasn't a cat person, but her nine-year-old son Sam was. So when Sam heard a woman telling his mum that her cat had just had kittens, Sam pleaded to go and see them.    Helen's heart melted as Sam held one of the kittens in his hands with a look of total adoration. In a trice the deal was done - the kitten would be delivered when she was big enough to leave her mother.    

And then something awful happens to this family the week before Cleo arrives at their door.   By the time Cleo arrives, Helen has forgotten all about the fact that she had agreed to take Cleo, and now has to figure out what to do.
And here's what I thought:  This was one of those wonderful stories that would have me laughing out loud at something one moment, and getting choked up five minutes later.   I'm not going to tell you what the awful thing is --- sorry, but you'll have to discover it for yourself, just like I did.  What I will tell you is that this is a great, uplifting story.   It wasn't always easy to get through some parts, but the author has such an easygoing writing style, and the pace was so even, that I would just keep reading and reading.    Brown also writes in a very descriptive and thoughtful way, whether it's something very funny, or something that she's reflecting upon.   For example, on page 42, her description of her rubber plant: "With its big waxy leaves it had an indestructible, vaguely humorless presence.  Like an unwelcome guest at a dinner party, it eavesdropped on every conversation and contributed little in return except, perhaps, when it was in the mood, oxygen."   And then Cleo discovers the rubber plant.   Let's just say -- this was one of the parts that had me laughing to myself (and being very glad that I was alone, at home, while I was reading). 

I don't want to say too much about this book, because I don't want to reveal too much.   However, you'd be correct to assume that Cleo really helps this family through a very difficult time.   There are very heartwarming parts to this story, and I don't believe a reader needs to be a cat person to enjoy it.   I think any animal lover will warm to this book (although people who know cats might have a bit of a leg up on understanding some of Cleo's behavior), but you don't need to be an animal lover to enjoy the story of this family.   I enjoyed this book so much that I looked up the author's website, and proceeded to read a bunch of her columns (which were also good reads).    So, if you're looking for a thoughtful, heartwarming story, I'd definitely encourage you to pick up this book.

And a few final thoughts:  I will admit that I don't know if I am a cat person.   While I do find them interesting, and cute (or just plain beautiful), I did not grow up with any cats, and right now, can't have a cat (husband is quite allergic to cat saliva -- this means he can't touch one, and I can't touch one, and then touch him).  However, not having any history with cats didn't stand in the way of me really responding to this book.  I do consider myself an animal person in general (grew up with a dog, and currently share the house with 4 rabbits), so that might have made parts of the story really resonate with me a bit more than it might with a non-animal person.


This book will be available in September, 2010 in paperback.  The copy I've reviewed here is an Advanced Reading Copy, so any page numbers referred to here may change when the book is in final publication.

Disclosure:  This book was sent to me by the publisher, in exchange for a review.  I did not ask for, or receive, any monetary compensation for this review. 

A new idea for September.....

I've apparently fallen into the somewhat sticky morass of ..... uninspired reading.    I had whipped my way through Hunger Games, surged through Catching Fire, and then gulped down Mockingjay (in one day, would you believe)*.   Caught my breath and then... became uninspired by what else I had in my library bag.   Oh sure, I had books, but none of them seemed to quite fit was I was feeling like reading.

But I came across something today that caught my attention -- and even though it's for kids aged 7-13, I said to myself, what the hell?   and who cares if I'm not 13 anymore, anyway?    

The folks over at Penguin have announced that September is Roald Dahl Month and they have a reading challenge (for the age group mentioned above).    I've always enjoyed Roald Dahl's books, and own several of them, so I thought this might be what I need to get my reading jump-started again.     I had also planned on reading a book or two on the "banned" list, so that should make for an interesting mix.     

Stay tuned for Roald Dahl in the days to come!!

*  and yes, I did completely love Mockingjay and couldn't even talk about it for a day or so after I finished it because I just had to digest it.  

Teaser Tuesday

Thank goodness for Teaser Tuesday to get me back on track!!!    Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading and it asks us to...

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week, my teaser comes from a book I just got from the library:  The White Queen by Philippa Gregory.  It's a bit different from my usual reads, but I've always enjoyed Antonia Fraser's nonfiction books, so I thought I'd try a bit of historical fiction.

" 'I hope your husband will do it,' my mother says bluntly.  'For the only way to make the English throne safe is to hold a pillow on his face and help him to lasting sleep.' "    p. 180

Other by Karen Kincy

Summary (courtesy of GoodReads):  Seventeen-year-old Gwen hides a dangerous secret: she’s Other. Half-pooka, to be exact, thanks to the father she never met. Most Americans don’t exactly roll out the welcome mat for Others, especially not the small-town folks of Klikamuks, Washington. As if this isn’t bad enough, Gwen’s on the brink of revealing her true identity to her long-time boyfriend, Zack, but she’s scared he’ll lump her with the likes of bloodthirsty vampires and feral werewolves.

When a pack of werewolves chooses the national forest behind Gwen’s home as their new territory, the tensions in Klikamuks escalate-into murder. It soon becomes clear a serial killer is methodically slaying Others. The police turn a blind eye, leaving Gwen to find the killer before the killer finds her. As she hunts for clues, she uncovers more Others living nearby than she ever expected. Like Tavian, a sexy Japanese fox-spirit who rivals Zack and challenges her to embrace her Otherness. Gwen must struggle with her own conflicted identity, learn who she can trust, and-most importantly-stay alive. 

And here's what I thought:  I thought this was the perfect blend of paranormal thriller, mixed with a little bit of romance.   I liked how Kincy gave me character that I really liked, and actually would like to have as a friend (even though I would envy her shapeshifting abilities).  Gwen's sometimes a little impulsive, and sometimes a little conflicted about her Otherness, but she seemed real as a character (meaning, she wasn't flawless).  I appreciated that while she enjoyed her half-Pooka side, she also struggled with how to embrace that part of herself while at the same time, trying to fit in with the people around her.  


Supporting characters weren't bad, either.   Gwen's boyfriend, Zack, seemed at first a little too good to be true.... and then I thought he was a pill.   But, he actually seemed to get a little better towards the end of the book.   Tavian is the real gem here.  He's smart and funny, and doesn't worry about being who he is; he's comfortable with himself --- and that's very attractive.  Plus, the way Kincy writes him, he sounds pretty cute. 

There's some mystery in this book (as evidenced by the mention of murder above), and there's some real danger that Gwen encounters with some really nasty guys in town.   In the last part of the book, I found I was getting really worried for Gwen and Tavian.....     and that's all I'm saying.   You know, I try to avoid spoilers.   What I will say is that this was a fun read, but it had some depth to it.  I liked how Kincy worked things like dryads, and werewolves, into this story, and made all of the Others a realistic part of Gwen's world.  Very cool.  

Where I got this book:  Library!

Hoppin'

We have reached Friday, which means it's time for another book blogger hop!!!!!   Jennifer over at Crazy for Books hosts this every week, and it seems to keep getting bigger!  Good thing it runs Friday - Monday, because it gives me a chance to go around and visit -- and discover new blogs!!! 

This week's question is:   Do you use a rating system for your reviews and if so, what is it, and why?

I don't use a rating system.   When I first started this blog, I just wanted to share my thoughts about what I was reading --- I didn't even think about rating the books.   I still don't know if this is something I want to do.   I know it's a little more work to actually read through my posts, instead of just looking for a rating, but I read through reviews even if there's a rating at the end (I don't just skip to the rating).   

Happy Hopping, everyone !!!