A hungry fox comes up with a brilliant plan; he’ll steal some eggs and finally have a delicious chicken meal! But when the chicks hatch, he ends up being their mother instead of eating them.
This is pretty much the plot of 90% of kids’ picture books about chickens and foxes. But Benjamin Renner brings a whole different perspective to the story. A French cartoonist and animator, Renner may be familiar to animation fans as creator of the lovely Ernest and Celestine film based on the picture books of the same name. He brings his watercolor skills and comedic timing to this classic plot making it both humorous and poignant.
The fox is a loser. He can’t catch a chicken, even though the farm dog is as useless as he is. He lives on turnips from the pig, who feels sorry for him. Even with help from the big bad wolf he can’t be scary; he’s just pathetic. When the wolf suggests stealing eggs, it takes the fox a few minutes to figure out the plan, but once he gets it he is ready to go! A few catastrophes later, he’s got three eggs in his burrow and is ready to hatch them and have a feast (with the wolf of course). But things aren’t so easy. Once they’ve hatched, the chicks quickly gain the upper hand (remember, the fox is a total loser) and he finds himself, with, well, not feelings because foxes don’t do that and he’s mean and scary and so hungry but… can he really eat the chicks in the end? More to the point, will the big bad wolf eat them with or without the fox’s cooperation?
There is a hilarious side plot with the chicken’s anger at the useless guard dog when she loses her eggs and the upheaval in the farm yard when the chickens take over. The final resolution to the story is both funny and touching.
Instead of traditional comic panels, Renner’s story is presented in individual spot art, usually shown as discussions between two animals and occasional larger scenes. The traditional pop-eyed cartoon eyes are used to great effect, showing the hapless fox’s wild emotions and how overwhelmed he is by everything. The long-nosed wolf is a menacing creature, suspicious of the fox but knowing he needs his help to get his paws on some actual chickens. And those chickens… they’re more than just balls of fluff, with definite personalities (and a mean wing with a stick). The story moves through the seasons, showing a green forest, softly shaded blue nights, and chilly fall days.
French comic readers will instantly recognize the conventions of this story, from the philosophical musings to the exclamatory text. One moment the fox is getting whacked with a stick, the next he’s musing on his feelings for the chicks and how much he wants to be the Big Bad Fox of stories. While the story might not immediately click with kids, they’ll pick up on the humor and catch up on the philosophy later.
Readers who enjoy looney humor like Burks’ Bird and Squirrel and comic strip collections will appreciate this quirky comic story.
The Big Bad Fox
by Benjamin Renner
ISBN: 9781626723313
First Second, 2017
Publisher Age Rating: 7-11
