Fox & Rabbit: Make Believe is elementary confidence and fun

Brothers and sisters don’t just exist in living beings. There are some books that have their perfect pair. It’s those books that are similar, but not identical, and have the right things in common that fans of either book want to see. If your elementary school reader is not hip to Mr. Wolf’s Class they are missing out. It’s an original graphic novel series on Graphix that is entertaining, builds the reader’s confidence, is on a level that they can easily understand, and doesn’t talk down to them. Fox & Rabbit: Make Believe is the second book in this series by Beth Ferry with illustrations by Gergely Dudas and will strike the same chord of interest in those first through third-grade readers.

The Fox & Rabbit graphic novels are about two best friends. In Make Believe, the two friends have a gentle series of adventures that are easy to follow, yet provide enough happening for those middle-elementary readers to enjoy the story. The art really compliments the story because it manages to capture the high-level scenes of playground chaos and more. The full-page illustrations are reminiscent of Where’s Waldo or those panels from The Family Circus where Billy can be found by following the dotted line.

Make Believe is all about using your imagination and the book’s art has plenty of room to run with this. An open field in autumn becomes an area rich in lava from the volcano in the distance. The slide becomes a floating cloud, complete with a lion to keep them company as they glide over the landscape. It’s those periods of imagination that kids have when they’re in their element and simply letting go with other kids. The stick is a dinosaur bone. That tree on the other side of the park is a dragon and so forth.

There are also subtle, very dry moments of humor that older readers or adults will laugh at in Fox & Rabbit. After an epic imagination play session in the park the two friends, along with a new friend, owl, are greeted by their friend, turtle, who very simply say’s, “What’d I miss”? Kids will realize that after the adventurous chapter that they’ve just read that the turtle has indeed missed quite a lot.

The text is on a level that some second graders will be able to read it by themselves. Third graders who are trying to bulk up their narrative abilities will benefit from the book also because of its illustrations and text.  There are five stories that lead into one another that are roughly 19 pages each. The pacing of the Fox & Rabbit is great because at that length readers can simply read one chapter a night or dig into two if they’re in the mood to read and let their imagination wander.

This is also a great confidence builder for those emerging readers. They’ll be able to spend some time alone with a book. An adult or older sibling won’t need to be there. Between the text and the illustrations, those elementary readers will be able to learn, have fun, and discover the magic of books. Those younger readers might benefit from reading it with someone first, but after that, they will want to unhinge their imagination and let the foxes and rabbits run wild.

It’s worth noting that our 8 year-old came into this document when I stepped away and added this:

You will like this book vary much.i like it because the rabbit is my favorite charater.

Fox & Rabbit: Make Believe is by Beth Ferry with illustrations by Gergely Dudas and is on Amulet Books, an imprint of Abrams Books.

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