Fantastic Mr Fox facts for kids
Hardcover first edition cover
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| Author | Roald Dahl |
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| Illustrator |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's |
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Publication date
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June 1, 1970 |
| Media type | Hardcover |
| Pages | 96 |
| ISBN | 0-394-80497-X |
Fantastic Mr Fox is a popular children's book. It was written by the famous British author Roald Dahl. The book first came out in 1970. It was published by George Allen & Unwin in the UK and Alfred A. Knopf in the U.S.
The first pictures in the book were drawn by Donald Chaffin. Later versions had illustrations by Jill Bennett, Tony Ross, and Quentin Blake. The story is about a clever fox named Mr. Fox. He uses his smarts to trick three mean farmers. He steals their food right from under their noses! In 2009, the book was made into a stop-motion animated movie. Wes Anderson directed this film.
You can also listen to the story. There are two audio versions available. One is read by Roald Dahl himself. The other is narrated by actor Martin Jarvis.
Contents
The Story of Mr. Fox
Mr. Fox is a very smart and tricky fox. He lives underground in a cozy home. He shares his home with his wife and their four children. To feed his family, Mr. Fox visits nearby farms every night. These farms belong to three very mean farmers. Their names are Boggis, Bunce, and Bean. Mr. Fox takes chickens, ducks, and other animals from their farms.
Farmers' Plan to Catch Mr. Fox
The farmers get very angry that Mr. Fox keeps outsmarting them. They decide to set a trap for him. They wait outside his burrow to catch him. But they only manage to shoot off his tail! The farmers then start digging up the Foxes' home. They use spades and even big excavators. The Fox family digs deeper to escape. They manage to stay safe underground.
People make fun of the farmers for not catching the fox. But Boggis, Bunce, and Bean refuse to give up. They promise not to go back to their farms until Mr. Fox is caught. They decide to surround the fox's hole. They plan to wait until he gets hungry enough to come out. Soon, Mr. Fox and his family start to starve. All the other animals living underground around the hill also begin to suffer.
Mr. Fox's Clever Idea
After three days, Mr. Fox comes up with a brilliant plan. He remembers the paths he used above ground. He and his children start digging tunnels. They dig all the way to one of Boggis's chicken houses. Mr. Fox catches several chickens. He sends his oldest son to take them back home. Mrs. Fox is waiting there.
On their way to the next farm, Mr. Fox meets his friend Badger. He asks Badger to join them. He also invites Badger's family and other burrowing animals to a big feast. This includes the Moles, Rabbits, and Weasels. Mr. Fox wants to apologize for getting them caught in the farmers' hunt.
A Grand Underground Feast
With Badger's help, the animals dig to Bunce's storehouse. They find ducks, geese, hams, bacon, and carrots there. Next, they tunnel to Bean's secret cider cellar. They almost get caught by Bean's helper, Mabel. They also have a small fight with a rat living in the cellar.
They carry all their stolen food back home. Mrs. Fox has prepared a huge party. All the hungry underground animals and their families celebrate. At the feast, Mr. Fox has another great idea. He invites everyone to live in a secret underground neighborhood with his family. He promises to find food for them every day. This way, no one will ever have to worry about the farmers again.
Everyone cheers happily for this idea. Meanwhile, Boggis, Bunce, and Bean are still waiting. They are waiting in vain for the fox to come out of his hole. The book ends by saying they are still waiting!
Awards and Recognition
In 1994, Fantastic Mr Fox won an important award. It received the Read Aloud BILBY Award. This award comes from the Children's Book Council of Australia.
Other Versions of the Story
The Movie Adaptation
The book was turned into a stop-motion animated movie. Director Wes Anderson made the film. It came out in 2009. Famous actors lent their voices to the characters. George Clooney voiced Mr. Fox. Meryl Streep was Mrs. Fox. Bill Murray played Badger. Robert Hurlstone, Hugo Guinness, and Michael Gambon voiced the farmers.
The movie focuses more on Mr. Fox's relationship with his wife and son. It shows how Mr. Fox wants to steal chickens. This makes him feel like his true self. The movie adds new scenes. These scenes happen before Mr. Fox attacks the farmers. They also show more after the farmers bulldoze the hill. The ending is a little different too. The movie also gives more details about Mr. Fox's past as a thief. In the movie, the Foxes' four children are replaced. Instead, there is Ash, a small and unsure fox. He wants his father's approval. There is also Mr. Fox's nephew, Kristofferson. Kristofferson is good at sports. Ash feels a bit jealous of him.
Stage Plays
The book was also made into a play. David Wood wrote the play. It was first performed in 2001. This happened at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry, UK.
A musical version of the book was also created. It played at the Nuffield Theatre in Southampton in late 2016. Then, it went on a tour across the UK in early 2017.
An Opera Version
Tobias Picker turned the book into an opera. An opera is a play where the words are sung. It first showed in December 1998. This was at the Los Angeles Opera. Gerald Finley sang the part of Mr. Fox. Suzanna Guzman played Mrs. Fox.
A new version of this opera was performed in 2010. It was put on by Opera Holland Park. It took place in the beautiful gardens of Holland Park. Stephen Barlow directed this show. Grant Doyle was Mr. Fox. Olivia Ray played Mrs. Fox. Henry Grant Kerswell, Peter Kent, and John Lofthouse played the three farmers.
See also
In Spanish: El Superzorro para niños
