Little Fox, Lost

Little Fox's paw prints make such beautiful pictures in the newly fallen snow. Left here, right there, around that fallen branch--he scatters them throughout the forest until, too late, he finds he can't retrace his steps back home. Lost and afraid, Little Fox wants to agree when a kind, old owl offers to fly ahead and guide him. But Mama Fox has warned him often: "If ever you are lost, my child, / don't let a stranger guide you. / Be still and I will search the wild / until I am beside you." In gentle, expressive text, Nicole Snitselaar spins a tale that goes far beyond a simple "stranger danger" warning. Her Little Fox, equipped with his own ingenuity as well as his mother's wisdom, cleverly finds a way for the other animals to attract Mama Fox's attention while keeping himself safe. Alicia Padr n renders this resilient Little Fox and his forest companions in soft watercolors, their rounded shapes and endearing features easing any anxiety that little listeners might feel about being lost.