The Tale Of The Animals' Christmas In Crouch End: a fable for children and their parents

by Lance Lee, Meilo So (Illustrator)

Overview

A year of unusually heavy rains spark a series of events that lead the Animals of Crouch End in North London to decide to celebrate Christmas for the first time. These begin when Rufus Fox hires Marvin Mole & Sons to repair his flooded home. As he wanders Crouch End and sees Christmas decorations begin to appear soon Belinda, a wood pigeon, Hilda Hedgehog, The Magpies, Silas Squirrel and family, Franklin Frog and his family, and the large, fierce, tiger-striped tabby, Goya, who overhear Rufus' bewilderment over Christmas, decide to suspend their usual activities and, led by Rufus, to collaborate on putting together their own Christmas and Christmas Feast in order to understand Christmas. Magic is involved, too, as Rufus has second sight, and is helped by the Fairy, Tinya, who first explains what Christmas is about, and then helps make Rufus' home Marvin Mole & Sons repair large enough for everyone-even though it isn't. But she warns Rufus there is something he must discover on his own that is the real secret of Christmas. Even after all has gone off splendidly Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Rufus is still puzzled, but at the end with Tinya he realizes the secret is not getting, but giving; not having a truce among unlikely animals, but a family relationship, all motivated by love for one another. He decides to become a vegetarian to keep his new 'family' together.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798218181659
Publisher:	Lance Lee
Publication date:	10/18/2023
Pages:	80
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.22(d)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

Editorial Reviews

10/16/2023

A charmingly eccentric fox and his cadre of animal neighbors learn the true meaning of Christmas in this fanciful children’s tale. The animals living in North London’s Crouch End are led by a fox named Rufus—an intimidating creature, to say the least, who’s also known as the “finest Animal of the neighborhood.” When torrential rains cause unheard-of flooding in the area, Rufus’s house is destroyed, and with his nephew Rupert set to visit soon, Rufus is in a bind—and seeks out Marvin Mole, Builder Extraordinaire, to help repair his house.

Marvin, of course, has serious building skills, which is a stroke of luck for Rufus. Not only is his nephew in town, but the People of Crouch End are gearing up for Christmas. That entails many strange traditions, according to Rufus, like stringing twinkling lights everywhere, cutting down trees for their houses, and decorating their houses with holiday trimming. As the Animals gather together to wonder at the odd behavior of the "People" they ask Rufus to seek out answers from the Fairies that only he can see. Rufus does just that, learning from resident fairy Tinya the ins and outs of Father Christmas, his sled, and the gifts the People receive on Christmas day—though she cautions Rufus there’s “something more” about the holiday that he must learn on his own.

With that knowledge in hand, the Animals vow to have their own Christmas feast, though they won’t eat any animals, of course (“It would be like eating one of ourselves!” Marvin exclaims). Lee (author of Orpheus Rising) endows his animal characters with plenty of human—and Yuletide—spirit, and their holiday cheer serves as the catalyst for Christmas magic to transform them and their surroundings.Meilo So’s dreamy illustrations bring to mind vintage Christmas scenes, a perfect match for the age-old lesson Rufus eventually learns: love is the true reason for the season.

Takeaway: Engaging, animal-inspired Christmas tale with a vintage feel.

Comparable Titles: Robert Barry’s Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree, Jan Brett’s The Animals’ Santa.

Production grades Cover: B+ Design and typography: A Illustrations: A Editing: B+ Marketing copy: A-

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