  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 03/01/2019 PreS-Gr 2—Fox and Chick are back in another endearing tale of friendship and adventure. Chick is the dynamo of the pair, quick to show emotion and blessed with a vivid imagination and sense of whimsy. Fox, on the other hand, is the anchor of the pair and serves as the voice of reason and logic. Despite their differences (or perhaps because of them), the two seem to find fun wherever they go. In the first chapter, Fox's quiet boat ride is transformed into an epic adventure by Chick's imagined sea monsters, pirates, and shipwrecks. Fox is patient throughout and is generally bemused by his friend's antics. The remaining chapters cover the angst that a chocolate cake initially causes, and the book ends with an amusing tale about the pair trying to catch a sunrise. The lovely illustrations are done in pen, ink, and watercolor with muted tones and Ruzzier is a master at capturing a wide-range of facial expressions. Told in comic-book panel format and divided into three chapters, this is a gentle read, full of subtle humor and curiosity. VERDICT A perfect choice for those who have graduated from new reader materials but aren't quite ready for lengthier chapter books. Highly recommend for purchase.–Amy Nolan, St. Joseph Public Library, MI - Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 05/01/2019 The endearing duo from Fox & Chick: The Party (2018) returns here in three brief adventures. In the title story, Fox's relaxing boat ride is disrupted by Chick's constant questions and fears. Chocolate Cake finds Chick afraid to open his cake from Fox because he knows eating it all will make him sick. And, in Sunrise, the pair misses the event because Chick can't get his act together. Combining graphic-novel and easy-reader formats, Ruzzier provides emerging readers with satisfying, well-defined characters; relatable experiences; and solutions that never scapegoat. Chick's insecurities are at the crux of most of the conflicts, but Fox always finds a way to accept his behaviors and engineer fixes that are agreeable to both. The illustrations, rendered through pen, ink, and watercolor, favor pastel shades well suited to the exterior calm projected in these narratives. Humorous illustrative details (snarling pirates imagined by Chick, and Chick kissing the ground after his stressful boat ride) add depth to the tales as well. Simple yet sophisticated, this makes an ideal choice for beginning readers. - Copyright 2019 Booklist. Loading...
 |