Fox’s Favourite Autumn
Fiona Barker and Christine Pym
Scholastic

Autumn is Fox’s favourite season, he loves everything about it: the abundance of ripe fruits, the misty mornings and honey sunsets. But with autumn come shorter days; Fox isn’t happy about that. He decides to make the days longer, trying several ideas but his friends don’t like what he does.

Nor do they approve of his food-saving. Then, as he desperately tries to stick leaves back on the trees, he encounters Badger wanting to know what he’s up to.

Badger asks Fox what he’ll miss about autumn and Fox starts to list autumnal things he loves so much. As he does so, Fox realises that he’s been missing out on sharing in his friends’ autumnal pleasures.

Wise Badger then points out that it’s the sharing that’s vital and all seasons have pleasurable things to offer if they’re done with friends. Will Fox finally take on board these sage words and make the most of every season and its possibilities?

An important life lesson is presented with gentle humour in this seasonal tale. It’s all too easy to become like Fox and allow the possibilities each season presents to pass us by. Christine Pym’s jolly seasonal scenes reflect the humour in Fiona Barker’s words and together offer a thought-provoking book to share and discuss with young children as the days draw in.