Fox and the Mystery Letter
Alex G Griffiths
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

There’s a clue on the cover as to the sender of the mystery letter Fox receives as he sits alone in his cottage in the middle of a forest. He’s just sat down to breakfast when there’s a knock at the door; it’s a mail bird with a letter for him sent special delivery. It’s ages since Fox has received any post, his last being from … he pushes the thought away and opens the letter. It’s something of a puzzle and instructs him to head to the forest path to begin his journey and is signed ‘from an Old Friend’. After musing on the message he decides to take a quick look at the first clue, so he packs a few things in a bag and sets out, telling himself he’ll come straight back.

Soon he comes upon a fragment of a map and an arrow marked on the ground. He follows the direction of the arrow and the next one, eventually seeing a moose sitting by a campfire waiting. The Moose says, “I have a little gift for you,” handing him a box but refusing to say who it’s from.

Instead he gives Fox a clue – a photograph – and off goes Fox again in a northerly direction as indicated by the compass also in the box.

Come nightfall, after journeying, over land and water and another encounter –

with a Mole this time – Fox is sure he knows the sender of the letter and despite memories he’d been continually pushing to the back of his mind, he finally hears the gentle voice of his dear friend with whom he’d quarrelled so long ago. It had taken a treasure trail to bring him to face his ursine pal and resolve whatever they’d fought about.

Illustrated in Alex Griffiths’ characteristic detailed pen and ink drawing style, coloured in predominantly earthy hues, this is a story of friendship, forgiveness and revealing your true feelings. Sharing this with a KS1 class could lead to some interesting discussion.