From the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr Fox is a short tale for younger children about a very
clever fox and his battles with three local farmers who have had enough of losing their stock to the artful canine.
Dwelling in his hole in a hill under a tree Mr. Fox ventures forth each night to acquire poultry to feed his family. He has a choice of Mr Boggis’ chickens; Mr Bunce’s ducks and geese or Mr Bean’s turkeys. Each of these farmers is characterised in typically rich Roald Dahl style: Bunce is fat and gluttonous; Bunce short and foul-tempered due to his strange diet of doughnuts and goose livers while Bean is tall, thin and filthy and exists entirely on copious amounts of strong cider.
Although used to outwitting the three villains on an individual basis Mr Fox finds himself up against the severest of challenges when they unite in an
attempt to exterminate him for good.
Initially they rely on their guns, but then attempt digging and then starving him out as Mr Fox works hard to stay one step ahead of them.
The efforts of the farmers place all the wildlife of the hill in jeopardy and Mr Fox soon finds himself allied with badgers, rabbits, weasels and moles in a struggle to survive.
Although the book initially appears to be a simple story of talking animals in an idyllic setting Dahl doesn’t shy away from some of the more gruesome aspects of the tale, and the reality of violent death is always lurking in the background. This edge raises the story above the usual fare and will grip the child reader.