Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Schultz
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Clever animals outwit farmers in funny, fantastical tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 6 parent reviews
Based on 18 kid reviews
Kids say this book offers a delightful blend of humor and adventure through the clever schemes of a resourceful fox, though it does delve into darker themes such as theft and survival. While many reviewers appreciate its entertaining narrative and charming characters, some express concern about the moral complexity of the story and its potentially intimidating moments for younger readers.
- humorous adventure
- moral complexity
- charming characters
- dark themes
- suitable for kids
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In Roald Dahl's funny and witty FANTASTIC MR. FOX, the title character is a brave and clever hero, who steals food from three bumbling and rude farmers to feed his family. Tired of having their goods stolen, Boggis the chicken farmer, Bunce the duck and goose farmer, and Bean the turkey and apple farmer join forces to find and kill Mr. Fox. They discover the opening to the fox family's den, and when Mr. Fox scampers down the hole, they manage to shoot off Mr. Fox's tale. With the farmers waiting outside the hole, and digging deeper to reach Mr. Fox, the foxes also keep digging, hoping to find a passage to safety.
Is It Any Good?
This animal adventure by beloved author Roald Dahl is short and sweet, featuring mean bumbling villains (farmers Boggis, Bunce, and Bean) and a dashing hero in Mr. Fox. The story will charm readers with its devoted families of furry animals and a subterranean world full of other interesting creatures. There's also just enough suspense to make the story exciting. Young readers will root for the fox family and laugh at the farmers' lame moves. A bonus: Some editions of this short novel are packaged with more Dahl animal tales.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Roald Dahl portrays the animals in Fantastic Mr. Fox. Are Mr. Fox and his friends similar to the animals in his other books?
The foxes sit at a table to eat. Can you think of some other things the animals do in this story that are more like what people do?
Have you seen the movie version of Fantastic Mr. Fox? If so, how is the movie different from the book, and which do you like better?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Quentin Blake
- Genre : Animals
- Topics : Adventures , Animals ( Wild Animals )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Alfred A. Knopf
- Publication date : January 1, 1970
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 81
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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