Take a minute to look at the cover illustration and title. Terribly, terrible? Can a fox be friendly especially when it's the evening of the Annual Woodland Creatures Ball. The Fox named The Wiley Fox claims he is a reformed character. He has adopted a new name - Gerald and he tells his host he is now a vegetarian.
This book contains a dual narrative. You can read the words such as "Gerald turned out to be the life and soul of the party .. and boy, that fox could sing!"
Now check out the party guests. There are five hens in the foyer of the house and five empty seats later at the dinner table. When the host mouse clears the table he finds two delicious puddings have been left uneaten. Playing a game of musical chairs for some reason it seems there are too many chairs. As you turn each page the crowd of happy party goers is shrinking. By the time the dancing starts there are only nine guests left out of twenty-four. Then we watch the conga line shrink - seven then six. Finally only our host is left.
"But how rude I was. ... I almost forgot to offer Gerald one of our little nibbles. He said not to worry, the other guests had been keeping him well-fed. In fact, he was a trifle full ... "
By the end of the party the guests have all "disappeared" and the exhausted host mouse heads off to bed. Gerald meanwhile lies trapped under fallen party decorations and the heavy chandelier.
Is there a happy ending? Perhaps yes if you imagine the guests might escape from inside the fox or perhaps no!
Susannah Lloyd has some activities for The Terribly Friendly Fox on her web site. You can see some of the charming illustrations from this book on Ellie Snowdon's web site.
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