Foxly's Feast by Owen Davey

Hardie Grant Egmont, 2010. ISBN 9781921690594
Recommended for the Early Years.
'Foxly's tummy is rumbling. He's looking for a fantastic feast and has some big ideas, but could there be more to Foxly that meets the eye?' As Foxly travels through the story looking for things to eat, he passes many small animals on the way. As the story goes on his hunger increases and so does the size of the animals he passes, until in the end it is time to eat - but this is a fox with a difference, and there is more to the story than meets the eye. A wonderful feast for all he passed, this vegetarian fox is happy with a bowl full of apples.
Unusual illustrations make this picture book quite fascinating.  I really like the fact that after the story is read and you look again at the pictures you can pick up a whole other story happening along the text. Students will enjoy pouring over the washed out pages to find the ingredients for his feast as he collects them on each page and his backpack and bags begin to grow.  At first glance I could not see the appeal for the high commendation by the Macmillan Children's Book Prize that was awarded to illustration students, but after reading the text and carefully re-examining the pictures I can definitely see the appeal. This book is different, clever and fun. I recommend it for younger students.
Zana Thiele