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I had mentioned to my wife at lunchtime that, this evening I would come home and write a review on "Mr Fox" as I have known him since my very first memories as a four year old child. My only problem with this particular review, being the "angle" from which I would approach writing it…….
……it ... Read review
Advantages: Educational. Funny. Magical. Disadvantages: I'm not 5 years old any more!
...1966 (first edition) copy of Fox in Socks by Dr. Seuss as THE treasure in my book collection. I am not embarrassed to tell you that I have been known to pick it up when feeling down, read it from cover to cover and feel 100% better afterwards. Maybe for me Mr Fox is some kind of comfort blanket!
Thank you Dr Seuss, you are a genius putting me in the right mood to handle that particularly tricky business call this afternoon.
... ...the beginning, introducing you to Fox - he is red incidentally. A picture of a red fox, the word Fox. A pair of blue socks, the word Socks. Then we have a brown box and a rather daffy yellow character by the name of Knox. Incidentally Knox looks very much like Sam in Green Eggs and Ham.
As you can see from the list of words; Fox, Socks, Box and Knox we have the basis for the ever more incredible tongue twisting pages to follow. more
I am not usually a great one for harping back to the "good old days", maybe I had precious few of them to look back on, dewy eyed over, anyway, but there is just something about days like today that make me want to regress back to childhood.
You may regard this particular "occurrence" today as totally irrelevant to an early reading book for children and in a sense you have a valid point. You see, this afternoon I had a "gentleman" call me on the telephone requesting to open a credit account with our company - the very same man whose company went into liquidation owing us just over £4000 only THREE weeks ago.
I had mentioned to my wife at lunchtime that, this evening I would come home and write a review on "Mr Fox" as I have known him since my very first memories as a four year old child. My only problem with this particular review, being the "angle" from which I would approach writing it…….
……it was these thoughts that were going through my head when Mr Phoenix Company came on the phone, requesting that we be taken for another ride.
Now, at 43 years of age, I still regard my 1966 (first edition) copy of Fox in Socks by Dr. Seuss as THE treasure in my book collection. I am not embarrassed to tell you that I have been known to pick it up when feeling down, read it from cover to cover and feel 100% better afterwards. Maybe for me Mr Fox is some kind of comfort blanket!
Thank you Dr Seuss, you are a genius putting me in the right mood to handle that particularly tricky business call this afternoon.
OK, why then is Seuss such a genius?
Far be it for me to pontificate on the subject of child psychology, but I truly believe that this book, along with his many others can aid, amuse and educate even the most unwilling of learners.
How can a child not be drawn in by a book proclaiming on its very first page:
Take it SLOWLY This Book Is DANGEROUS!
Well in what sense is it dangerous? If a small child dropped it on their bare foot, I guess my hard backed copy could inflict pain, but no, it is only dangerous in the sense that it can prove all too addictive fun. Both for the adult reader and certainly, in my case, as a child, the amused listener.
The next progression is, of course, from amused listener to interested reader. On the cover of my book is a logo stating "I can read it all by myself" Beginner Books. In my case that certainly proved quickly to be the case. It then becomes a challenge to read out loud the ever more twisting, tongue twisters ever more quickly!
As with all good children's books of course there have to be illustrations, encouraging the child to read and learn about what their eyes are telling them from the pictures on the page. In my opinion (and yes I know others differ!) the illustrations are simply brilliant.
Simple, but brilliant.
It starts right at the beginning, introducing you to Fox - he is red incidentally. A picture of a red fox, the word Fox. A pair of blue socks, the word Socks. Then we have a brown box and a rather daffy yellow character by the name of Knox. Incidentally Knox looks very much like Sam in Green Eggs and Ham.
As you can see from the list of words; Fox, Socks, Box and Knox we have the basis for the ever more incredible tongue twisting pages to follow.
As with all good book reviews I have no intention of giving the whole plot and ending away, that would not be fair, after all you may not have parental controls set on Ciao, I would hate to break the surprise so callously.
Of course foxes have always had an unduly hard time on the PR front and I am afraid the Dr Seuss's invention is no exception to that rule. He is a crafty old beast indeed and certainly the hapless Knox is no match for his cunning ways.
As the story progresses, the number of characters contained in it increase, we are introduced to; chicks, bricks, and clocks, all of which, due to the illustrations are imbued with a certain "character".
Clever is the way in that we meet the characters one at a time, we grow used to them before the next one enters the story. A stunning (well that is a joke!) blonde female, called Sue, of totally indiscriminate age with a shock of blond hair arrives on page 19, three pages later we meet Crow.
All of these characters are in a sense stooges to Mr Fox, who uses them to tie up poor old Knox in ever more, ridiculous, yet funny, tongue twisting situations.
By the end of the story we have a whole cast of characters, pigs, a goose, two Knox like characters - BIM and BEN, helpfully wearing shirts with their names on so that we can identify them, even a duck, who also looks suspiciously like Knox, but has webbed feet. The tweetle beetles, a white Knox like character called Luke and a grey poodle complete our cast list here - as you can see quite a complex arrangement of characters and yet all easy to define.
When my sister in law first came to England in the summer of 2002, she spotted Fox in Socks on my bookshelf, drawn to it by the colourful red Fox on the cover. At the age of eight, Klaudia, who is Polish, spoke not a word of English. Some of her very first English words were learned from this very same book that had initially taught me to start reading all those years ago. I was delighted that she was so enthralled with Fox in Socks and sent her back to Poland with an up to date copy of the book, allowing us to read it together over the telephone.
On her second visit, and as she was about to start formal English lessons at school, we tracked down a volume of five Dr Seuss stories, including Fox in Socks and Green Eggs and Ham. At £4.99 from our local "Publisher's Outlet Store" I think this makes a remarkably good present for any small child, as indeed do the individual Dr Seuss books such as Fox in Socks reviewed here.
It is of great delight to me that dear old Mr Fox has endured the ravages of time, that forty years after my much treasured book was published, he is still available today. Surely a book that has been in print for all those years hardly needs a glowing review from me!
Thank you Dr Seuss, you have given me many years of harmless entertainment, your little book has stood the test of time and still stands proud in our electronic age.
Yes Dr Seuss was a genius!
Fox in Socks by Dr Seuss:
ISBN 0394800389 Publisher Random House Children's Books (There are several other forms of this same book available - with differing illustrations.) Priced from £0.43 from Amazon. or Available in all good book shops from around £4.99
== FOX IN SOCKS ==
=== DR SEUS ===
Theodor Seuss Geisel was an American writer and cartoonist best known for his children's books written under the pen name Dr. Seuss. He published over 60 children's books, which were often characterized by imaginative characters and rhymes. These were mainly known in America, but they do seem to have gained popularity in the UK. I can remember when reading books to my son when he was little, I was always pleased ... ...four year old picked up Fox in Socks. Macho Mum here thought 'NO problem' - if a cat in a hat didn't faze me a fox in socks would be easy meat!! But what I found was that Fox in Socks is essentially Sam-I-Am with a taste for tongue twisters!! Dr. Seuss had a devilish streak in him, part of what makes everyone love him so much - in the same way Roald Dahl's wickedness woos children everywhere. Fox in Socks actually comes with a warning label on the ...
oldchem 14.11.2009 (15.11.2009)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Fox in Socks - Dr. Seuss
Advantages: Colourful pictures, story is in rhyme Disadvantages: Some of the tongue twisters are hard to say!
...he went to bed and Fox in Socks by Dr Seuss was the one he picked. I gave him a choice of Dr Seuss books but he chose this one, as he'd never heard it before. Dr Seuss (pseudonym of Theodor Seuss Geisel) was born on 2nd March 1904 and died on 24th September 1991. During his lifetime he wrote nearly 50 children's books. He was probably most famous for The Cat in the Hat, which has also been made into a film. The whole book is written in rhyme which ... ...general story line is Mr Fox is trying to get Mr Knox to lots of different tongue twisters but poor Mr Knox just cannot get his tongue around them (I don't blame him - I found some of them pretty difficult myself!) The first page introduces the story with four words and four illustrations, fox, socks, box, Knox (an unusual yellow creature). Throughout the story we meet lots of interesting characters, including chicks with bricks, Sue who sews crow's ...
bluejules 17.04.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Fox in Socks - Dr. Seuss
Advantages: a good beginner reading book Disadvantages: ?
Fox in socks by Dr Seuss
I can read all by myself!
Fox in socks is a beginner book aimed at young children, making reading fun.
I am sure most of you will either have read some Dr Seuss either as a child learning to read or to a child.
Dr Seuss books are fun
This book, Fox in socks is one of my favourites. Lots of rhyming words; tongue twisters about characters doing silly things children love the silliness.
The pictures are bright and bold ... ...hate this game, sir
Fox thinks and says
What a shame, sir
Here is lots of blue goo now
New goo. Blue goo
A horrified Knox is lead to a blue goo pool he does not like it.
So Fox leads him to other tongue twisters. Fox instructs him to say them.
Three fleas flew
And then they talked about tweetle beetles
And When beetles battle beetles In a puddle paddle battle
and the beetle battle puddle Is a puddle in a bottle
This is where Knox finally ...
mumsymary 28.05.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Fox in Socks - Dr. Seuss
Advantages: has you in stiches Disadvantages: makes your tongue numb
...my father-in-law sent the wonderful fox in socks book as a birthday present.
There is a warning of the front cover of this book advising you to read slow and that the fox is tricky and will get your tongue into trouble, well he was'nt wrong there.
From start to finish this book has you and your child laughing it is so pleasurable to read and bedtime reading never seems to be a chore when my daughter chooses this book to be read to her.
There are ... ...is a complete rhyme with fox and knox being the main characters, both trying to out do each other with the tongue twisters.
It starts from fox in socks and box and knox, then goes on to tweetlebeetles and so on.
My daughter and I absoulotley love this book and each member of my family have read this to her and they have also enjoyed it.
The book is priced at £5.99 and is available at all good bookshops. ...
ALLIECAT1 03.09.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Fox in Socks - Dr. Seuss
Advantages: Funny, encourages early readers to improve Disadvantages: price
The Dr seuss range of books is clealy marked in three caorgary of readers: preschollers, learning to readers and fluent readers. For learning these books are excellent, the child is reasured they have read it right by the ryhme. While the excellent illustrations provide a second assurance.
They also make th reader want to read more which lead to a happy, fluent reader. While leaves the parent with an empty pocket the short books RRP is around £4.99 ... ...stores.
This sacrifice of money though is all compensated when you peep round you childs door to them giggling and fluently reading word for word. Further more the range of books progresses with the child, there is over twety books which can be read again and again, it is hard to run out of books to read.
You may even find your self reading them, with childhoood memories flooding back. ...
alicekb 25.10.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Fox in Socks - Dr. Seuss
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Reviews which might be of interest for "Fox in Socks - Dr. Seuss"
Advantages: Fun, easy to read Dr Seuss Book Disadvantages: None
take a lot longer as he likes to talk to me about what he sees in all of the pictures and he does sidetrack and tell me little stories of each of the creature!
The book has a retail price of £4.99 but I managed to pick my copy up from Ebay for £1.49p which I feel is a complete bargain. This book is also available to buy from Amazon.
This title has been given a yellow back which is designed for beginner readers and other titles available in this collection include:-
The Cat in the Hat
FoxinSocksDrSeuss ABC
The Lorax
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
This book was published by Collins and belong to the Cr Seuss Classic Collection.
I recommend this book as a very fun read for all children and a great starter book to encourage independent reading.
I am reviewing the paperback edition of this book and not ...
Advantages: A wonderful story that encourages learning Disadvantages: none
not encouraging children to read. The findings of this lead Geisel to thinking about important words when publishing a children?s book. This lead to one of the best selling and most popular children?s books ?The Cat in The Hat?
DrSeuss as he then become used his understanding of children?s passion for rhyming to produce some of the most well read books.
The education value that his works contain are priceless. I know from first hand experience that How the Grinch Stole Christmas certainly got my son interested in reading, through the wonderful rhyming, simple use of child-friendly language and wonderful cartoon-like illustrations.
Other titles in the series include;
? The Cat in the Hat
? The Cat in the Hat comes back
? FoxinSocks
? Dr.Seuss ABC
? Green Eggs and Ham
? Oh. The Places you?ll go
? The Lorax
? One Fish ...
Product Information for "Fox in Socks - Dr. Seuss" »
Product details
Type
Fiction
Genre
Children's
Title
Fox in Socks
Author
Dr. Seuss
ISBN
0001713116; 0007158475; 000767256X
Manufacturer's product description
Using the sort of crazy characters and nonsensical situations that are the hallmark of Dr. Seuss, the "Classic Collection" brings together his zaniest stories, silliest rhymes and craziest drawings.
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