The Tale of the Red Fox in the North Woods Book Review

Full disclosure: The author of the book that I am about to review is a patron at a library that I work at. All of the opinions stated in this review are solely mine.

It’s always good for an author to branch out in their craft. Whether that means writing in a different genre or audience, this allows them to test their skills. Robert C. Jones – an author known for his sentimental look at small-town life with older protagonists – challenged himself to write a book targeting a younger audience. It’s called The Tale of the Red Fox in the North Woods, and even though it feels by the numbers for a juvenile title, it has a clever twist, thus worth the read.

 The Tale of the Red Fox in the North Woods is a book detailing an incident that a child dealt with in northern Michigan. The North Woods has had an infestation of red foxes in recent years, and the citizens – including Bobby’s uncle – vow to do something to prevent them from encroaching on their land and their way of life. Even though Bobby has brief encounters with the animals in question, he doesn’t want others to eliminate them. He does what he can to protect the foxes while he keeps his secret about his interactions with them.

In his previous books, Jones’s audience were clearly older readers who like reading about small-town life and possibly watching Hallmark movies. This time, it’s clear he wanted to write for much younger readers. Bobby – the protagonist – is about 11 years old, and the book contains a glossary of terms mentioned throughout even though certain sections already explain what certain words are like culling. But hey, the glossary doesn’t hurt it. It’s also 57 pages with chapters, but it’s too challenging as a chapter book. Additionally, it contains black-and-white illustrations that are simple and get the scene across like the encounters between Bobby and the fox. Finally, it’s got a set of questions that can be used for a book club that should get young readers to think critically about what they read. I would say it’s more for the upper elementary audience since it contains a vocabulary suited for that age group and contains mentions of violence. 

I understand that it’s based on a true story, yet it feels by the numbers. I’ve seen this kind of plot play out in various media. A child tries to understand something that people want to destroy, while they keep their interactions with that person or thing a secret. The story expectedly hits the various beats associated with that story although I appreciated Jones’s emphasis on the books that Bobby reads to understand the red foxes.

They are two things that make The Tale of the Red Fox in the North Woods stand out. One is that it feels like it could be an episode of The Andy Griffith Show. The uncle likes he could be Andy, who always tries to do the right thing. Bobby feels like he could Opie as he tries to protect the red foxes. In fact, I wouldn’t be shocked if Jones cited the “Opie the Birdman” episode as an influence as both involve their child protagonists understanding the animals they encounter. For Opie, it’s the baby birds that he has to raise after he accidentally kills their mother, and for Bobby, it’s the red foxes that are present in the area. The rest of the supporting cast felt defined by their one trait whether it’s the aunt’s friend who is a librarian or the “foul-mouthed” plumber who always has an excuse of not doing a job. This tone fits well with Jones’s other books since they are sentimental, firm when they need to be, and contain kooky characters.

The other element that makes this book stand out is the twist at the end. I wouldn’t spoil it. All I will say is that it reveals a big misunderstanding between Bobby and the North Woods residents. It also leans into a message about coexisting, something that Opie had to learn as well. The ending made me reconsider the book. For a good chunk of it, it was predictable, but once that twist happened, I didn’t see it coming. This made the title worth the read.

Overall, The Tale of the Red Fox in the North Woods by Robert C. Jones is a good attempt at writing for older children. The story is one that has been done time and time again, but the tone and the ending make it worth the read. I would recommend it for 10-12 year olds, especially if they like foxes and The Andy Griffith Show, and their grandparents who want to relive their younger days and love Jones’s other books. I’d love to see how the author branches out in other ways to enhance his craft.

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