#1114 – The Fox Wish by Kimiko Aman & Komako Sakai

The Fox Wish
Written by Kimiko Aman
Illustrated by Komako Sakai
Chronicle Books 3/14/2017
978-1-4521-5188-5
32 pages Ages 3—5

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“Have you ever had a wish come true?

“Have you ever held the hand of a kid smaller than you?

“Have you ever found something you didn’t know you believed in?

“Have you ever talked to a fox?

“In this subtle, sensitive glimpse of magic, sister, brother, and reader alike find that the trusted familiar often lives right next to the truly extraordinary if only you have the eyes to see it.” [INSIDE JACKET]

Review
[WC 388]
Have you ever wished for something and had it come true? That is what happened to Roxie, the fox. She and her siblings were on their way to the park to play. Roxie wished for a game, and there hanging on a tree was a jump rope—and it had Roxie’s name on the handle! What a wonderful wish. The foxes immediately began jumping rope and laughing. They even had a melody by which to jump. But there was one problem; the foxes kept tripping up and falling down.
Lukie found the scene quite funny, but laughing would have been rude. Still, Lukie laughed. He couldn’t help it, the scene was that funny. Once the two children revealed themselves to the foxes, a fox asked the children to teach them how to jump rope. Soon, everyone was having a great time. When it was time to leave, the young fox named Roxie ran up to get her rope. She explained to the kids how her wish had come true. Lukie tried to tell explain, but his sister hushed him. The two children were at the park to find Roxie’s jump rope; the one with her name painted on the handle. She had absentmindedly left it hanging on a tree.
The Fox Wish, narrated by Lukie’s sister Roxie, is a beautiful tale of wishes wished, wishes come true, and wishes seen. Roxie never mentioned the jump rope being hers, telling her little brother, “I like watching wishes come true.” Don’t we all? Wishes are magical, even more so when they are granted. Roxie the fox thought her wish had come true. Roxie the child let the wish remain granted, never saying a word about owning the rope.
The acrylic gouache and oil pencil illustrations have a touch of red ballpoint pen highlighting the adorable spreads. Seeing seven fox babies jumping, as two others turn the rope and one sits waiting her turn, is magical. Readers will find the scene stays with them long after the story has ended. We all wish. We all marvel when a wish comes true. Roxie the fox was in awe at her wish coming true. It was generous of the other Roxie to let the wish stand. The Fox Wish is a picture-perfect bedtime story. It can leave children receptive to wish-inspired dreams.