FARAWAY FOX by Jolene Thompson.  Illus. by Justin Thompson. Boston:  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016. 32p. ISBN: 978-0544707115 hc. $17.99   Gr. K-3   E PIC

A young fox tells his story of confusion and separation from his family in a landscape that has changed greatly from his days as a kit.  He speaks of happy memories when the land was wild, playing with his sister, swimming with his brother, and learning to hunt with his mother.  The images on the page depict a very different environment in comparison to his memories.  We see the human encroachment,and the loneliness of the fox is palpable as he wonders where his family members are.  He finally stumbles upon human beings constructing a highway wildlife underpass, which allows him to find his way to the woods and reunites with his family.  This is an important message that shows how intrusive human beings can be for wildlife, yet offers the  positive picture that there are people working to improve conditions and safety for these animals.  The illustrations are beautiful and heartbreaking as the reader roots for the little fox to find his way home.
Emily Cummings, Children's Specialist, Dickinson County Library, Iron Mountain, MI