Easy Kids Scarf & Review: The Fox in the Dark

It's getting cold here in Virginia and the days are about to get a lot shorter as we leave daylight saving time this week. I have the perfect book for a dark, chilly evening, and a great little craft to go with!

The Fox in the Dark by Alison Green

A rabbit scurries quickly into his little home, relieved to escape what he's sure was a fox in the dark. Soon, there's a knock at the door: "Rat-a-tat-tat!". It's just duck, hoping he could stay the night because there's a fox in the dark. With another "Rat-a-tat-tat!" both mouse and lamb seek shelter from the fox. Rabbit is weary of his house guests when he answers a final knock at the door, only to discover it's the Fox in the Dark!

The story is told in delicious rhymes that delight with each turn of phrase. "Rabbit grumbles a bit. It's not really his habit/ to share with a duck a bed made for a rabbit." I love the subtle humor throughout the story, revealed in the verse and enhanced in the excellent illustrations. For example, at one point little mouse raises his hand to say "I need to wee," and a page later we see lamb cleaning up mouse's puddle. ("Wee" and "puddle," by the way, are wonderfully satisfactory end-rhymes to their individual verses.)

The fox in the dark ends up being a little baby fox who has lost his mama. When Mama Fox predictably knocks on the door, she proves to be a gentle soul, who offers her furry warmth to all the animals to snuggle for the night.

E, my husband, and myself all thoroughly enjoyed this story, as did E's kindergarten class when I read it aloud to them last week. I even had several children hit me up for an encore during lunch! You can't ask for a better endorsement.


Disclaimer: The Fox in the Dark was provided to me courtesy of Tiger Tails Books free of charge in exchange for a review. This does not in any way influence my review.


Easy Kid's Fleece Scarf

I don't have a warm fox to snuggle up to, but I did have some fleece lying around. Last winter, Target sold small fleece blankets in their dollar spot. I picked one up, thinking I could use it for something, and now I have!

What you'll need:
- strip of fleece about 8-9" wide and 4' long
- sewing machine (if desired)
- pony beads (if desired)

1. Fold your strip of fleece lengthwise and pin. Sew together, leaving the ends open. (If you have a good quality fleece, you can skip this step. Just cut your fleece to desired width and leave.)

2. Turn inside out and iron to press.

3. Sew the ends shut, leaving 3" on each end. I used a fancy stitch since I was too lazy to switch out the thread in my machine.

4. Cut strips to create fringe on the end, leaving up to 1/4" at the top.

5. Thread pony beads onto several of the strips, tying off the ends. E used tweezers to help her thread the beads.

6. Stay warm and stylish all winter long!

I'm linking up to:
- ABC & 123 Show & Tell
- Fireflies & Jellybean's SOYS