Fox and His Friends

If you have a child between 3 and 8, you should buy this book. The late, great James Marshall (Edward was a pseudonym) had the rare ability to tell a story using easy-to-read words, but still with genuinely surprising and humorous twists. This book's ending is a brilliant twist, which I will not spoil here. If you don't have a child the right age, you should buy this anyway, but you may have to think of an excuse. This book ranks with Marshall's best, which also include the sublime "Three By the Sea," as well as the better-known "Miss Nelson" and "George & Martha" books.A note to the publisher: You really should keep James Marshall's better books available in hardcover library editions. This guy's best works are classics, and they'll continue to sell for at least another century.