Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite
Little Fox is different from all the other young foxes. For one thing, he can stand on his hind legs. In fact, he prefers walking on just his hind legs. And, he can talk to and understand humans, as well as other animals. His mother knows Little Fox is special, but his dad is worried that his differences will make him an easy target, not just for bullying from other foxes, but from human hunters, too. Little Fox’s first friend is Stinky, a skunk who can’t spray. Stinky understands Little Fox’s dilemma and puts it into perspective. “My mom says it’s okay to be different. I don’t have to be like the other skunks.” Rita, his first human friend, understands too. Instead of shooting Little Fox when he’s sent by his father to raid the chicken coop, she talks to him.
Sometimes it’s very difficult to be different. Others make fun of you and often avoid you. And there are times when you feel as if you don’t have a friend in the world. That is, until you find someone else who is different too. David Blaze’s picture book story, My Fox Begins, explores the difficulties of being different. This is a great learning story for young readers, not only to accept themselves for their differences, but also to accept others for their differences. There are a lot of powerful messages in this little story. As the plot develops and danger changes everything for Little Fox, the reader feels a compassionate connection to Little Fox as he struggles to survive, differences and all.