You may well have heard the story of Gaspard the fox. Author and broadcaster Zeb Soanes first encountered the real-life Gaspard at his home in London.  The fox was injured and Zeb fed her till she recovered – forming such a bond that Gaspard became a regular visitor appearing at the sound of Zeb’s bicycle and even bringing her cubs to visit. Since then the fox now has her own Twitter page with over 5,500 followers.  Which is probably one of the more random facts I’ve shared on my blog!

If you haven’t heard of Gaspard then I’m sorry I haven’t shared this book sooner, having been given a copy by the publishers Graffegg a while ago.  We usually only glimpse foxes at night; they can seem ethereal and perhaps a little bit scary.  But they really are beautiful animals and this story brings that to life in a joyful urban adventure, featuring illustrations by award-winning illustrator James Mayhew.

Gaspard the Fox by Zeb Soanes and James Mayhew

Come with Gaspard the Fox as he sets out one summer evening in search of super.  One his travels he meets Peter the cat and Finty the dog who help him navigate the local canal with its colourful boats and people – some friendlier than others!

This is such a lovely story! Gorgeous illustrations bring each character to life and you cannot help but fall in love with Gaspard, Peter and Finty.  A well-paced narrative shares each moment of Gaspard’s evening walk to find supper.  Despite some of the tricky scrapes Gaspard gets into –crashing into bins, falling in the river, being chased away by people – he makes two brilliant new friends.

Peter the cat is rather wonderful persona; just as you imagine a cat to be.  Finty is a clever little dog full of excitement.  But it’s Gaspard who really wins your heart and when he finally finds his supper through the kindness of the man on the bicycle, you find a big warm smile on your face.  Children will absolutely love this gentle story of urban adventure and next time they see a fox will wish it was Gaspard himself!  I am looking forward to his next adventure!

Find out more at www.zebsoanes.com and www.jamesmayhew.co.uk

With thanks to Grafegg for my copy of this lovely book!