The Quiet Boat Ride and Other Stories

February 1, 2019
Fox and Chick return in this follow-up to The Party: And Other Stories (2018).Echoing the poignant if occasionally antagonistic friendships of such odd couples as Arnold Lobel's Frog and Toad and Tad Hills' Duck and Goose, Ruzzier has again accomplished the task of telling three funny, meaningful stories using markedly simple vocabulary that occurs almost entirely as dialogue between the two characters in speech bubbles. The temperamental differences between even-tempered, organized Fox and anxiety-prone, excitable Chick play out in both word and image. Appealing, whimsical pen-and-ink illustrations are softly washed with color and are featured throughout in panel layouts of various sizes, some stretching to fill the page, in the style of a scaled-down graphic novel. When, in the final tale, Chick spoils Fox's plans to catch the sunrise by holding up their departure in puzzling out what supplies will be needed ("Should I take my hammer?" asks Chick), Fox's expression is a marvel of bewilderment, and readers may fear Chick has pushed it too far. In the end, though, the pair enjoy whiling the day away together and catch the sunset instead, bringing the gentle message of learning to live with, and even appreciate, one another's quirks full circle. A fine addition to the series, this can be enjoyed without having read the earlier installment and will be appreciated by new readers. (Early reader. 4-7)

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Starred review from March 1, 2019

PreS-Gr 2-Fox and Chick are back in another endearing tale of friendship and adventure. Chick is the dynamo of the pair, quick to show emotion and blessed with a vivid imagination and sense of whimsy. Fox, on the other hand, is the anchor of the pair and serves as the voice of reason and logic. Despite their differences (or perhaps because of them), the two seem to find fun wherever they go. In the first chapter, Fox's quiet boat ride is transformed into an epic adventure by Chick's imagined sea monsters, pirates, and shipwrecks. Fox is patient throughout and is generally bemused by his friend's antics. The remaining chapters cover the angst that a chocolate cake initially causes, and the book ends with an amusing tale about the pair trying to catch a sunrise. The lovely illustrations are done in pen, ink, and watercolor with muted tones and Ruzzier is a master at capturing a wide-range of facial expressions. Told in comic-book panel format and divided into three chapters, this is a gentle read, full of subtle humor and curiosity. VERDICT A perfect choice for those who have graduated from new reader materials but aren't quite ready for lengthier chapter books. Highly recommend for purchase.-Amy Nolan, St. Joseph Public Library, MI

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2019
Ruzzier presents three more brief comics-format adventures about odd-couple friends Fox and Chick (from The Party and Other Stories). Pastel-hued pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations are easy to follow from panel to panel and spread to spread, with tantalizingly off-kilter details and fanciful supporting characters. The protagonists seem to have mellowed somewhat from the previous book, with fewer examples of sniping and more of sharing.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from July 1, 2019
Ruzzier presents three more brief adventures, in hybrid picture-book/early-chapter-book/comic form, about friends Fox and Chick (The Party and Other Stories, rev. 3/18). The first chapter begins with Fox attempting to embark, solo, on a quiet boat ride. When Chick asks to join, Fox agrees? I guess it doesn't have to be quiet ?and indeed Chick's speech-bubble patter hardly lets up. Chocolate Cake finds Chick at home (in a birdhouse, natch), stressing over a wrapped box that someone delivered. Chick's conundrum is philosophical?what if there's chocolate cake inside? What if there isn't chocolate cake inside? Fox helps Chick see the bigger picture. In the final story, Fox is eager to watch the sunrise, but Chick's foot-dragging leads to disappointment, temporarily. Ruzzier's pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations, in pastel hues, are easy to follow from panel to panel and spread to spread, with tantalizingly off-kilter details (why does Chick's house lean so precipitously? and is that an outhouse beside it?) and fanciful supporting characters (those funny-looking sea monsters and butterfly-ish creatures). The protagonists seem to have mellowed somewhat from the previous book, with fewer examples of sniping and more of sharing. elissa Gershowitz

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)