Arctic Fox Pups

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

A combination of excellent photographs and a text that contains good information make this early reader a good choice. Kids meet Arctic fox pups who live in a den with both parents and learn about their size, fur coloration, and habitats. They live near the North Pole and it is very cold in this habitat. The foxes have thick fur on their bodies and their feet and in the winter this fur is white to help them blend in with their surroundings. In the summer their fur thins out and turns brownish gray again to blend in with their habitat. A family may include five or up to as many as twenty pups and they nurse for about three weeks. After that the parents bring meat and quickly teach their offspring how to hunt for berries, insects, and lemmings. They are ready to leave home after ten months. Each book in the "Wild Baby Animals" series follows a similar format. There is a table of contents, picture glossary, index, book reference, a web link, and a brief blurb about the author. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot