a dapper boy and smart as a fox

Posted on Posted in book reviews/events

a few weeks ago, i received a copy of this adorable new picture book, Argyle Fox, written and illustrated by Marie LeTourneau, so i could share it with our readership. i just love the illustrations for this simple story!

argyle lives in the woods with his mama (who we assume is the creator of his many dapper garments and accessories!).

while he loves hanging around with mama and knitting sometimes knitting along, he also loves to play outdoors and is very creative in making his activities come to life.

one spring day, the wind was wreaking havoc with his fun and games. as soon as he builds a card tower, climbs into a giant spider web, or takes up his pirate sword, down came the wind wreck everything.

Argyle goes home in a huff to sulk, despairing that he will not beat the wind and he may as well not try. but mama tells argyle that if he thinks long enough, he will come up with something to do.

following her suggestion and inspired by her knitting, he gets busy and works all the pieces of his day together to come up with a perfectly crafted solution.

can you guess what it is? i will leave it to your imagination or for you to discover on your own by reading the book!

argyle fox is a wonderful story to read to children who are getting interested in books (like my 2-year-old grand nephew eli), or for the beginning reader; the words are simple and the print is large, while the illustrations are rich with detail and style.

it’s genius to create a story where the child protagonist solves a problem by putting his favorite crafting activities to an industrious use. we see that with a little ingenuity, concentration, and clever crafting skills, we can “fix” a troublesome situation. in this case at least, “a busy child is a happy child”!

and speaking of solutions, this would be perfect for a little one’s easter basket if you are looking for something sugarless and more lasting to add (along with handknits, of course).

and best of all, tanglewood press has offered a giveaway copy of argyle fox for knitspot readers! leave a comment at the end of this post by
9 pm EDST on friday and tell me your guess about which game argyle came up with that plays nicely with the wind. we’ll pick a winner and announce it over the weekend!

51 thoughts on “a dapper boy and smart as a fox

  1. Oh the illustrations are wonderful!! From the many scarfs to the basket of yarn, Argyle’s house feels like home!! Thanks for sharing this lovely book. I know two half pints who would be interested!

  2. Perhaps he Knit a kite? Adorable book. Foxes are one of my favourite animals.

  3. Well kite seems to be a popular good guess, because it is too hard to knit a hot air ballon. I have a special friend who would love the book. I knit Hazel hats for her special occasions because everyone should have something made just for them

  4. …oops! Left off my quess. Yes, of course, a Kite! The kite tail on “tied” was a dead give away.

  5. My grand-nephew would LOVE this book! Of course, I would want to read it first (-;

  6. I love books for kids they just soak up knowledge & beautiful illustrations. This book is great.
    Argyle must knit a flying blanket,other wards a kite to handle the winds.

  7. What a charmer, like Mac Barnett’s Extra Yarn! The knitted kite tail gave it away for me, but I did have to think for a few minutes and look harder at the pictures!

  8. A kite! I would love to have this to read to my grandson. Thanks for a lovely giveaway

  9. What a lovely book. My 3yr old grandson, would enjoy it. He has a new baby brother and while very good with him he is getting into a “huff” way more often than he used to….he could do with some strategies to deal with his frustration that life is a little slow in his home at the moment!

  10. Argyle must have made an argyle kite! My great granddaughter just turned 2 and she loves a fox! This would be a fun book to read to her. And knowing her, over and over and over again. Haha

  11. It must be a kite! Am I right? I’ll be getting this for my 3 year old niece, who loves foxes? Thank you for sharing!

  12. It’s a kite, of course, and what a delightful book! I know a certain three-year-old and her knitting Nana who would love a copy.

  13. Adorable book! Any of my 6 (all 6 and under!) grandkids (and super knitwear models) would love to cuddle up and hear this story! I’m guessing he made a kite.

  14. What a fun book. My guess is a kite. Hope I win this book for my 5 year old granddaughter, London.

  15. What a wonderful tribute to knitting…and what a great way to introduce knitting to children!

  16. I think the obvious answer is a flying a kite, but since that is so obvious, I think we might be surprised. I have a 2 year old grandson and I think that he would love this book.

  17. Oh, this is wonderful! My grand darling would love this book, and I would love reading it to him!

  18. My guess is flying a kite. My kids would love this book. Thanks for the chance to win.

  19. It’s probably a kite, but I’m with Rhea that it might also be a wind sock. My nephew would love this book – or maybe I should say his parents would love it, as a replacement for his current favorite book about “passing wind.”

  20. BTW one thing I do to make a dog or cat get comfy, I put an old sweater or something where they sleep. It will smell like me ,hasn’t been washed lately, and get her used to you.

  21. A kite! What a beautifully illustrated book, and with knitting to boot. My two and a half year old son, who tries to help me knit sometimes, would love this.

  22. Looks like a kite…. would love to share this with my 3 great nephews who are busy boys at 1,2, and 4. They love reading and I love cuddling with them to to it, squirmy but fun!!

  23. I think it is a kite….this would be a delightful book for my 4 year old grand daughter . She and her 8 year
    old sister are both interested in crafts and knitting.
    Thanks and happy knitting.

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