The Adventures of Reddy Fox
The Adventures of Reddy Fox was written by Thornton W. Burgess in 1913. It is a delightful tale about the mischievous and cunning Reddy Fox, who learns important lessons about life and character through his escapades in the Green Meadows and Green Forest.
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Reddy Fox, guided by his clever and sometimes strict Granny Fox, often relies on his wits to outsmart his neighbors and satisfy his appetite. However, his overconfidence and naughty tricks sometimes land him in trouble. Throughout the story, Reddy faces challenges such as being pursued by Farmer Brown's boy and his dog, Bowser, as well as dealing with other forest creatures like Peter Rabbit and Johnny Chuck.
Through his adventures, Reddy learns about the consequences of pride, the importance of listening to wisdom, and the value of caution and respect for others. Burgess weaves these lessons into the narrative with humor and warmth, blending educational insights with entertaining stories about the lives of woodland creatures.
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Introduction
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Introduce Reddy Fox
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​Visit my Reddy Fox page to learn about red foxes before reading: discover where they live, what they eat, and how they interact with nature. See photos and watch videos to provide a backdrop to the story.​
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Book Overview
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Show the cover of The Adventures of Reddy Fox. Ask students to predict what they think the story might be about based on the title and cover illustration.
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Discuss Themes
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Explain that the book explores themes like obedience, consequences of our actions, and relationships with others.
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Activities
DISCUSSION
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Reddy learns several lessons throughout the book. What is one important lesson he learns, and how does it change his behavior?
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What kind of personality does Reddy Fox have? Do you think his boldness helps him or gets him into trouble? Why?
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What kind of dog is Bowser?
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Reddy faces a lot of challenges in the story. What is one problem he has to solve, and how does he try to fix it?
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Learn about goshawks (Ch. 14)
ARTS & CRAFTS
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Draw a picture from the viewpoint of Ol’ Mistah Buzzard
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Forest Habitat Collage
Make a collage of the forest where Reddy Fox lives. Include trees, bushes, and other animals from the book. Label each part of the habitat and discuss how Reddy Fox interacts with it.
Materials: Construction paper, magazines, tissue paper, markers, and glue.​
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Fox Tail Craft
Follow this link​ for a DIY fox tail tutorial
Materials: Orange, white, and brown yarn, cardboard, scissors, measuring tape, belt​
SCIENCE EXPLORATION
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Fox Senses Experiment
Red foxes have excellent senses of smell and hearing. Test students’ abilities to identify objects using only their senses, simulating how foxes locate food and detect predators. Research how red foxes’ keen senses help them hunt and stay safe.
Materials Needed: Blindfolds, small containers with scents (e.g., cinnamon, orange peel), and sounds (e.g., rustling leaves).​​
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Food Chain Investigation
​Research what red foxes eat and what eats them. Create a food chain or web showing the red fox’s role as an omnivore. Include plants, prey (e.g., rabbits, rodents), and predators (e.g., larger carnivores). Explore how red foxes adapt to urban environments and how their diet changes.
Materials: Printable food chain templates, animal cards, and markers.​
Science-Related Questions
Animal Adaptations
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How does Reddy Fox use his senses (like sight, hearing, or smell) to find food and avoid danger in the story? Can you think of other animals with similar adaptations?
Ecosystem Role
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What role does Reddy Fox play in his ecosystem? How does he help keep the balance in nature by being both a predator and a scavenger?
Seasonal Changes
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Red foxes adapt to different seasons by changing their behavior and fur. What do you think Reddy Fox does in the story to stay warm in winter or cool in summer? How might his food sources change during the year?
BUILDING CHARACTER
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Helping kids manage fear (Courage, Ch.1)
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Activities and games for dealing with anger (Calmness, Ch.12)
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Gratitude activities (Gratefulness, Ch. 12)
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Love your enemy lesson (Kindness, Ch. 15)
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Empathy activities (Empathy, Ch. 15)
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Ideas for teaching kids to obey (Obedience, Ch. 21)
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Helping kids cope with moving (Flexibility, Ch. 24)
Character/Moral Questions
- How does Reddy Fox learn about the consequences of his actions? Can you think of a time in your life when you faced consequences for something you did?
- The animals in the Green Forest often help each other. How do they show kindness or cooperation in the story?
- Reddy Fox and Peter Rabbit don’t get along. Why do you think they have this rivalry? Do you think they could ever be friends?
- Do you think Reddy always makes good decisions? Why or why not? What might you have done differently if you were in his place?
- What do you think makes Reddy Fox a special character? Is there anything about him that you can relate to in your own life?
EXTRA FUN
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Set up a fox-themed obstacle course and pretend to be foxes sneaking through the forest. Include tunnels (cardboard boxes), balancing (walking along a plank), and jumping (over sticks).
