Fantastic Mr Fox – Roald Dahl, Puffin Edition (Session 2027-28)

Fantastic Mr Fox is the short, quick and very clever Roald Dahl story about a fox who keeps his family fed by stealing from three nasty farmers, Boggis, Bunce and Bean, and then has to outsmart them when they try to dig him out. This Puffin edition is illustrated by Quentin Blake. It is one of the best "first" Dahl books for Classes 2 to 5 and a fine reading book for the 2027-28 session.

Exams Book House, Shop Number 4, Al Fazal Market, Urdu Bazar, Lahore, supplies it with cash on delivery across Pakistan and delivery to the Gulf countries.

Quick facts about this copy

• Title on the cover: Fantastic Mr. Fox
• Author: Roald Dahl · Illustrations: Quentin Blake
• Publisher: Puffin Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, New York
• ISBN of this edition: 9780142410349 (printed on the copyright page)
• Publishing history on the copyright page: first published in the United States by Alfred A. Knopf in 1970; published by Puffin in 1988; reissued in this edition in 2007 and 2013
• Printed in: the United States of America
• Length: a short book, easy to finish in a few evenings

What is Fantastic Mr Fox about?

Mr Fox and Mrs Fox live with their four small foxes in a hole beneath a big tree on a hill. Down in the valley are three farms. The farmers are called Boggis, Bunce and Bean, and Dahl describes them in a rhyme that children remember for life: one is fat, one short, one lean, and all three are mean. Every night Mr Fox slips down the hill and brings home a chicken, a duck or a turkey for supper.

The farmers get so angry that they decide to wait outside the fox hole with guns. When that does not work, they bring in big diggers and start digging up the hill. Mr Fox then has to think of a new plan, and his plan is to tunnel deeper than the farmers can dig and to reach the food stores of all three farms from underneath.

The book is a very short adventure about cleverness, teamwork and family. It also treats the question of who the "bad guys" are, because the reader is on the fox's side even though he steals. That is a wonderful point for discussion in class: is stealing from a wicked person ever right, and what would Mr Fox say if he were asked?

Why this edition page matters

Several different editions of this story circulate in Pakistan, so it helps to look at the printed details. This copy's copyright page shows Puffin Books, the imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, New York, and the edition ISBN 9780142410349. Text copyright is shown as 1970 by Roald Dahl and the illustrations as 1998 by Quentin Blake. If your school asks for a specific ISBN, compare it with this one.

Reading the book in four parts

1. The three farmers. The opening introduces Boggis, Bunce and Bean, each with a different mean habit. Children usually enjoy copying the rhyme aloud.
2. The nightly raids. Mr Fox's skill as a thief and as a family man appears in the first half. His wife Mrs Fox is calm and practical.
3. The siege. The farmers wait with guns, then with digging machines. This is the most exciting section, and the pictures show how the hill is destroyed.
4. The underground feast. The foxes dig their way to the farmers' stores and invite other animals to share. The ending is warm and very satisfying.

Who should read it?

• Children aged six to ten. The sentences are short and the plot is simple enough for a Class 2 student to follow with help, and for a Class 4 student to read alone.
• Parents. A bedtime book that fits into a week of reading, with a ready-made moral about being clever, helping one's family and sharing.
• Teachers. Useful for lessons on rhyme, characters, "good versus bad" arguments, and for writing activities such as a letter from Mrs Fox.
• Struggling readers in Classes 5 and 6 who need a short success. A finished book builds confidence.

Why read it?

It is only a short story, but it covers a lot. Children learn how rhyme works in the farmers' song. They see how a character can be clever without being cruel. And they meet the idea of a "problem and a solution", which is the basis of story writing in English lessons. The humour is gentle enough that even younger readers do not find it scary.

When and how to use it

A good plan for the home is a chapter a night. For school, use it in a two-week unit: week one for reading and character work, week two for writing a new episode such as "Mr Fox visits a fourth farm". Ask questions like "How do you know Mr Fox is clever?" and "What would you have done in his place?" to get children to give reasons.

Is it good for session 2027-28?

Yes. As a short English novel for early readers in the 2027-28 session it is one of the cheapest and quickest ways to introduce Roald Dahl. If your school's list names a particular edition, send us the list on WhatsApp so we can match it.

More books to read next

• The Twits: animals who get their own back on horrible people.
• The Magic Finger: another very short Dahl story about being kind to animals.
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Matilda are longer books for once your child has finished this one.

Buy it in Urdu Bazar, Lahore

• Shop: Exams Book House, Shop Number 4, Al Fazal Market, Urdu Bazar, Lahore 54000
• Urdu Bazar Lahore book shop number: 0317 4846676 (call or WhatsApp)
• Open: Monday to Saturday, 9 AM – 9 PM; closed on Sunday
• Delivery: all over Pakistan with cash on delivery, and to the Gulf countries

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Frequently asked questions

Is Fantastic Mr Fox right for children in 2027-28?

Yes. It is a short, simple story for early readers in Classes 2 to 5 for the 2027-28 session.

What is the ISBN of this edition?

9780142410349, as printed on the copyright page of this Puffin edition.

Who draws the pictures?

Quentin Blake, as stated on the cover.

Is it too scary?

No. There are guns and diggers, but the tone is playful and the foxes are always one step ahead.

How can I order?

WhatsApp 0317 4846676 or visit the shop in Urdu Bazar. We deliver across Pakistan with cash on delivery, and to the Gulf countries.

Inside the book — contents and sample pages