And, Too, the Fox: A Cover Reveal and Conversation with US Poet Laureate, Ada Limón

When I was a kid, I had a favorite animal: foxes. They seemed to me the best possible aspects of both cat and dog combined. To this day, I’ve never had the pleasure of experiencing one in the wild, but I still admire them greatly. Now it appears that US Poet Laureate Ada Limón has written a beautiful picture book starring this most excellent creature, and I am getting the chance to share the book with you today.

But first, a publisher description of And, Too, the Fox, which will be released this coming January 7, 2025 with beautiful illustrations by Gaby D’Allesandro:

Comes with its streak of red

flashing across the lawn, squirrel

bound and bouncing . . .

US Poet Laureate Ada Limón has a keen eye for the natural world. This poem pulses with the joyful energy of a fox bounding through backyards, piecing together a living in his own way. Paired with lush illustrations by Gaby D’Alessandro, this picture book brings Limón’s work to a new generation.

Today, we are speaking with Ada about the book’s origins and journey to publication:

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Betsy Bird: Ada Limón, it is such a pleasure to have a chance to ask you some questions today. I can say equivocally, and without any doubt, that I adore this book of yours. AND, TOO, THE FOX is just this marvelous juxtaposition of the natural world alongside writing that manages to replicate not just the simple majesty of foxes but their playful, almost trickster nature as well. Just to kick us off, what came first for you: the poem or the idea for the book?

Ada Limón: Oh thank you for asking and I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the book. I think the illustrations are just fantastic. So vibrant and alive! The poem came first. It’s a poem I wrote a few years ago and it appears in my poetry collection The Hurting Kind. When Lerner asked if I’d be interested in making it a children’s book, I immediately said yes. And they’ve done a marvelous job.

BB: The answer to this question will probably relate back to your answer just now. I’m just very interested in how the lines are broken up from page to page. In making this book, do you imagine where the breaks in the text will occur from page to page, or do you present the text as is and the book is broken up by your editor/illustrator instead?

Ada: Great question. Since the poem came first, the poem has its original line breaks. It’s a stichic, meaning it’s a poem that doesn’t have stanza breaks. The poem has a different movement, and the artist pulled out the lines and illustrated the movement visually. It’s really a wonderful thing to see. I love how she kept some of the original pacing and also added more breath to some of the images.

BB: As a kid, my absolutely favorite animal was the fox. That said, there wasn’t much in the way of children’s picture books that quite captured their more mischievous personalities accurately (with the exception of The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night by Peter Spier, of course). What is your own relationship to that particular canid?

Ada: I love a fox. I just saw one the other day. To me, they are so independent, so fully in their own worlds. When you see them, they are operating on their own time, in their own agendas. I don’t think they are entirely symbolic to me, but they do represent a sort of secrecy, and an independence that feels so necessary to their existence.

BB: The book gently points to the fact that foxes live amongst us in our own world, around our garbage and our rats, rather than solely in the woods (as other books might imply). Was it important to you to make this subtle acknowledgment? When you wrote the words in an initial first draft, did you always have telephone poles and lawns in the text?

Ada: Yes, I always wanted the fox to be with us wherever we are. And they are! They have adapted to our world and you can see them weave between houses and traces little paths across suburban lawns. I wanted the idea that the fox is everywhere. Not just an idea, an unknown entity in the natural world, but a member of our communities.

BB: The art of Gaby D’Alessandro gives the book this incredible feel that is both realistic and dreamy all at once. It even seems to reference other fox tales (Aesop’s story about the fox and the grapes comes to mind). Were you aware of Gaby’s work prior to this book? What do you think about the final product?

Ada: I did not know Gaby’s work prior to this collaboration, but I just adore her vision. The colors and moods she brings to life are just stunning. But above all, I love the fox. The fox is perfect. He’s exactly how I imagined him. Curious, confident, secretive, and playful. The book is even better than I could have ever wished for..a true ode to the spirit of foxes.

BB: Finally, can we hope for more picture books from you in the future? What are you working on next (if you can say)?

Ada; I would love to make more picture books! In October, I released the picture book In Praise of Mystery with illustrations by Peter Sís and it’s been a gift to see that book move in the world. I think picture books and poetry weave imagination and curiosity and wonder together in such a unique and tender way. So, yes, I hope to keep making them! I’m working on putting together my new and selected manuscript and hope to have that book in the works shortly.

Thank you for all your wonderful questions!

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Oodles of thanks to Ada for answering my questions today. But why delay the inevitable? Here then, is what you’ve been waiting for. The cover of And, Too, the Fox:

Ain’t she a beauty?

But wait! There’s more. Let’s take a gander at some of the interior spreads while we’re at it:

Finally, you can hear Ada read a portion of the book itself here:

Many thanks to Lindsay Matvick and the team at Lerner for putting this together. Thanks again to Ada, and remember, the book is out January 7, 2025. Seek it out early!

Filed under: Cover Reveal, Interviews