Thoughts of a Golden Fox

Thoughts of a Golden Fox, written by Charles David Rushbrook and illustrated by Beverly Dyer, is a delightful book for children (9+) and even grown-ups. The story is told from the viewpoint of a mother Golden Fox, which, according to the book’s short and gentle-hearted Glossary, is “…a magical, and rarely seen, species of fox with unbelievably beautiful golden coats! They are noted for their kindness, gentleness, and desire for peace among all living beings.” The book has chapters entitled “Colors of a Golden Fox; Autumn; Kits; Light of the Moon; Being Born; Worries; Happiness; Spirits; Fox and Human; Mother Nature; Bushy-Tail; Brother Deer; Fondness; Shared Thoughts; and Love.” In the course of the story, the mother fox shares her thoughts and heart with the reader, in a sweetly innocent and deeply-wise voice. She describes what Golden Foxes are; talks about the beauty of their coats and the colors of nature; about her love for her two kits and the similarities with human mothers; the commonalities of the worries and the happy things that both Golden Foxes and humans share; the relationship with humans; the compassion of Mother Nature toward all beings; the interconnectedness of all things; and the great force of love that underlies all. It may be said that the key concept of the book is love, as it is manifested in all of nature and in all beings, and compassion and caring for others, including the environment.