Book excerpt: Mr. Fox is bored, and he refuses to be impressed--his response to every attempt to attract his attention? "Big whoop." His friends say "it's not healthy," and go to ever more extreme lengths to get a smile from him in this silly story sure to appeal to fans of Oliver Jeffers. Whimsical, brightly colored, detailed illustrations draw readers into this witty tale about the efforts of a squirrel and a rabbit to amuse their eternally underwhelmed, chronically bored pal, Mr. Fox. Driven to absurdly imaginative feats, including walking to the moon on stilts made of cheese and reading 653 books in 27 minutes, they remain "confuzzled" as Mr. Fox responds with never a smile, only the phrase "Big whoop." Will this determined twosome succeed in eliciting a laugh from the frustratingly taciturn fox? Kids will crack up at the increasingly silly lengths the friends go to, while relating to the stubborn, sly resistance of Mr. Fox. ·Wacky premise and quirky humor that appeals to elementary-school kids ·Colorful illustrations with funny details draw even reluctant readers into the story ·Clever celebration of the power of imagination and friendship with a slightly subversive attitude