The Fox and the Election Fraud

By Tuula Pere

December 30^th, 2024

The Fox and the Election Fraud

It’s time for the mayoral election. The ambitious Francis the Fox is ready to overthrow the popular William the Wolf. When the mischievous fox’s shady supporters get going, anything is possible!

Written by Tuula Pere

Illustrated by Andrea Alemanno

Published by Wickwick 2024:

ISBN 978-952-82-0162-5 (Hardcover)
ISBN 978-952-82-0164-9 (Softcover)
ISBN 978-952-82-0163-2 (Softcover Premium Color)
ISBN 978-952-82-0165-6 (ePub)

48 pages

Awards and Reviews

"The Fox and the Election Fraud by Tuula Pere delivers a clever, engaging story that weaves humor and important lessons into a memorable tale. It follows Francis the Fox, a character who can’t seem to grasp the concept of honesty, despite Major William the Wolf’s best efforts. When an election campaign sparks his interest, Francis becomes determined to win at any cost. He pulls out all the stops, leveraging every connection, working tirelessly, and strategizing to sway the voters. Yet, as the reality of defeat looms over him, Francis resorts to a desperate, underhanded plan: tampering with the vote count. But the city’s robust judicial system has no tolerance for dishonesty, and Francis learns the hard way that cheating never pays.

Though it deals with themes that seem geared toward adults, The Fox and the Election Fraud keeps things light, witty, and refreshingly creative. The writing shines with clarity and vivid storytelling, drawing readers into Francis’ antics. It’s a story bursting with well-structured ideas and fast-paced action. Pere gives us a protagonist who, despite his flaws, remains oddly charming and relatable. Francis may be a trickster, but his humorous escapades serve as a vehicle for teaching critical life lessons about integrity, honesty, and the inevitable triumph of good over deceit. The various schemes he devises to bolster his campaign are as entertaining as they are instructive, making the plot thoroughly enjoyable. Tuula Pere impresses me with her ability to craft narratives that are both dynamic and meaningful. The book, though part of a series, stands strong on its own, offering just enough background to make Francis’ story accessible to any reader. Pere’s attention to detail is evident in every aspect, from the engaging text to the vibrant illustrations that bring the world to life. The format is designed to captivate young readers while keeping adults invested, making it an ideal pick for family reading sessions.

The Fox and the Election Fraud is a standout story that I highly recommend. It’s a perfect blend of humor, moral lessons, and entertaining characters. Children will learn about honesty and responsibility while laughing along with Francis’ misadventures, and adults will appreciate the book’s wit and charm."

–Literary Titan

Literary Titan Gold Award

"The Fox and the Election Fraud is yet another phenomenal addition to the Francis the Fox series by Tuula Pere!

This series has solidified itself as perhaps our favorite in all our contests. There's just something undeniable about this mischievous Machiavellian fox and all of his plots and schemes!

In terms of continuity, The Fox and the Election Fraud comes right on the heels of The Fox's New Channel, which seemed to follow the events of The Fox's Tower and The Fox's Palace.

We love that each of these books maintains a consistent continuity and builds upon the events of the previous books. In other words, this isn't a slice-of-life/monster-of-the-week series in which events happen once, then everything returns to the status quo and isn't mentioned again. No, the story of Francis the Fox is full of ups and downs that compound and build on top of each other. In other words, things have consequence. The plots and characters have consequence. Most of all, Francis the Fox's actions and decisions have consequences.

Going into The Fox and the Election Fraud, there was a real sense among our judges that this may be the last rodeo for Francis. In other words, we thought that this might be the final installment in a wonderful series. Thankfully, it appears we were wrong about that finality (we really don't want this series to end); however, that feeling highlights how high the stakes have gotten in the fox's story.

It needs to be said that this book's ending is incredibly swift and abrupt. We turned to the last page hoping that something else would happen, then realized that it was the last page. This book, similar to The Only Blue Crow and The Fox's Tower, ends on a very abrupt cliffhanger. Some readers may find that bothersome. However, it does make you want to read the next book.

One last thing that needs to be noted is that Francis is gradually changing and developing, though very slowly. A lot of that seems to be due to the aforementioned age and experience. In probably the most interesting line, Francis confides in Flurry: 'For the first time in my life, I've started to question my capabilities.'

It's incredible to think that, despite all the bad things we've seen Francis do, we still hope that he can learn, grow, and redeem himself."

—Outstanding Creator Awards

Outstanding Creator, Best Children's Books, Clash of Champions 2024, 1st Place

"The Fox and the Election Fraud by Tuula Pere is book 5 in a series of tales about Francis who never seems to learn his lessons about life. Always a schemer, always thinking about how he can get ahead without thinking about anyone else, Francis is in for another disastrous adventure. But now, he simply feels sorry for himself for what everyone else did to him. And he plans revenge. If he can win a mayoral election, that will make him popular again. So what if he doesn’t have money, honest employees, or a desire to serve others? Once he is elected mayor, everything will be so much better for him. But when he realizes his chances of winning are rapidly going to zero, he hatches a plan that will guarantee his victory. Or will it?

Election fraud has been around as long as there have been elections. Security measures help to prevent wrong outcomes, but in this story, Francis goes to the extreme to win. Nothing else matters. Only winning is important and his nefarious plans end up exploding in his face and threaten his future. The story illustrates the dangers of winning at all costs, allowing young readers to think about that which is important in life. Is the small chance of winning worth it if I lose my reputation, my friends, or even my freedom? Tuula Pere skillfully uses The Fox and the Election Fraud to teach important lessons about fairness, honesty, and integrity. Highly recommended."

—Bruce Arrington for Readers's Favorite

Readers' Favorite 5 Stars

Illustrations by Andrea Alemanno

Other Languages

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