The Terrible Greedy Fossifoo

Author and Illustrator: Charles Fuge

For Ages: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 30

Publisher: Simon and Schuster, London

Year: 2009

ISBN: 978-1-41691-037-4

Meet the brightly colored and contented creatures of the Great Green Forest who lived happily until “the terrible greedy Fossifoo arrived!”

This story about greed, repentance and propitiation ought to go well with children besides introducing them to the concept of sharing and caring for the world around them.   

I loved how Fuge uses colors to demonstrate the ravages of greed as the palette gently but inexorably moves from lush, vibrant greens to bare, lifeless browns.

Though, I must say, the name Fossifoo reminds me a lot of ‘fossil fuels’.

Excerpt

“What have I done?” whispered the Fossifoo, and he started to cry.

He cried and cried and cried until he had no tears left to cry. If only he had taken care of the beautiful forest.

Then he noticed it – beneath his feet, watered by all the tears, a tiny seed had sprouted.