What is it that lies deep inside us that musters the courage and perseverance to survive in a world that seems to conspire against us at every turn? The year is 1904 when Ruddie Quick flees a murderous father and a hardscrabble life on a tenant farm in western Maryland. His tortuous escape is just the beginning of the boy’s adventures, as he makes his way out of the mountains, down the C&O Canal and into the mean streets of Baltimore. Ruddie’s assets are few, but include his mother’s love and a few important lessons taught by a vixen and her kits. The boy also relies on the example set by the champions in his favorite books, the friendship of a wise grandson of slaves, and an internal strength that will be tested time and again. He is beginning to forge a new life among a swath of fascinating urban personalities when his world is rocked by the appearance of his vengeful father. The consequences of their reunion have far-reaching and devastating effects on both Ruddie and the city he has come to know and love.

Aesop’s Fox is a lively, ultimately uplifting parable of a boy who echoes the courage of Jim Hawkins, the burgeoning maturity of David Copperfield, and the fairmindedness of Huckleberry Finn. Although he borrows from each of these heroes, Ruddie fashions his own unique character. One that will linger with the reader long after the last page has been turned.