BIBLIOGRAPHY

Fox, Mem. 1983. Possum magic. Ill. by Julie Vivas. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Publishers. ISBN 0132005722

PLOT SUMMARY

When Hush was a very small possum, Grandma Poss made him invisible to protect him from predators and keep him safe. Although being invisible allowed Hush to get away with a lot of fun things like sliding down kangaroos and getting squished by wombats, one day Hush wonders what she looks like. Thus begins the adventure of a lifetime that finds Hush and Grandma Poss traveling from place to place in Australia, eating different foods at each location—all in an effort to make Hush visible. The varied techniques of Vivas’ illustrations not only complement the text, but also draw readers into the world of the Australian animals. The simple outline map and glossary at the end of the book explain Australian dishes, and make readers wish for a kitchen, a cookbook, a sample, and even a sequal.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)

From Grandma Poss’ bush magic we find Hush, a cute, cuddly possum who bears more resemblance to a bush baby than the possums that we see raiding the garbage cans during the night hours. Hush is invisible for his own protection. Grandma Poss doesn’t want Hush to get eaten by snakes or any of the other predators that would love to each a cute little possum. Grandma Poss remembers that the cure for invisibility has something to do with People food, so off they go on a tour of Australia. From the Australian cities visited by the duo to the distinctly Australian “people food” that Grandma feeds Hush, readers get a humorous, sweet, and somewhat magical view of Australia and its foods. The illustrations by Vivas, although very cute, show realistic characteristics of Australian animals including emus, wombats, and dingoes. Although Possum Magic has distinctly Australian characters and dialect, the story will have universal appeal for readers looking for a good story.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

School Library Journal. Grandma Poss uses bush magic to make Hush invisible, but when Hush wants to see herself again, Grandma can’t remember which particular Australian food is needed to reverse the spell. Traveling around the continent in search of an antidote, Grandma and Hush sample Anzac biscuits, mornay, vegemite, and pavlova until the right delicacy is found.

Children’s Literature. Possum Magic casts two Australian bush possums in starring roles but also features wombats, dingoes, and emus, rendered endearing by Julie Vivas’ soft-toned watercolors. In addition to introducing Australian animals, Fox takes her possums on an eating adventure in search of the Australian foods-vegemite sandwiches, pavlovas, and lamingtons-that will work a necessary magic.

CONNECTIONS

This book can be used as an introduction to Australia and its wildlife. It can also be used to discuss the Australian culture as it relates to food.

Look for these other books about Australian creatures:

Fox, Mem. Koala Lou.ISBN 9780152000769.

Peterson, David. Australia. ISBN 9780516263724

Osborne, Mary Pope. Dingoes at dinnertime. ISBN 9780679890669

Roth, Susan L. The biggest frog in Australia. ISBN 9780689833144

Carmi, Rebecca. Expedition down under. ISBN 9780439204248