Possum Magic

Possum Magic by Mem Fox, illustrated by Julie Vivas.

I chose this book because initially I liked the illustrations. My children were older and capable readers by the time we discovered this book so I had never read it aloud until recently. 

The illustrations by Julie Vivas use few line strokes but each of the bush animals is clearly recognizable. Landmarks such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge and a Queenslander home immediately set the scene for the text.

Like all of Mem Fox’s children’s books this book was written for reading aloud, with feeling. I have it on good authority that Mem is a very animated story teller. 

She makes use of some rhyming in her prose, which may or may not appeal to her adult readers (e.g. p2); she also uses clever alliteration when naming the places the possums visit – Anzac, Adelaide; Minties, Melbourne; Steak, Sydney.

Repetition is also a feature of the story …'magic for thin and magic for fat, magic for tall and magic for small,' so that younger readers can anticipate what comes next and perhaps feel that they can 'read' by themselves.

Mem Fox has a teaching background and this is obvious in the Australian geography lesson that she weaves into the story with the names of the state capitals and also the fact that they go over the sea to Tasmania.

The book shows us the bond between a grandmother and her granddaughter, the safety that Hush feels when she is with Grandma Poss and her acceptance of the magic that her grandmother can weave. Hush accepts that Grandma Poss can cast a magic spell to make her invisible and keep her safe from snakes, but when Grandma can’t remember the spell to make her visible again Hush also accepts that.

Now that I am a grandmother the idea of interaction with grandchildren has become more important to me and I am hopeful that I will be able to form this type of bond with my granddaughters especially. 

I am now always on the lookout for appropriate children’s books and having read this one aloud to myself I know that I would love to read it aloud to any or all of my grandchildren. The story is appealing, the illustrations are vivid and exciting and I can’t wait to find a child to read it to.