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Possum Magic

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1416: 289:, the researchers expressed concern about books that featured animal characters, stating that stories about animals decreased the likelihood of children from minority backgrounds seeing characters representative of themselves. The researchers recommended teachers use more contemporary texts which better represent a culturally diverse society, in addition to existing classic titles such as 165:
The two main characters are Grandma Poss and Hush. Hush has been made invisible by Grandma to protect her from Australian bush dangers. The story details the duo's adventures as they tour Australia searching for the secret to Hush's visibility. It is a rhythmical story of Australia's varied
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A stage show adaptation was developed by Monkey Baa Theatre Company and toured Australia in 2019. The adaptation was given a positive review by Judith Greenaway for ArtsHub Australia, who called it "detailed and beautiful and respectful of the original work".
1043: 655: 1012: 953: 856: 1189: 190:, by two-thirds (the original text ran four and a half pages without illustrations) and to change the mice to Australian animals to place emphasis on her Australian theme. 1379: 804: 430:
The trend for popularising (and personifying) the country's native animals saw the creation of such classics as .. Mem Fox and Julie Vivas' Possum Magic (1983),
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It is Australia's best selling children's book with almost 5 million sales (as at 2017), and has continually appeared on best seller lists.
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A perfect choice for storytimes, but also useful for curriculum enrichment, thanks to a simplified map and glossary.
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in the classroom because classic stories were not culturally diverse. Despite finding
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and has a number of adventures. In 2001, a film was made by the American company
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Kathleen T. Horning; Ginny Moore Kruse; Merri Lindgren (1991). "Picture Books".
883:"Discover the wonder of Possum Magic with limited edition collector coin series" 413: 1591: 182:. Over five years, nine publishers rejected the draft. When it was accepted by 930: 214:
called it "a wonderful story, a proper quest amid familiar surroundings,...".
1678: 1559: 1520: 1498: 1476: 574: 183: 1569: 1039: 154: 150: 138: 74: 224:, but there is a zest to the story that transcends the language barrier". 1642: 1611: 1530: 805:"'The 65-Storey Treehouse' tops Australian children's bestsellers charts" 303: 1008: 986: 958: 982:"Australian researcher claims children's book are not diverse enough" 388: 1099: 216: 1013:"Erin Molan: Storm over classic kids' books is diversity gone mad" 1601: 1488: 230: 142: 40: 26: 1147: 954:"Popular children books deemed not culturally diverse enough" 790: 755: 517: 293:. The research was criticised by several media commentators. 220:
wrote: "This agreeable tale from down under is peppered with
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is considered a classic in Australian children's literature.
145:, and illustrated by Julie Vivas. It concerns a young female 1330:"Possum Magic | Monkey Baa Theatre Company, Darling Quarter" 186:
in Adelaide they asked Fox to reduce the book, then titled
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Canberra's Own Outstanding List (COOL) Picture Book Award
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were critical of teachers over-relying on titles such as
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Adam, Helen; Hays, Anne-Maree; Urquhart, Yvonne (2021).
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in 1978, during a course in children's literature at
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Canberra's Own Outstanding List: Picture Book Award
1274:"Children's awards: Theme of book 'transcends age'" 1127:"Schoolchildren judge two authors as the most cool" 1676: 1170:. Cooperative Children's Book Center. p. 40 951: 911: 359:Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature 707:Dianne Smith (June 2000), "Biographical Note", 442:Dianne Smith (June 2000), "Biographical Note", 352:Children's Book of the Year Award: Picture Book 1068: 1066: 494: 1443: 1354:"Possum Magic stage show to tour the country" 1217: 653: 569:(4). Melbourne University Publishing: 15–17. 556: 338:Kids Own Australian Literature Awards (KOALA) 1301: 1242: 1124: 1106:. Young Australians Best Book Awards Council 952:O'Brien, Susie; Hodge, Regan (29 May 2022). 907: 905: 903: 706: 441: 1063: 918:The Australian Journal of Teacher Education 594: 468: 1450: 1436: 1380:"Review: Possum Magic, Sydney Opera House" 1220:IBBY Australia Honour Books List 1962-2018 497:"The best in children's books illustrated" 411: 318:Young Australians Best Book Awards (YABBA) 25: 929: 900: 673: 1038: 471:"10 Classic Australian Children's Books" 979: 1677: 688:. Children's Book Council of Australia 169: 1431: 1377: 1007: 811:. Books+Publishing. 26 September 2016 679: 1302:Dianne Smith (June 2000), "Awards", 166:landscapes and the animals in them. 863:. Books+Publishing. 17 October 2019 13: 1245:"Short lists for children's books" 252:list of 50 Favourite Kids’ Books. 250:Australian Booksellers Association 14: 1731: 1710:Children's books set in Australia 1657:Fiction for Younger Readers Award 1400: 354:shortlisted, and highly commended 1414: 1305:A Guide to the papers of Mem Fox 1190:"Complete List of KOALA Winners" 1125:Leanne Mason (27 October 1991). 837:. Books+Publishing. 21 June 2018 710:A Guide to the papers of Mem Fox 445:A Guide to the papers of Mem Fox 1663:Fiction for Older Readers Award 1371: 1346: 1322: 1295: 1266: 1236: 1211: 1182: 1154: 1118: 1092: 1032: 1001: 980:Goodall, Hamish (2 June 2022). 973: 945: 875: 849: 823: 797: 762: 727: 700: 654:Deborah Bogle (8 August 2014). 647: 469:Beata Bowes (25 January 2018). 347:Honour Diploma for illustration 285:included one illustration of a 1715:Children's books about animals 1578:by Stephen Michael King (2005) 1243:Peter Fuller (14 March 1984). 1222:. IBBY Australia. p. 17. 618: 588: 550: 538:. American Library Association 524: 495:Susan Nicholls (29 May 1983). 488: 462: 435: 405: 381: 365: 208:have generally been positive. 174:Fox wrote her first draft for 1: 1311:, Lue Rees Archive, p. 5 781:. 3 December 1986. p. 28 716:, Lue Rees Archive, p. 3 451:, Lue Rees Archive, p. 3 374: 1582:Dougal the Garbage Dump Bear 1566:Mr McGee and the Biting Flea 1422:Children's literature portal 193: 157:and narrated by the author. 16:1983 picture book by Mem Fox 7: 1700:Australian children's books 1218:Justine Power, ed. (2018). 746:. 1 August 1984. p. 27 10: 1736: 735:"The month's best-sellers" 559:"Australia in Three Books" 273:In 2021, researchers from 228:has also been reviewed by 149:, named Hush, who becomes 1652: 1621: 1598:Where is the Green Sheep? 1540: 1513:by Jessica Carroll (1997) 1507:by Jessica Carroll (1996) 1465: 1283:. 21 July 1984. p. 8 931:10.14221/ajte.2021v46n8.4 861:booksandpublishing.com.au 835:booksandpublishing.com.au 809:booksandpublishing.com.au 660:The Advertiser (Adelaide) 330:1991 COOL Award runner-up 296: 270:to commemorate the book. 118: 110: 102: 90: 80: 70: 62: 54: 46: 36: 24: 1695:COOL Award-winning works 1685:Picture books by Mem Fox 1639:Mr Chicken Goes to Paris 682:"Nan Chauncy Award 2017" 680:Admin (29 August 2017). 188:Hush the Invisible Mouse 1197:static1.squarespace.com 160: 139:children's picture book 75:Children's picture book 1407:Author's official site 601:School Library Journal 557:Eliza Berlage (2018). 420:. State Library of NSW 340:Younger Readers winner 333:1990 CCBC Choices book 275:Edith Cowan University 248:In 2014 it topped the 237:School Library Journal 1690:1983 children's books 1550:by David Legge (2000) 887:Royal Australian Mint 770:"Months' bestsellers" 475:victorianopera.com.au 260:Royal Australian Mint 141:by Australian author 1100:"YABBA Hall of Fame" 642:one enchanting book. 414:"Stories in the sun" 1705:Omnibus Books books 1584:by Matt Dray (2006) 1378:Greenaway, Judith. 1018:The Daily Telegraph 320:Hall of Fame member 262:struck a series of 180:Flinders University 170:Development history 21: 1291:– via Trove. 1281:The Canberra Times 1262:– via Trove. 1252:The Canberra Times 1135:The Canberra Times 1049:Sky News Australia 778:The Canberra Times 743:The Canberra Times 686:readingtime.com.au 632:. Media Source Inc 603:. Media Source Inc 505:The Canberra Times 389:"Fox, Mem (1946-)" 211:The Canberra Times 19: 1672: 1671: 1555:Diary of a Wombat 1517:The Midnight Gang 1384:ArtsHub Australia 1229:978-0-646-99553-3 595:Jeanette Larson. 130: 129: 125:978-01-5200-572-6 103:Publication place 55:Cover artist 1727: 1452: 1445: 1438: 1429: 1428: 1424: 1419: 1418: 1417: 1394: 1393: 1391: 1390: 1375: 1369: 1368: 1366: 1365: 1350: 1344: 1343: 1341: 1340: 1326: 1320: 1319: 1318: 1316: 1310: 1299: 1293: 1292: 1290: 1288: 1278: 1270: 1264: 1263: 1261: 1259: 1249: 1240: 1234: 1233: 1215: 1209: 1208: 1206: 1204: 1194: 1186: 1180: 1179: 1177: 1175: 1169: 1158: 1152: 1151: 1145: 1143: 1131: 1122: 1116: 1115: 1113: 1111: 1096: 1090: 1089: 1087: 1085: 1070: 1061: 1060: 1058: 1056: 1036: 1030: 1029: 1027: 1025: 1005: 999: 998: 996: 994: 977: 971: 970: 968: 966: 949: 943: 942: 940: 938: 933: 909: 898: 897: 895: 893: 879: 873: 872: 870: 868: 853: 847: 846: 844: 842: 827: 821: 820: 818: 816: 801: 795: 794: 788: 786: 774: 766: 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AustLit 575:0025-6293 306:shortlist 268:$ 2 coins 194:Reception 151:invisible 106:Australia 81:Publisher 1629:Fearless 536:Booklist 217:Booklist 63:Language 1720:Possums 1602:Mem Fox 1489:Mem Fox 1199:. KOALA 563:Meanjin 231:Meanjin 143:Mem Fox 66:English 41:Mem Fox 1645:(2011) 1635:(2010) 1614:(2009) 1604:(2008) 1594:(2007) 1572:(2004) 1562:(2003) 1533:(1999) 1523:(1998) 1501:(1995) 1491:(1994) 1479:(1993) 1473:Window 1277:(scan) 1248:(scan) 1226:  1130:(scan) 1055:7 June 1024:7 June 993:7 June 987:7 News 965:7 June 937:7 June 773:(scan) 738:(scan) 573:  500:(scan) 395:, 2011 361:winner 327:winner 297:Awards 240:, and 147:possum 37:Author 1309:(PDF) 1193:(PDF) 1168:(PDF) 1148:Trove 924:(8). 791:Trove 756:Trove 714:(PDF) 518:Trove 449:(PDF) 393:Trove 357:1984 350:1984 343:1986 336:1987 323:1994 316:2004 313:Award 309:2006 302:2009 111:Pages 71:Genre 1495:Toby 1317:2021 1289:2021 1260:2021 1224:ISBN 1205:2021 1176:2021 1144:2021 1112:2021 1086:2021 1057:2022 1026:2022 995:2022 967:2022 939:2022 894:2017 869:2021 843:2021 817:2021 787:2021 752:2021 722:2021 694:2021 667:2021 638:2021 609:2021 582:2021 571:ISSN 544:2021 514:2021 482:2021 457:2021 426:2021 311:KROC 266:and 161:Plot 120:ISBN 97:1983 1641:by 1631:by 1610:by 1600:by 1590:by 1568:by 1558:by 1529:by 1519:by 1497:by 1487:by 1475:by 926:doi 264:$ 1 1681:: 1382:. 1356:. 1332:. 1279:. 1250:. 1195:. 1132:. 1102:. 1076:. 1065:^ 1046:. 1015:. 984:. 956:. 922:46 920:. 916:. 902:^ 885:. 859:. 833:. 807:. 775:. 740:. 684:. 658:. 640:. 628:. 611:. 599:. 567:77 565:. 561:. 534:. 502:. 473:. 428:. 416:. 391:, 234:, 1451:e 1444:t 1437:v 1392:. 1367:. 1342:. 1232:. 1207:. 1178:. 1150:. 1114:. 1088:. 1059:. 1028:. 997:. 969:. 941:. 928:: 896:. 871:. 845:. 819:. 793:. 758:. 696:. 669:. 584:. 546:. 520:. 484:.

Index


Mem Fox
Children's picture book
Omnibus Books
1983
ISBN
978-01-5200-572-6
children's picture book
Mem Fox
possum
invisible
Weston Woods
Flinders University
Omnibus Books
The Canberra Times
Booklist
Meanjin
School Library Journal
Horn Book Guides
Australian Booksellers Association
Royal Australian Mint
$ 1
$ 2 coins
Edith Cowan University
person of colour
BILBY Award
KROC
Young Australians Best Book Awards (YABBA)
Canberra's Own Outstanding List (COOL) Picture Book Award
Kids Own Australian Literature Awards (KOALA)

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