Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1410380 in Books
• Published on: 1997-04-01
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .40" h x 8.36" w x 10.31" l, .73 pounds
• Binding: Hardcover
• 1 pages

From Publishers Weekly
A possum can't keep a straight face when his mother tries to teach him to play dead. PW wrote: "Joe's giggles, conveyed so mirthfully in the pictures, are pretty contagious." Ages 4-8. (Apr.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2. Joe the possum's irrepressible giggle gets in the way when his mother tries to teach him a life skill: playing possum. Time after time he fails, until his mother asks him, sighing, "What will you do when real danger comes?" When grumpy Mr. Bear comes from the woods, Joe comes through, only to find that Bear has come to him for help. At last, the two exchange favors: Joe learns to play dead and Mr. Bear learns to laugh. The possums live in a typical human household, and Joe's friends are warm and supportive animals. The setting is so cozy that when Mr. Bear appears, he's just not that scary. Charming watercolor-and-ink art, effective use of white space, and varied page design make this slim story a satisfying visual experience. Despite all the giggles though, Joe's laugh is just not that convincing.?Carolyn Noah, Central Mass. Regional Library System, Worcester, MA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Ages 3^-6. The many fans of Kasza's The Wolf's Chicken Stew (1987) will be delighted by her latest, very funny picture book. Little Joe Possum has an unusual problem: he giggles so much that he can't play dead. Mother Possum is worried and decides to give her beloved boy lessons in, well, playing possum. First, she sniffs Joe's fur "like a hungry fox." Then, she pokes him like a nasty coyote. Finally, she shakes the tyke "like a scary wildcat." But each time Joe just laughs--until he is confronted by a real-life grumpy old bear. The rhythmic text moves along at a fast clip, and the warmhearted watercolors are irresistible. All the characters, including Joe's animal pals who watch the proceedings from a safe distance, are vibrantly individualized. The tale's plot twist, and a surprise ending to boot, will engage story-timers. Julie Corsaro