Midnight Possum by Sally Morgan ill Jess Racklyeft

Possum loved the deep dark.

But when Moon rose

high in the sky,

he loved midnight

even more.

At midnight,

Possum went travelling.

Possum loved the deep dark.

But when Moon rose

high in the sky,

he loved midnight

even more.

At midnight,

Possum went travelling.

Possum loves the night, particularly after midnight when he can explore his territory. He encounters other Australian animals then settles in for dinner before hearing a call for help from another possum. Leaving his dinner, he responds to the call to discover that a mother needs help to find one of her babies, who has fallen and is now lost. When they locate the lost baby, there’s rescuing needed and Possum is up to the task. The rescue becomes complicated, and Possum must be brave if he is to safely return baby to waiting mother and sibling. Only then can Possum finally eat his dinner. Illustrations are patchwork-like digital collage with a strong nod to Eric Carle’s art. They include a wide variety of Australian animals. Endpapers feature gum leaves and the gum blossom of Possum’s dinner.

The Midnight Possum explains all those noises in the night experienced by those who share their neighbourhood with possums! In this outing, a male possum is needed to rescue a baby when a mother cannot leave her other baby to effect the rescue herself. Readers may speculate and/or investigate the differing parental roles of possums and other night-dwellers. Illustrations introduce other night animals and also a range of native flora. They also note those non-native animals that can pose a threat to possums when habitats overlap. Recommended for pre- and early schoolers.

The Midnight Possum, Sally Morgan Jess Racklyeft

Omnibus Books 2016 ISBN: 9781742991047

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s author and bookseller

www.clairesaxby.com