Greenaway, Judith. "Review: Possum Magic, Sydney Opera House". ArtsHub Australia . Retrieved 2019-07-10. Peter Fuller (14 March 1984). "Short lists for children's books" (scan). The Canberra Times. p.28 . Retrieved 2 September 2021– via Trove. Stream, read & listen Explore the best the Sydney Opera House has to offer through our online platforms. Beata Bowes (25 January 2018). "10 Classic Australian Children's Books". victorianopera.com.au . Retrieved 2 September 2021. Possum Magic has been set to orchestral music and performed three times by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, but not recorded. It has also been made into a highly successful musical which has been touring Australia every two years or so, but which is now in its final performances. (Sept. 2013)

Perhaps one difference between writing for young children and writing for adults in general is that in picture books an author can present any number of strange and unlikely things, and the audience will accept it — not as fact, but as a part of the story. So it is with Possum Magic; of course you turn invisible with a potion, and of course the only way to make yourself visible again is to travel around the country eating typically Australian junk food. Anything is possible in a world where possums talk, and wear glasses and sneakers. Things do make sense within the world of the story (somewhat): ‘…which is why Grandma Poss had made her invisible in the first place’. Dianne Smith (June 2000), "Biographical Note", A Guide to the papers of Mem Fox (PDF), Lue Rees Archive, p.3 , retrieved 2 September 2021 Magic isn’t a thing that you see; it’s a thing that you feel. And that’s exactly what this production leaves you with: a very magical feeling." Mem Fox is Australia’s most highly regarded picture-book author. Her first book, Possum Magic, is the best selling children’s book ever in Australia, with sales of over three million. And in the USA Time for Bed and Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge have each sold over a million copies. Time for Bed is on Oprah’s list of the twenty best children’s books of all time. Mem has written thirty picture books for children and five non-fiction books for adults, including the best-selling Reading Magic, aimed at parents of very young children.

Richards, Kel (1 June 2022). "Kel Richards: Beloved children's classics are being sacrificed at the altar of politically correct wokery". Sky News Australia . Retrieved 7 June 2022. Dianne Smith (June 2000), "Awards", A Guide to the papers of Mem Fox (PDF), Lue Rees Archive, p.5 , retrieved 2 September 2021 The foods that Grandma Poss and Hush eat are seen to be quintessentially Australian and their journey is a search for national and cultural identity as well as visibility or subjectivity. Fox’s narrative suggests that an individual’s sense of self does not arise spontaneously but is derived by literally consuming culture. By eating these significantly Australian foods Hush becomes visible and can be recognized as having a legitimate place within Australian society; she thus eats her way into culture. This reflects and supports the notion that ‘we are what we eat’ and that food narratives teach children how to be proper human subjects. Jeanette Larson. "Possum Magic". School Library Journal. Media Source Inc . Retrieved 2 September 2021. A perfect choice for storytimes, but also useful for curriculum enrichment, thanks to a simplified map and glossary.

Not every picturebook author can get away with this: Half rhyming, half not rhyming. But Mem Fox does: Julie Vivas is a master of watercolour. A lot of picturebooks have been illustrated with watercolour used as a kind of textured fill, but the watercolour line in this book is delicate and precise.

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 landscapes and the animals in them. Grandma Poss uses bush magic to make a child possum (Hush) invisible so that Hush won’t be eaten by snakes. (I’m going to put aside the fact that snakes seem to ‘see’ via vibrations, so an invisibility superpower wouldn’t necessarily protect her…) But soon, Hush longs to be able to see herself again, the two possums make their way across Australia to find the ‘magic food’ (quintessentially Australian food) that will make Hush visible once more. Each year on Hush’s birthday they eat the same food ‘just to make sure Hush doesn’t turn visible again’, thereby creating a kind of mythology about why (white) Australians eat certain foods as celebration. Featuring spellbinding magic, puppetry and original music, Monkey Baa’s award-winning team has turned the whimsical world of the book to a live experience for audiences ages 3+ and their families. Mem Fox was born in Australia, grew up in Africa, studied drama in England, and returned to Adelaide, Australia in 1970, where she has lived with her husband, Malcolm, and daughter Chloë, happily ever after. One problem. Grandma Poss can’t find the spell to make Hush visible again. And then she remembers...this particular magic requires something more, something special, something to do with food...people food. Possum Magic takes us on a whimsical journey to cities around Australia to find the food that makes Hush visible again.

A long favorite of mine. I'm glad the kids like it too. Someday I'd like to follow in Hush's footsteps, eating my way around Australia.

Alternatively, if you're studying possums (without the magic), then don't worry: we've got you covered. Say hello to this Possum Fact File, which makes a great handout to help your students with their studies, or a charming poster for your wall. It would go great with a few homemade possums! As you move around the Opera House, practise physical distancing (1.5 metres whenever possible) and follow the guidance provided by our staff and signage. Judith Greenway, Arts Hub "I honestly thought it was one of the best performances I have ever seen. I took my daughter and her friend and they loved it - they laughed and laughed, and were completely blown away with the magic."

Over 25 years, Monkey Baa has become one of Australia’s widest touring companies with 38 national tours to 135 regional and remote communities, 5 international tours and over 3500 performances reaching over 1.5 million young people.There are several wheelchair and companion seating positions available in our theatre. Creative Team What's not to love about possums? They're as cute as can be, mischievous, smart, and best of all they have a fantastic story written about them in the form of the Mem Fox story Possum Magic. Using a clever, nuanced palette of live action, stage magic, an original soundscape, elements of puppetry and projected animation, Monkey Baa’s award-winning creative team have translated the whimsical world of the book to a live experience for audiences 3–8 years (and their families). Discover the wonder of Possum Magic with limited edition collector coin series". Royal Australian Mint . Retrieved 14 September 2017.