Possum Magic Cookbook illustrated by Julie Vivas

First published in 1985 with the title The Grandma Poss Cookbook. 

Betsy Bird and her sister have a podcast where they talk about older picture books. I am a fairly regular listener and I usually enjoy their banter and slightly 'nitpicking' insights into some of my favourite titles. I am sorry to say, however, that the episode about our beloved Possum Magic by Mem Fox did raise my ire. I will explain in a moment. I did, however, learn a new word: Interstitial which means sentences that are brief statements and serve as transitions or interruptions in a larger piece of writing. These types of sentences play a crucial role in guiding the reader through the text and enhancing its overall flow. By inserting interstitial sentences strategically, writers can effectively connect different ideas and maintain the reader’s interest.

I was happy that they both loved the illustrations in Possum Magic by Julie Vivas - she is a national treasure. Hopefully Betsy and her sister might hunt out some of her other books - my favourite is Puffling.

Now check out my previous post from 2012 about the book Possum Magic (1983).

Points I dispute:

Mem Fox is like Dr Seuss - not really. For one thing she uses many different illustrators (she is the author of her books but not the illustrator). Also, her books are generally not as witty as Dr Seuss. In my view the only possible way to relate these two authors would be that they both use rhyming texts. Perhaps Betsy is right that Mem Fox is famous but not nearly as famous as Dr Seuss. And I would not link Mem Fox with Julia Donaldson.

Mem Fox says (in a 2026 Guardian article) talking about reading to her daughter: “When she was little, there were no Aus­tralian pic­ture books,” Fox says. “There were a lot of Eng­lish books, there were a lot of Amer­ican books, but they were not Aus­tralian books.” Here are some 1970's picture books that I still shared with kids decades later: The Bunyip of Berkeley's Creek 1974; Aranea 1976; John Brown, Rose and the midnight cat 1978; The lighthouse keeper's lunch 1978; The Oath of Bad Brown Bill 1979; and Sunshine 1982. 

"Put a shrimp on the barbie; a dingo ate my baby" etc sorry Betsy this part of your recording is somewhat offensive. No one speaks like this in Australia. 

It is Grandma POSS not puss. Poss - short for possum. 

Yes we do have different possums - here is a photo of an Australian possum - they eat fruit, flowers and leaves and are often found scavenging in urban areas. I have a few in my area. 

Never heard of lamingtons?  Surely you can just 'Google' this and NO Betsy this is not a dessert - these are small, delicious cakes. In the cookbook featured in this post, Julie Vivas fills the end papers with lamingtons. We even have a Lamington Day here in Australia.

I have read Possum Magic so many times and I have never even noticed the dingo - and please find out how to say the word 'emu'. You do have scary mammals in the US - the wolf and the coyote for example.

Pumpkin Scones are associated with Queensland (but made everywhere) because the wife of a former Premier of that state sort of made them famous as her trademark recipe. Her name was Florence Bjelke-Petersen and this aspect of Australian politics is open to a level of ridicule.

Darwin is a city - it is the capital of the Northern Territory - I am very surprised you had not heard of this place. How lucky Possum Magic has a map at the back along with a glossary of the foods the pair eat.

Here is the recipe (from the Mem Fox web page);

Lamingtons

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of butter
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 and a half cups of sugar (8 oz)
• 3 cups of self-raising flour (12 oz)
4 eggs

Method:

Beat together the butter, sugar and eggs. Add milk, then add the flour and beat well. Bake in a large square cake tin for 45-50 mins at ‘cake temperature’ (gas 180C or 350F; electric 180-200C or 350-400F). When completely cold, cut into 3 inch squares, cover with icing (frosting) and dip in fine coconut. 

Icing:

Sift 1 kilo of icing sugar with 4 tablespoons of cocoa. Work in 250 grams of butter then slowly add half a cup of hot water to make it rather thin. Add half a teaspoon. of vanilla. Place basin containing icing over a bowl of hot water to keep icing sort of runny. With a skewer, hold each piece of cake and ice it all over and then toss it in coconut spread on greaseproof paper. 

This weekend we are focusing on ANZAC day and that means some people will be baking ANZAC biscuits - these are mentioned in Possum Magic by Mem Fox and of course are included in this cookery book.

Anzac Biscuits
Ingredients:

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup plain flour (8 oz)
• 1 cup dessicated (shredded) coconut
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 4oz or 125gms unsalted butter, cubed butter
• 1/4 cup golden syrup (NOT honey)
• 2 tablespoons boiling water
• Salt

Method:
Mix dry ingredients, making a well in the centre. Dissolve baking soda in the boiling water. Warm the butter and the syrup in a small pan until the butter is runny, then add the soda & water. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients and mix. If the mixture is too dry add a little more water. Roll out and cut biscuits roughly 3 inches round. Bake in oven for 20 minutes at 180 Centigrade (350 Fahrenheit.)

Here are some other famous Australian picture books written around the same time as Possum Magic: Mr Archimedes Bath 1981; Sunshine 1982; Whistle up the Chimney 1982; A pet for Mrs Arbuckle 1982; Who sank the boat 1983; There's a sea in my bedroom 1984; Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge 1984.

If you would like to read anther book that travels around Australia:

And this one about ANZAC Biscuits.

Best recipes in the Possum Magic cookbook: Minty pea toasties; Twirly Whirlys (small wraps); Honey Crackles (great recipe but I personally don't like these); Frog Jelly; Sparkle Biscuits; and Apple Fizz Drink.

You're Too Little by Katie Stewart

You have big eyes to see in the dark.

You have strong paws to hold on.

And you have a super special tail.

You have want it takes. Why not give it a go?

Bookseller blurb: Pygmy Possum wants to climb far, far up into the trees to taste the sweet blossom nectar. But everyone keeps telling her the same thing- 'It's very high. You're too little. You might fall.' Are they right, or will she find a way? This is a gentle tale of believing in yourself in the face of others' doubt and recognising your own strengths.

The main character in this story of bravery and confidence is a Western Pygmy Possum. Here is a photo:

Image source: Australian Geographic

Books with a repeated refrain are perfect for preschoolers either to read beside your own child or with a group. I like the way the Australian animals in this book really look like real animals and also the choices of animals are perfect because many of these will be less well known to young readers and so might spark some curiosity. 

Image Source: WA Museum

Katie Stewart reads her book in this video. Here are the teaching notes from the publisher. As background reading for teachers or if you set a research task for older students you might like to read more about each of the Australian animals in this story:

• Western Pygmy Possum
• Numbat
• Brushtail Possum
• Gecko
• Weebill

This is a Weebill - I had not heard of this bird

Image Source: Birdlife

This is a gentle tale of believing in yourself in the face of others’ doubt and recognising your own strengths, to have faith in yourself regardless of others’ opinions and develop resilience, perseverance and that inner strength that allows risk-taking as well as dealing with success and failure. The Bottom Shelf

Thanks to Fremantle Press for sending me a copy of this book which was published on 29th July 2025. This book reminded me a little of Puffling. If you are talking about growing up, confidence, perseverance, self belief and 'the right time' you could read these two books side by side.

The story is set at night because these animals are nocturnal but that gives rise to my only tiny criticism of this book - I found myself wanting a break from the strong saturated blue of the night sky which is used on every page. 

This book is part of a series:

Katie Stewart is an author and illustrator. Born in the north of England, she came to Australia at the age of nine. She started her working life as an archaeologist and ethnohistorian, went on to teaching and then to being a mother. She later worked in a school library, but her lifelong dream was to be what she is now. She is married to a farmer, has three children, and her great love of animals means she has a lot of pets and takes lots of nature photos. In her spare time, she tries to play the harp or wanders the countryside with a metal detector amusing the neighbours and occasionally finding an interesting piece of history. Her books have been shortlisted for the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year (2020 and 2021) and shortlisted for the WA Premier’s Book Awards (2022).

Appleblossom the possum by Holly Goldberg Sloan

There are lots of possums in my neighborhood and they are quite noisy at times and of course leave their little deposits on my veranda but after reading Appleblossom the Possum I have new insights into this little fury survivor and the ways they have adapted to life in the suburbs.

As this story opens Appleblossom is born - yes she is actually inside her mum.  "And then push comes to shove and she's out."  She makes the long journey up to the pouch.  All first born possum babies have names beginning with the letter A.  Subsequent litters will use B then C and so on. "Mama Possum is a free thinker and she encourages her babies to find their own names."  So we have Antonio, Alisa, Abdul, Alberta, Ajax, Angie, Allan, Alphonse, Atticus, Alejandro, Augusta, Amlet and finally Appleblossom - the last born.  At seventy-seven days the thirteen possums begin their acting lessons especially death scenes.

Eventually Mama Possum leaves the youngsters to find their own way and food.  Appleblossom, Amlet and Antonio decide to forage alone but come back together each evening.  Appleblossom finds herself in a tree above a human home. Her mother has warned her about these monsters and to make things worse there is also a dog in their yard but the tree where she shelters is full of delicious treats and so the next night Appleblossom heads back to the same yard but this time she climbs onto the roof and accidentally falls down the chimney.  Now her adventures can truly begin and she will need to call on all her acting talents to survive.

There are so many funny moments in this book especially towards the end when the three young possums confront the dog using quotes from Shakespeare.

"By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes!"
"Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none!"
"All's well that ends well!"
"Fie, fie! Unknit that threatening unkind brow!  And dart not scornful glances from those eyes!"

Appleblossom the Possum has 275 pages but it is a very quick book to read partly due to the rapid plot but also the large print size (I appreciate this) and the use of white space.  The action really ramps up from Chapter 19. There are perfect full page illustrations drawn by the author's husband.

Here is an interview with the author.  Read the Kirkus review.  You can read Chapter 2 on the publisher web site.  Listen to an audio sample here read by Dustin Hoffman.  You can see some pages from the book here.  You might also like to read my review of Counting by 7s also by Holly Goldberg Sloan.

One word of caution - Australian children will pick up the error when Mama Possum is explaining marsupials and she uses the term koala bear.  All Australian children know our koala is not a bear but this is a very minor quibble and will not take away from your enjoyment of this sweet story.

A perfectly sweet animal tale, with just the right blend 

of humor, excitement, and uncertainty.

Michele Shaw  School Library Journal