Reviews

Gr 1-3-- This nameless possum creates many capitalized sounds (CRUNCH, CLATTER, RIP, RUSTLE) as he races through a house evading those who would capture him and return him to the out-of-doors. Terrified, the possum flies through cornflakes and pots in the kitchen, seeks asylum in a laundry basket, and hides unsuccessfully in the study. (The obviously comfortable family being invaded affords possum a den as well as a study in which to seek refuge.) He eventually finds sanctuary in the narrator's bed, where, sleeping curled beneath a coverlet, the possum is allowed to remain. This chase story will appeal to the youngest readers, who should have no difficulty with the large print and fairly simple vocabulary. The sounds are almost audible, and the animal's frightened agitation is very real. Illustrations are carried across borderless double pages. The wet and bedraggled creature who clings to the rim of the toilet bowl will cause chuckles among young readers in search of excitement. Readers should be pleased that the world ultimately affords this furry creature a safe haven. --Reva Pitch Margolis, Norwood School, N.J.