I acknowledge that according to the Oxford English Dictionary (2010), the pavlova originated in New Zealand around 1937 about seven years before Australia's first pavlova recipe was recorded. Some of the food origins are shared with New Zealand. *Food Notes: Not all of the foods mentioned originate specifically from Australia but they are often associated with traditional Anglo-Celtic Australian cuisine. My two favourite Julie Vivas stories are I Went Walking and Puffling. Two of my favourite Mem Fox stories are Where Is the Green Sheep? and Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes. MEM FOX is the author of many acclaimed books, including Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, Possum Magic, Koala Lou, Time for Bed, and, for adults, Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever. If you read Possum Magic a long time ago, maybe it is time to share it with a new generation of children.īoth creators have published an extensive number of children's books since Possum Magic and these stories will also delight your senses. I do hope that if you have never read Possum Magic before, that you get a copy to find out which foods make Hush visible again. She makes the Australian animals adorable with many of them seeming cuddly. Vivas' watercolour illustrations are soft and dreamy. At each city they ate Australian food* including Minties, pumpkin scones, Vegemite sandwiches, pavlova and lamingtons.įox is a weaver of magical words that lilt in the air as you read them, they have splashes of rhyme where appropriate and a beautiful rhythm that reaches into the soul. One day Hush decided that she wanted to be visible again but Grandma Poss could not find the magic spell in any of her books.Īnd this is the most memorable and magical part of the book, on a bicycle Grandma Poss and Hush set off visiting seven of Australia's capital cities. As Hush couldn't be seen, she was safe from snakes and she could slide down kangaroo's back. Grandma Poss could weave the most amazing magic that made Hush INVISIBLE. It has been gifted to children all over the world due to the inclusion of Australia's unique animals, Australian cities and food. Many generations have shared this magical story, celebrating the love of Grandma Poss and her baby Hush. Possum Magic by Mem Fox and Julie Vivas was first published in 1983 and became an instant Australian favourite.

Possum magic by mem fox