2/13/2022 Picture Book Round-Up: Opossums & Odette

Sasha Wallace
Feb 13, 2022
6 min read

In honor of Valentine’s Day tomorrow, we’re going to rendezvous with the most romantic & swan-like take on “Romeo & Juliet” I know of. Also thrown into the mix are some adorable marsupials with a penchant for vegemite (Max selected this. Blame him).

I know what you’re thinking. You’re not connecting Valentine’s Day with possums. But that’s only because you haven’t seen this possum yet:

Or perhaps, you’ve never been laid up in bed with the ’Rona, binging the best of Opossum Lady on YouTube:

Perhaps you’ve never suffered the indignity of Lester the Possum & his banjo-playing skills from a childhood of replaying The Goofy Movie:

Or you just are bitter because you know you can’t carry off this shirt:

Regardless, allow me to educate you about the magic of these sassy critters, & perhaps make tutus & tights hip again in the process.

Picture Book 1 (an Australian import)

Title: Possum Magic

Author: Mem Fox

Illustrator: Julie Vivas

Recommended for: Grades K-2

Basic plot: To protect her from snakes & other predators, Grandma Poss makes little Hush invisible. But eventually, Hush wants to be seen again. Can Grandma find the right magic to make the transformation?

Why I love it: This is the best thing to come out of Australia since Hugh Jackman. These possums literally trek all over Australia basically being foodies to find the right morsel to complete the spell. It’s so oddball & wildly original that I couldn’t stop giggling. Perhaps it is an allegory for why possums are like vacuums when it comes to trash & will literally eat anything without judgment. Perhaps the author just really wanted an excuse to feed these most amiable of rodents pavlova, lamington, & Anzac biscuits. Regardless, you’re in for some epicurean escapades.

There just is nothing like this strange, sweet little volume. The rhymes are all over the place, much like the geography, & the Grandma is wearing John Lennon glasses the entire time, & there’s even a scene where parts of Hush’s body start materializing but the rest of her doesn’t & if that doesn’t make you chuckle, you have no soul.

Where can you find it? Amazon, eBay, AbeBooks, Thriftbooks, OverDrive (cheapest $1.00 & up, used).

Extension activity: Have a book tasting! Gather as many Australian treats as you can, especially if they were mentioned in the book, & sample them as they are read. Record your thoughts about the 5 senses of eating these items (from the perspective of Hush the Possum, of course).

If you want to work on geography for a bit, you can also get a map of Australia & mark each city mentioned in the book. Then, look up landmarks & interesting facts or historical tidbits to go with them.

Finally, have your kiddo answer some creative & thought-provoking questions such as these (a few were taken from Scholastic’s 21st publishing anniversary webpage):

Would you like to be invisible? What sort of things might you like to do while you were invisible?
There is only one word in Possum Magic that is written in capitals. What is it & why do you think the word is written this way?
Explore the Web to find Australian stamps released in 1983. Make a poster explaining what event each stamp related to.
What could a different way to cure the invisibility be?
What is the theme of this story?

I highly recommend playing Men At Work’s classic song “Down Under” while working on this. More power to you if you have your kiddo make possum watercolors of their own.

Picture Book 2 (some things are tutu good to be true)

Title: Swan Lake

Author: Margot Fonteyn

Illustrator: Trina Schart Hyman

Recommended for: Grades 4-6

Basic plot: Prince Siegfried falls in love with Odette, Queen of Swans. But the evil sorcerer Count von Rothbart has other dastardly plans to thwart their blossoming romance. This does NOT have a happy ending, so get the Kleenexes ready. Parental discretion is advised.

Why I love it: Maybe I’m just on a tragedy kick since we recently finished our Shakespeare unit at school, or maybe I just have a thing for star-crossed lovers, but the fact of the matter is, I adore all things Swan Lake. When I first heard Tchaikovsky’s ballet, I was mesmerized. What little girl didn’t want to be a dainty, heartbreaking ballerina?

Though Siegfried’s suicide will raise eyebrows for some, I think it is a testament to his enduring love for Odette & a sign of his fidelity & devotion. The text states he hesitated “not a moment” before plunging into the lake after his betrothed. This choice was drastic & impulsive, but it leaves a certain gruesome beauty in its wake. It’s a powerful moment that is also harrowing & incredibly quick. Even the maidens on the shore dare not believe in its finality.

The illustrations range from creepy (Odile at the ball) to ethereal (Siegfried & Odette embracing in tears at the lakeside) & they’re very stirring, as expected of Hyman, known for Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins & medieval adaptations like Saint George & the Dragon. I love owls in general, but even I have to admit that von Rothbart’s feathery form is downright mean-looking.

Where can you find it? Amazon, eBay, AbeBooks, Thriftbooks (cheapest $3.89 & up, used).

Extension activity: This is a great opportunity to explore how a story gets transformed using various mediums. First, read the book. Then, watch The Swan Princess film (you’ll thank me later because it is a national treasure). Finally, attend a local production of Swan Lake (usually premieres near Christmastime). If travel is an issue or if you live in the sticks, consider watching a production on YouTube. Be sure to cover:

The Swan Lake Waltz
The Swan Lake Suite
The Dying Swan

Create a Venn diagram comparing & contrasting the film to the ballet. Then, answer these comprehension questions about the ballet:

How does von Rothbart control Odette?
What is the relationship between von Rothbart & Odile?
What weapon does Siegfried try to use when he goes hunting in the forest?
What is the purpose of the ball at which Siegfried meets Odile?
What happens at the end of the ballet?
Which character grows & learns something in this story & what does he or she learn? (This is revisiting static vs. dynamic characters, a skill usually learned in upper elementary & beginning middle school settings).
What was the most beautiful thing about this ballet?
What is the difference between a “symbol” & a “metaphor”? What are Odette & Odile symbols of?
Describe two themes of the Swan Lake ballet.
Which version did you like best? Why?
What are some of the major differences you see between the ballet & the film? Why do you think these differences were made?

I would go a step further & compare the song “Far Longer Than Forever” to the basic plot of the Hyman book. Lyrical analyses are always fun ways to examine vocabulary critically, with built in chunking to prevent wear-out.

If you’re working with a younger audience, you can also use Maurice Sendak’s charming Swine Lake as an additional source of study:

Ask your kiddo why the swan was used above all other birds & animals. What is the symbolism there? Is there an actual biological basis for this selection?

You can even challenge them to write an alternate ending or create their own dance choreography for a piece of the original score. One of my students asked to write the story from von Rothbart’s perspective & gave him this crazy childhood that kind of explained his cruelty & maladjustment.

Anything you want to imbue, do so. Great art is meant to be experienced, not passively watched.

Here are some what-else-is-there? questions:

It is now common practice for the same ballerina to dance both Odette & Odile. Why might this be?
Many productions change the ending to a happy one, where Odette & Siegfried are reunited in life. How does this impact the plot & tone?
Do some research – why might Swan Lake hold additional emotional meaning to Russians? (Hint: Look up what was on TV in 1991).
Historical crash course: What parts of King Ludwig II’s life did composer Tchaikovsky draw from for Prince Siegfried?
VR time! Surely I can’t be the only one who feels like the castle in The Swan Princess exactly mirrors Neuschwanstein? Don’t believe me? Buy a Google Cardboard for $15 on Amazon, download the free app Sites in VR on your phone & take a virtual visit yourself. Then compare with the pic below).

If you feel your kiddo is mature enough, you can also teach this in conjunction with Romeo & Juliet. I’d suggest an abridged reader’s theater for starters, then selected film clips of the major scenes to deepen understanding. I don’t teach R&J until 8th grade, but it can’t hurt to do a bare-bones version earlier, or to simply use the illustrated Tales from Shakespeare adaptation by Charles & Mary Lamb for a synopsis. There's the lovely Benvolio quote "Compare her face with some that I shall show, And I will make thee think thy swan a crow." that could incite a connective discussion. Or, you can learn about the swans of the same name that live in Boston & attract hundreds of tourists each year. Just please, do NOT show your kiddo Black Swan. No one is ready for that.