Holly Goldberg Sloan (Counting by 7s) partners with her illustrator husband, Gary A. Rosen, in this enchanting tale of family devotion that features a passel of possums.
Appleblossom is the most timid possum in her litter of 13, struggling to master her mother's rules for survival in the face of cars, people and hairies (dogs). Mama possum teaches her babies how to navigate life's hazards through various theatrical exercises, with "playing dead" at the top of the list. As the possums are weaned from their mother's care, Appleblossom must embrace her independence: "She has to always move forward, even if she feels small and alone in the world and not much of an actor." Her first independent foray is disastrous: she falls down a chimney where she's discovered by a "littlest people," a child named Izzy. Izzy feels this accident is "the greatest thing that has ever happened to her," and the unlikely pair bond in a tenuous, yet intimate friendship. Appleblossom's family, however, doesn't know she's temporarily safe, so they mount a rescue. Here the narrative shifts back to the nocturnal marsupial world, and the possums practice their prowess as performers to survive the dangers that stand between them and their beloved Appleblossom.
Sloan successfully combines middle-grade adventure with a biology lesson about the miraculous life cycle of North America's only marsupial. Three-color line drawings appear throughout, highlighting the expressive body language of the dramatic possum family. Through Appleblossom, shy children will discover how to "fake it 'til you make it." --Jessica Bushore, former public librarian and freelance writer