Possum Tragic
A Tale of Pumpkins and Plastic
Age 6+
Activity Books & Early Learning Material, Picture Books
Where does Halloween come from? Where does it all go? And who goes with it?
A curly tale of invasion and dispossession, possums and plastic, spooks, kooks, sugar and murder. there’s lots to explore here at the intersection of local wildlife and global culture. Rhyming text revels in the musicality of speech. illustrations are spookily beautiful and beautifully spooky. ‘this book will get kids talking!’
Creators
Maree Coote is author and illustrator of three award-winning local histories and more than 20 children’s books with high-concept Design and Art themes, each with a notable sense of Place. Coote has maintained a prolific output since 2003. Her award-winning best seller Azaria: A True History is a mainstay of the Australian School curriculum. She is also renowned for her fresh and playful take on typography that blurs the boundaries between word and image in her unique ‘Letter Art’ / ‘Fontigram’ series which has generated exciting collaborations and numerous exhibitions in Italy and in South Korea.
Coote’s books have been shortlisted for the Children’s Book Council Awards in Australia; won the Non Fiction Mention Prize at the Bologna Ragazzi Fiere in 2017, and been awarded South Korea’s Nami Concours 2017 Distinction Prize, the Royal Historical Society of Victoria Gold Award 2012, Silver for Best Illustration in Moonbeam Awards USA, 2018, and three times Gold for Best Regional Book in the USA Independent Publisher Awards USA in 2014, 2015 and 2023.
