Playing Possum

April 15, 2020
Two frightened animals deal with loneliness. Can they become friends? Alfred, a possum, freezes and plays dead whenever he's nervous. This is problematic, as he's frequently nervous. Making friends seems unachievable. Then Alfred meets Sofia, an armadillo. She's also nervous--and when an armadillo feels nervous, it curls into a ball. On their first encounter, each adopts their signature coping strategy. However, realizing they have something in common, the potential pals unfreeze and uncurl and feel better about themselves and each other. Best of all, with time and patience, each comes to understand the other: When Sofia occasionally curls or Alfred freezes, each calmly waits it out, knowing "that when they became themselves again, they would see a friend." Eventually, the duo's newfound confidence helps them recognize that some neighbors feel anxious, too, and they reach out with empathetic paws. This is a sweet, reassuring story with a plea for understanding and acceptance of differences that will strike a resonant chord with kids. Alfred, in blue overalls, even when hanging from a branch by his prehensile tail, and Sofia, in her red-flowered hat, even curled up, are the endearing stars of the lively, expressive illustrations. Minimal text on pages and ample white space focus attention on protagonists and action in a woodland setting. Backmatter discusses a variety of animal defense mechanisms. No playing around: Here's a charming tale that kids will return to again and again. (Picture book. 3-6)

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May 25, 2020
In this mellow story exploring friendship and self-understanding, Alfred the opossum is perpetually nervous, so he often instinctively “freezes and plays dead.” Since he deems making friends “too terrifying to contemplate,” the marsupial is lonely, until, while browsing an outdoor bookshelf, he notices Sophia the armadillo doing the same, and—in one of the story’s wittier pictures—he immediately freezes, prone on the ground, atop a book titled Nothing to Fear. Similarly startled, Sophia automatically curls up into a ball, and after the two have “unfroze” and “unfurled,” they recognize their common bond. Reinhardt (Blue Ethel) expands the scope of her tale as the protagonists’ newfound camaraderie and mutual support awakens a broader empathy, driving them to reach out to their fellow skittish woodland creatures. As a result, the other characters (including a chameleon, porcupine, skunk, and tortoise) eschew their isolating defense mechanisms and enjoy time together. The author’s minimal text leaves the primary storytelling role to her gently dappled, luminous mixed-media art, which features springtime hues and an anthropomorphized cast. Notes on the spotlighted animals’ self-protective behaviors cap this sensitive tale. Ages 4–7. Agent: Marietta Zacker, Gallt & Zacker Literary.

June 1, 2020

PreS-Gr 1- Alfred, an opossum, plays dead anytime he's the center of attention. His nervousness contributes to his friendlessness; until he meets Sofia, an armadillo who rolls into a ball when scared. The two become best friends. Together, they make it their mission to reach out to other nervous animals with kindness, patience, understanding, and forgiveness. Reinhardt tells this story in a linear fashion, making the plot line and character development easy to follow. Rather than focusing on the scary aspects of meeting someone new or being the center of attention, the humorous elements of an animals' defense mechanism are highlighted. For instance, Sofia uses Alfred's paralyzed, outstretched hands for her yarn while she waits for him to unfreeze. The anthropomorphized animals wear clothes, such as beribboned straw hats and denim overalls, as they caper about on two feet through richly toned watercolor landscapes filled with flowers and curlicues. Ink and colored pencil are overlaid to bring out details. An author's note separates fact and fiction when it comes to defense mechanisms in the animal world. A glossary provides information about featured species. VERDICT An additional purchase for libraries needing to expand their social-emotional learning picture book collection.-Amy Seto Forrester, Denver P.L.

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2020
Alfred the possum is one anxious fellow. "And when a possum feels nervous, it freezes and plays dead," explains the opening text. Accompanying art shows Alfred hanging from a branch by his tail, rigid and wide-eyed with fear. Ensuing pages depict him sitting frozen in school, unable to begin a quiz, and then mid-stroke while swimming, anxious since he doesn't "excel at sports." His greatest hardship, however, is that his fear of extending himself to others has made him a "very lonely possum." The book's layout reinforces Alfred's isolation: when shy Alfred meets equally anxious armadillo Sofia, who "curls into a ball" when she is nervous, the two are depicted on facing pages, the gutter strategically positioned between their still forms; they are united on a single page after they realize they have "something in common." Now that they feel safe together, they can be close. The new friends' successful, supportive relationship then guides them to befriend other animals who display their own defense mechanisms when nervous or threatened: a chameleon, a fainting goat, a porcupine, a skunk, and others who also need patience and understanding. Throughout, Reinhardt's comical depictions of the fearful animals provoke laughter but are never meanspirited. A closing author's note and a glossary of the depicted creatures separate fact from fiction.

(Copyright 2020 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2020
Alfred the possum is one anxious fellow. "And when a possum feels nervous, it freezes and plays dead, " explains the opening text. Accompanying art shows Alfred hanging from a branch by his tail, rigid and wide-eyed with fear. Ensuing pages depict him sitting frozen in school, unable to begin a quiz, and then mid-stroke while swimming, anxious since he doesn't "excel at sports." His greatest hardship, however, is that his fear of extending himself to others has made him a "very lonely possum." The book's layout reinforces Alfred's isolation: when shy Alfred meets equally anxious armadillo Sofia, who "curls into a ball" when she is nervous, the two are depicted on facing pages, the gutter strategically positioned between their still forms; they are united on a single page after they realize they have "something in common." Now that they feel safe together, they can be close. The new friends' successful, supportive relationship then guides them to befriend other animals who display their own defense mechanisms when nervous or threatened: a chameleon, a fainting goat, a porcupine, a skunk, and others who also need patience and understanding. Throughout, Reinhardt's comical depictions of the fearful animals provoke laughter but are never meanspirited. A closing author's note and a glossary of the depicted creatures separate fact from fiction. Megan Dowd Lambert

(Copyright 2020 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)