Possum Come A-Knockin'

Nancy Van Laan

ISBN 10: 0394922069 ISBN 13: 9780394922065

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 1990

Synopsis

Illus. in full color. "While Granny is a-rockin' and a-knittin' and Ma's a-cookin' and Pa's a-fixin', that old possum in his top hat and vest just keeps on knocking. The narrator, a redheaded boy, tries to tell family members about the possum, and when the family checks, the possum hides. Should be popular with story-hour groups."--Booklist.

About this title

About the Author:

Nancy Van Laan was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She began writing in 1962 while studying art and working in television. She earned an MFA in Theater from Rutgers University in 1979. She taught English and creative writing for a number of years before publishing her first book, The Big Fat Worm, in 1987. She is the author of over two dozen children's books, including the beloved picture books Rainbow Crow, Little Baby Bobby, and the Parents’ Choice Award winner Possum Come a-Knockin’, among others.

George Booth is a New Yorker cartoonist whose work has become an iconic feature of the the magazine.  He is the illustrator of several picture books, including the classic Dr. Seuss book Wacky Wednesday. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

From School Library Journal:

PreSchool-Grade 2-- Possum tracks on the end papers lead directly to a pink-eyed, long-tailed possum in top hat and vest, energetically knocking on the door to a house. The indoor activities of the family members are viewed through a window and described in a rhyming, rhythmic, erratically cumulative text. "Possum come a-knockin' at the door, at the door. Possum come a-knockin' at the door," says the girl who narrates. When the child finally convinces everyone to look outside, Possum hides behind a tree; they've all been tricked, and one suspects it may all happen again. Booth's trademark swinging lightbulb and demented dog and cat are here, but they're toned down a bit for the audience, and the addition of watercolor seems to have a calming influence as well. There are some problems: the family activities are stereotyped (Pa is hammering, Pappy's whittling, Ma is cooking, Granny's knitting); there may be objections to the use of mountain dialect, and there is an occasional weakness in the text. But children will relish the nonsense of it all and will soon be chanting along. --Leda Schubert, Vermont Department of Education, Montpelier
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 1990
• ISBN 10: 0394922069
• ISBN 13: 9780394922065
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 24
• Illustrator: George Booth