Why Epossumondas Has No Hair on His Tail

September 1, 2004
The diapered furry hero and his human mother are back to explain Why Epossumondas Has No Hair on His Tail by Colleen Salley, illus. by Janet Stevens. Here Mama tells a story about Epossumondas's great-great-grandpa, Papapossum, who gobbled persimmons from Bear's tree-and barely escaped the resulting ursine wrath. Gaudily dressed characters with cheery Southern turns of phrase imbue this sequel with charm equal to the first book. .

September 1, 2004
K-Gr 3-In this sequel to Epossumondas (Harcourt, 2002), Papapossum's yearning for Bear's persimmons cost him and all future opossums their once-fluffy tails. Salley has a true storyteller's voice, peppering the text with colorful descriptions and amusing expressions that give the tale an authentic folktale feel. Stevens's large, brightly hued mixed-media illustrations add greatly to the fun, particularly when Papapossum is finding creative uses for his now elongated and naked tail. Scenes with "that sweet little patootie," Epossumondas, comfortably ensconced on his Mama's lap lend an air of coziness to the story. This will be a surefire hit when shared with a group or one-on-one.-Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ

Copyright 2004 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2004
PreS-Gr. 2. They're baaaaack--that silly, diapered Epossumondas and Mama in her flowered dress and yellow hat (Stevens' affectionate visual tribute to well-known storyteller Salley). This time Epossumondas is thinking about tails: skunks have black-and-white ones; foxes have bushy, red ones; and hares have powder-puff ones. But Epossumondas' tail is long, naked, and pink. How come? Mama tells him a story. A long time ago, great-great-grandpa Papapossum had a fluffy tail. One day hungry Papapossum meets Hare, who convinces him to climb Bear's persimmon tree and throw down some of the persimmons. But when Papapossum gobbles up more than he throws down, Hare gets angry and tells Bear, who chases Papapossum and catches him in a tail tug-of-war. And since then "no possum has ever had hair on his tail." Stevens' signature mixed-media illustrations humorously concoct the delightful fun with such clever touches as Papapossum's persimmon-patterned shirt. This laughable stretch of the imagination, a tale about a tail by a natural-born storyteller, may be even more entertaining than the rollicking " Epossumondas" (2002).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)