Alien & Possum: Friends No Matter What [Hardcover]

Tony Johnston (Author), Tony DiTerlizzi (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2001 | Series: Alien & Possum

Alien is from a planet far, far away.

Possum is from Earth.

Alien is many bright colors, like yellow and red and green.

Possum is one color -- gray.

Alien thinks high voltage is delicious.

Possum thinks trash is delicious.

Can these two ever be friends?

Without a doubt!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Three droll vignettes make up Johnston's (The Iguana Brothers) appealing launch of the Alien & Possum beginner reader series, which introduces two very different pals. After Possum (wearing a spiffy bowler hat) observes a spaceship crash near his tree house, he encounters its passenger: "It was made of many strange things. It made many strange sounds." Alien is also "many colors" while Possum is but one hue: gray. Though the author drums the message home a bit loudly in the first vignette ("Things of all colors can be friends," says Possum), for the most part, the morals are delivered with subtlety and wit, focusing on the ability of friendships to ride out various challenges. In the final story, for instance, Possum falls asleep while Alien reads him a bedtime story and then eats the book ("It was such a good bedtime story I ate it"), but the creature's "electro-perfect memory" enables him to recite the story for Possum when he awakens. DiTerlizzi's (Ted) copious watercolor, gouache and colored pencil illustrations enhance both the humor and the warmth of the caper and help recommend it for readers ready to take a step up from picture books. A springy pace, lively dialogue and Alien's silly sound effects should make this, like Possum's bedtime story, an ideal read-aloud. Ages 6-8.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

K-Gr 3-When a spaceship drops out of the sky and a space creature arrives in his woods, Possum makes kindly gestures toward the fearful alien and the two of them become friends. They talk about the things they have in common and the things that make them different. In the second vignette, Possum takes Alien on a nocturnal jaunt in search of a midnight treat. While Possum scavenges for food, the newcomer tries to converse with the trash can. In the last section, the friends struggle to keep Possum awake to hear the end of a bedtime story that Alien is reading with all sorts of tricks including pinches and ice cubes. Children will enjoy the gentle humor and the friendship between the characters. The appealing illustrations reinforce the mood and provide visual clues. There is a whimsical charm to the story that is perfectly captured by the sweet expressions of the protagonists. This first book in a new series will hold definite appeal for fans of Arnold Lobel's "Frog and Toad" series (HarperCollins).

Maura Bresnahan, Shawsheen School, Andover, MA

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (September 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689838352
• ISBN-13: 978-0689838354
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,486,448 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Friendship Series, September 23, 2011

By 

Ohioan - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alien & Possum: Friends No Matter What (Paperback)

I laughed out loud when I read this book. The scenes between Possum and Alien are warm and funny, with unexpected twists that will delight children and adults as well. Johnston's imagination and writing, and DiTerlizzi's illustrations, bring unique characters to life.

In the first of three stories, "Alien," Possum is out at night and sees something fall. He thinks it's a star, but realizes it's a spaceship. A metal Alien steps out of the spaceship, is frightened by Possum, and hides behind a tree. The two then speak to each other, with Possum trying to win Alien's friendship and Alien claiming it is not there, it is gone. Possum does succeed in winning Alien's friendship, and the two go off to live in Possum's treehouse.

The second story, "Trash Can," will amuse any children who have heard possums rattling around at night, knocking over trash cans. Possum is hungry and wants to "raid" a trash can. Alien has no idea what a trash can is, but when he sees one, he speaks to it as a fellow metal being. The trash can won't talk back, which angers Alien, until Possum explains that trash cans don't talk.

In the final story, "The Bedtime Story," Alien starts to read a story to Possum, but Possum falls asleep. The story is so good that, while Possum sleeps, Alien eats the book. But all is well, because, as Alien says, "I have an electro-perfect memory. And I did not fall asleep." So Possum gets to hear the end of the story.

Highly recommended.