What will Mother Possum do about Joe? Although she tries and tries to teach him the most important possum survival skill-- ow to play dead--Joe just can't stop giggling when she sniffs, pokes, and shakes him like a predator might do. Even the promise of some lovely bug pie won't inspire Joe to take her lessons seriously. When Joe and Mother Possum run into a grouchy bear in the forest, however, Joe demonstrates that he has indeed been paying attention to his mother all along. He knows exactly what to do when real danger approaches. Keiko Kasza's perfectly paced text ends with an amusing childlike twist that will both please and surprise young listeners. (Ages 3-7) Honor Book, Charlotte Zolotow Award

Everybody gets the giggles sometimes. But Joe, a playful young possum, can't seem to make them stop. This causes one problem after another, especially when Joe's mom tries to teach him to play dead, and a big, grumpy bear comes along! Full color.