Christine A. Elmore
Did you know that the author:
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was born in Melbourne, Australia
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moved to Africa with her family when she was only six months old
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was the only white person in her first school experience
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initially learned to write by drawing her letters in the dirt
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loves to dye her hair red
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has two little dogs, Nellie–belle and Lucy
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went to drama school in London and sang Beatles songs and wore mini skirts
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loves to walk on the beach
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has visited the United States over 100 times
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wrote a wonderful first book that was rejected 9 times before it was later accepted
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almost got crushed in her car by an angry mother elephant at a game park
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In the same way we will begin this author study by considering the above facts about the author and then perusing the display board that highlights information about Mem Fox's life. Following this we will dive into our picture–book study.
Anecdote
Mem Fox took a course in children's literature so that she could learn about books that would interest her daughter, Chloe, who was then seven years old. One of her assignments was to actually write a children's book which she did calling it
Hush The Invisible Mouse
. Her teacher loved it and encouraged her to have it published. It was no simple task! Over a five–year period it was rejected nine times by publishers! The 10
th
publisher asked her to make the story short and to change the mice to possums.
Possum Magic
later became the best–selling picture–book in Australia!
Possum Magic
Grandma Poss, who is very adept at using magic, helps make her granddaughter, Hush, invisible. Hush grows tired of it after a while and asks to be changed back to normal. Together these two possums travel across Australia trying to find the magic food that will do the trick.
Anecdote
Fox developed a very close relationship with her grandfather, Wilfrid Partridge, during the last six years of his life. She would often go visit him in the old folks' home in North Adelaide called the Helping Hand. She described the quiet dignity of the old people that lived there and bemoaned the fact that children were not there for them to regularly interact with. In fact, her father's full name is Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge—the title of the following book.
Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge
Wilfrid is a small boy who lives next door to a nursing home, which he visits frequently. His favorite person there is Miss Nancy who one day finds that she has lost her memory. With the help of the other elderly residents (who define memory for Wilfrid in helpful ways) her young friend discovers a way to regain it for her.
Anecdote
Fox comes from a family of pacifists who value tolerance and the belief that all people are equal and deserving of rights shared by all mankind. On her website she lists among her loves: world peace, and social justice and among her loathings: the effect of war of children and racial intolerance.
Whoever You Are
This is a book about peace and equality that celebrates the diversity of our world's cultures. It leads the reader to the conclusion that, although on the outside people look different, speak different languages and live in different places, inside they feel the same joys and pain.
Anecdote
Fox's grandfather died suddenly at the age of 96 of pneumonia and she mourned the loss of her very wise and vibrant friend with whom she had shared many long conversations.
Sophie
This is a story about the loving relationship between a grandfather and his granddaughter. It begins when Sophie is born and ends when he dies. It speaks of the natural cycle of life and the love that endures throughout.
Anecdote
Growing up, Mem Fox was the oldest of three girls and had to compete for her parents' attention. It was Jan, the second oldest, (who displayed an exceptional intelligence early on) with whom she developed an ongoing rivalry, particularly in terms of academic success. She attributes her sometimes obsessive drive to succeed to the competitive spirit she felt with Jan to gain her parents' approval.
Koala Lu
Koala Lou is the firstborn and wallows in her mother's frequent affirmations of love. But as more children are born, and mother becomes busier she often forgets to tell her how much she loves her. So Koala Lou decides to enter the Bush Olympics in the hopes of winning the gum tree climbing event and winning back her mother's approval and love. Despite all of her training, she comes in second in the event but learns that her mother will always consider her first in her heart.
Anecdote
Fox worked at Flinders University with a colleague, John Hunwick. He was dedicated to saving the endangered bilby, a tiny native animal that is a rabbit–eared bandicoot, that lives in the Australian desert. At one point he ambitiously started a movement for an Easter bilby rather than an Easter bunny.
Hunwick's Egg
In this story Hunwick , a bilby in Australia, finds what he thinks is an egg and makes friends with it. He talks to it daily and takes care of it and, along with his neighbors, vigilantly waits for it to hatch. It never does because, as he eventually discovers, it is a perfectly shaped–rock. But Hunwick doesn't mind and loves it anyway.