Mem Fox

He had a 30-year partnership with Andy Griffiths, working together on the Just! series and The Treehouse series.

On top of that, he wrote and illustrated 30 books of his own, including the Gasp series, which also became a TV show, and collaborated with other writers, including Mem Fox and Paul Jennings.

Now, I used to read Paul Jennings voraciously-

Mm

Plus, we'll speak with the Pulitzer Prize winning journalist who scored an interview with one of the world's most notorious terrorists, Carlos the Jackal.

And our guest on The Year That Made Me will reveal many things, including maybe where the green sheep is, as we're joined by the one and only Mem Fox.

All that and more is coming up on RN till 10, so I do hope you can stay with us for Sunday Extra.

First today to Indonesia's Free Nutritious Meals Program, or the MBG, which is one of the most ambitious in the world.

And our guest today penned the book that came in at number 76 in last year's Radio National Poll of the Top 100 Books of the 21st Century and also wrote what's often been described as the best-selling picture book ever in Australia.

Those titles are...

Where is the Green Sheep and Possum Magic? And they are, of course, written by none other than Mem Fox.

Mem, welcome to the year that made me.

I know what I'm talking about.

My name's Mem Fox.

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah.

Yes, exactly.

It's by Mem Fox.

Is

it? I didn't know it was Mem Fox.

Yeah.

Yeah, Mem's had an issue.

author, educator and podcaster,

and my favourite Australian children's book is Possum Magic by Mem Fox.

It's a beautiful story where we weave some magic into childhood, where, you know, Grandma Poss has weaved some magic and made this beautiful, cute little possum disappear.

And then the cute little possum wants to come back and the magic isn't quite working.

I think I found coconut for weeks everywhere.

However, it was a full-day magical moment that came from the grandkids saying, hey, nanny, can we all pretend we're invisible? And that's the magic of a beautiful picture book.

We know Mem Fox only uses a specific number of words, and it's the way she kind of popped it together with a little, you know, rhyming is magical to the ear, but also her illustrator.

captures the essence of not only the characters but that those moments of challenge you know when it's really a bit sad when only the possum's tail has come back and i feel it's the combination of the words the characters the illustrations and all together it creates something unique and beautiful that will last forever There's this beautiful bond between the grandma and the little one and I'm, this was before I was a grandparent, that bond is something I think we underestimate how incredibly special and beautiful that is and having a wise grandmother, that's a beautiful thing and also the trust between them and also grandma giving that beautiful little possum a fabulous experience that was really magical, a little bit ridiculous but It went with the choice of the possum as well, so allowing autonomy.