Mem Fox Reflects on the Success of 'Possum Magic' and the Evolution of Australian Children's Literature

After moving to Adelaide from London in the mid-1970s, she worked as a drama lecturer at a teacher’s college while raising her daughter Chloë, who greatly influenced her passion for literature. Fox notes that during that time, few Australian picture books existed. "There were a lot of English and American books, but there were not Australian books," she states. Reading to Chloë introduced Fox to the world of children's literature, prompting her to enroll in a children’s literature course at Flinders University.

As part of her coursework, she was tasked with writing a book. Initially skeptical, Fox believed the task would be simple. "At the time I thought it was beneath me, because I thought it was so easy," she recalls. However, she soon realized the complexity of writing and collaborated with illustrator Julie Vivas to enhance her manuscript, which was originally titled Hush the Invisible Mouse.

Fox received high marks for their work, which followed a mouse traveling the world before settling in Australia. Despite its quality, nine publishers rejected the book before a tenth agreed to publish it, provided Fox revised it to focus on a more uniquely Australian character. This book eventually became Possum Magic, published in 1983, which has since sold 5 million copies. "It sold out its first printing before it was launched—just word of mouth," Fox remembers.

Following Possum Magic, Fox published several other successful titles, including 1984's Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge, 2004's Where Is the Green Sheep?, and 2008's Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes. All of these have become bestsellers and are cherished by multiple generations of readers.

Fox expresses pride that many Australian authors now share the spotlight, stating, "You don’t realize it at the time at all, but looking back, you think, ‘God, there was nothing.’

Fox acknowledges that even after writing more than 50 books, crafting children's literature remains challenging. She finds a particular difficulty in the brevity of the genre, where each word is vital; Where Is the Green Sheep? consists of just 191 words. Her childhood experiences, influenced by the King James Bible, shaped her appreciation for lyrical language, which she aims to incorporate into her writing.

Fox has learned through experience not to impose heavy-handed messages in her stories, recognizing that subtlety resonates more with young readers. "She didn’t like being taught a lesson," Fox recalls of her daughter’s reactions to overly didactic books.

As the landscape of Australian publishing evolves, Fox expresses concern regarding celebrity-authored children's books, suggesting they overshadow the artistry of dedicated writers. "What they do bring is a lot of money to the publisher, which means that the publisher can publish the people like me who don’t have 50,000 followers on Instagram or whatever," she notes.

Fox continues to write with her audience in mind, aiming to capture the interests of both children and the adults who read to them. As she approaches her 80th birthday in March, she remains active, with new books in progress and no intention to retire. "I’ve got some books in the pipeline," Fox states, humorously contemplating the lengthy illustration process. "And I’m thinking, ‘I might be dead before they come out!’"

Readers can vote daily in Guardian Australia’s poll to select the best Australian children’s picture book, with the winner to be announced on February 6.