It's time for Joe to learn how to play dead. But no matter what Mother Possum does, Joe can't help laughing. She pretends to be a hungry fox. She growls like a coyote. She shakes him like a wildcat. But Joe just laughs and laughs. Until a grumpy old bear comes along and teaches Joe a lesson he'll never forget.

Keiko Kasza was born on a small Japanese island in the Inland Sea of Japan. She grew up in a typical Japanese extended family with her parents, two brothers, and grandparents. Uncles, aunts, and cousins also lived nearby. "All the steps I took growing up were very normal," Ms. Kasza says. "The only unusual thing I did was go to college in the United States." She graduated with a degree in graphic design from California State University at Northridge. Ms. Kasza married an American, and the United States has been her home ever since.After publishing five children's books in Japan and working as a graphic designer for fourteen years, Ms. Kasza decided in 1988 to devote her time to picture books. She says, "Having two small boys and two professions was too much to handle."Ms. Kasza admires many great picture-book creators, such as Leo Lionni and Maurice Sendak, but says that the work of Arnold Lobel has influenced her the most. The subtle humor and warmth he created in his books continues to inspire me," she says. "I often go back to his work when I get discouraged or lose confidence."Ms. Kasza compares the process of making a book to acting on stage under the lights:"I become the character that I'm working on at that moment. I pretend that I'm a bird looking for a mother, or a pig trying to impress his girlfriend. When I'm acting, I'm a child myself."Ms. Kasza's ambition is not to create a hundred books, but to "create one really good book that will be kept on the family bookshelves for generations, although a hundred really good books would be even better, of course!"Keiko Kasza lives in Indiana with her husband and two sons.

From Publishers Weekly
A possum can't keep a straight face when his mother tries to teach him to play dead. PW wrote: "Joe's giggles, conveyed so mirthfully in the pictures, are pretty contagious." Ages 4-8. (Apr.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2. Joe the possum's irrepressible giggle gets in the way when his mother tries to teach him a life skill: playing possum. Time after time he fails, until his mother asks him, sighing, "What will you do when real danger comes?" When grumpy Mr. Bear comes from the woods, Joe comes through, only to find that Bear has come to him for help. At last, the two exchange favors: Joe learns to play dead and Mr. Bear learns to laugh. The possums live in a typical human household, and Joe's friends are warm and supportive animals. The setting is so cozy that when Mr. Bear appears, he's just not that scary. Charming watercolor-and-ink art, effective use of white space, and varied page design make this slim story a satisfying visual experience. Despite all the giggles though, Joe's laugh is just not that convincing.?Carolyn Noah, Central Mass. Regional Library System, Worcester, MA