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Why Mr. Possum Loves Peace

A tale retold from Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings by Joel Chandler Harris

This tale is from Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings by Joel Chandler Harris, first published in 1880. The original was told in Southern dialect; it has been retold here in plain English. This text reflects its era; a few period terms have been modernised. The story explains why possums 'play dead' when they are frightened — a real behaviour that has kept possums safe for thousands of years. Children love the clever trick and the funny reason Mr. Possum gives for it.

Band

Purple · Pre-readers and first readersTypical starting range: ages 4–5

Length

short · about 338 words in 5 sections · 4 pictures

Source

Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings, Joel Chandler Harris

First published

see the About page in the reader

Regions

Canada · United States

Included formats

• · Web reader and PDF
• · EPUB for e-readers
• · Home-print sheet
• · Folded booklet
• · Binder edition (8.5 × 11)
• · Worksheet
• · Quick Check (6 questions) with answer key
• · Read-aloud script
• · Colouring page
• · Teacher’s Edition (members)

Readers are engineered from the original public-domain text with AI under HummingRead’s published canon and Content Philosophy, checked by automated audit and sampled by a person. Pictures are made with AI to HummingRead’s brief for each story. How a reader is made.

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