Impossible Possums

by Justin Colón, James Rey Sanchez (Illustrator)

A lonely possum with a flair for villainy attempts to create his very own henchman but ditches the instructions to his new possum-making machine, leading to a series of mishaps as it pops out all the wrong creatures, each with a chaotic agenda of their own

Genres: Picture Books, Humor, Animals, Friendship

40 pages, Hardcover

Published October 22, 2024

Reviews

[Cheryl Gladfelter · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Carl is bad. Bad to the bone." Picture it: we're all in the car, reading The Quacken. Kids loved it, and I let them know I'm on hold for the author's newest book, Impossible Possums. "It's about an evil possum! And guess what his name is?? CARL!"

And my Carl's face lights up with a huge grin.

This was a very entertaining story about an evil possum (Carl), who is lonely. He sets out to make more evil Carls, but what Carl should have done first is read the directions. Calamity ensues.

[Melissa Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun picture book with colorful, animation-like illustrations. Kids will love anticipating what malfunctions will happen next as the wannabe super-villain possum main character tries to create evil henchmen with his possum populator. The lively text is great for reading aloud and nicely sets up a sequel at the end.

The story will appeal to fans of Despicable Me and Minions or parents who grew up watching Pinky and the Brain. The illustrations are packed with fun easter eggs including ‘90s pop culture references and bring the story to life with fun environments, character designs and a delightful color palette.

[Jake Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Justin knocks it out of the park again! This time with possums! From stomach hurting laughter to ending with “awe cute” this story gave my kiddo all the feels.

Carl just wants equally bad to the bone friends. He tosses the instructions away (unlike IKEA instructions, these matter) and then all mayhem ensues. Imagine Despicable Me and add in those lovable menacing looking possums to the mix and you get a fantastic book!

[Sandra Ann]

An amazing and fun illustrated book once again by James!! A wide range of fun and silly characters that keep your eyes glued to every detail he illustrated! Such a great book and such talent embedded into it !

[Bri Lawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Impossible Possums is a hilarious, fun-filled read! My 8-year-old laughed nonstop, while my 5-year-old adored the silly characters and vibrant illustrations. A fantastic choice for story time!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kids will love this book about a possum who's bad to the bone! It's hilarious and subversive and the art is wacky and wild.

[Nadine Presley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious, well written, fun picture book that my kids absolutely love, with dynamic illustrations full of fun details this book is a big hit!

[Jilanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, the meanness of a certain possum named Carl! The villainy! He is definitely bad to the bone! But being a baddie is lonely business. How to find a friend? When Carl takes friend-making matters into his own—ah—clutches? he fails to read the directions on the Possum Populator he orders online and assembles willy-nilly. (Alway, always, always read the instructions when you're creating new creatures...advises Mary Shelley) Anyway, Carl's populator goes haywire, with disastrous results! Kids are going to love this story. The pasta. The mayhem. Playful language and unbelievably detailed illustrations will make for a hilarious read aloud....and then hours more poring over those fabulous illustrations.

Parents, please know that there are plenty of secret "Easter eggs" from your own childhood for you to appreciate in the illustrations. Cheers!

[Cristina Raymer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carl is a possum that's "bad to the bone" and loves wreaking havoc. But, being a villain can be lonely. That's why Carl orders the Possum Populator! With this machine, Carl can MAKE all the possum friends he wants! Except, the machine goes a little haywire and produces everything except a possum friend.

Justin Colón's hilarious text filled with fun alliterations and onomatopoeias combined with James Rey Sanchez's creative illustrations makes this picture book a deviously enjoyable read. Kids will roll on the floor with laughter and root for Carl while Carl disastrously tries to create a friend. This is definitely a must-have for every household, classroom, and library.

[Cindy G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great. The plot is fast moving and hilarious, and the art is amazing. The book is funny for kids and for adults (one line that particularly resonated was “Instructions – yuck. Carl doesn’t have time for instructions.” So relatable!). The drawings are really detailed and there are humorous things for both kids and adults to notice.

If you are looking for a humorous picture book, this is for you. And luckily there will be a sequel.

[Suzy Leopold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carl is an aspiring villain.

Carl is a lonely possum, so he orders his Possum Populator to create possum pals. Carl does not follow the instruction manual, and the populator makes preposterous and peculiar animals and food that begin with the letter P.

This fast-paced story is filled with fun and mischief. Kids and adults will giggle, chuckle, and crack up as they follow Carl on a mission with mishaps.

The creative, colorful illustrations add another layer to the story.

[Delia Ruiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this charming and funny story, readers follow the misadventures of Carl, an endearing possum whose attempts to remedy his loneliness go unexpected. When Carl acquires a mysterious device known as the Possum Populator, his decision to bypass the instruction manual leads to chaotic results. Rather than manufacturing the companionship he craves, Carl's machine produces peculiar creatures. It's a must read!

[Ryan Tahmaseb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Someone needs to give Carl his own cartoon. But in the meantime, there's plenty to enjoy in this funny picture book. I love a good villain, and in Carl we get a multidimensional bad guy whose misadventures are lots of fun to read—and see. Kids and adults alike will also enjoy poring over the dynamic illustrations, which are full of fun little details. Highly recommended for bedtime, storytime, anytime.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Carl the possum is lonely. There's only so much fun you can have by yourself while popping children's balloons and eating their ice cream. Carl purchases a multiplying machine, hoping to create himself some friends, but foregoes the instruction manual. That's how he ends up with a Penguin Jazz Choir. Not helpful. Neither is the Pigeon Poops or the Non-Stop Pandas.

Cute but chaotic. Best for one-on-one reading.

[Joy Pitcairn · Rating 5 out of 5]

My kids loved IMPOSSIBLE POSSUMS! They described it as "funny" and "silly," and immediately wanted to go back to look at all the things that go wrong for Carl as he tries to make a possum partners-in-grime. We love Justin's puns and chaotic sense of humor, and James' illustrations. This one is a definite win!

[Julie Hauswirth · Rating 5 out of 5]

What's not to love about the evil possum, Carl, and his plan to create the perfectly evil friend? As Carl's possum populator continuously misunderstands him, it produces ridiculous results that get funnier and funnier with each page turn. This book was a hit with both of my boys- ages 3 and 11- and their dad, too! We especially loved the pigeon poop. What a fun book for the whole family.

[Jenna Elyse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Impossible Possums is full of humor, antics, and lots of easter eggs for both kids and parents! This is a book that you'll want to read again and again, and you'll probably discover something new each time. Plus, you can't help but root for Carl, even if he may be just a bit evil.

[Thelia Hutchinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun and engaging book. With fantastic illustrations and vivid text, you cannot help getting caught up in Carl's world of being lonely and the chaos that ensues simply by not reading the instruction. A laugh out loud adventure that kids will love.

[Ryann Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is for kids and their parents! So much fun with the wordplay and a lonely villain. And there are lots of hidden items in the art for kids and parents to find. Also makes for a great read aloud. Would definitely recommend!

[Christina Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kids are sure to love Carl, the frustrated Possum villain and his out of control Possum Populator. With equal doses chaos and humor, this book is sure to conjure giggles and keep both adults and kids busy with the intricate art and hidden surprises.

[Jenna Beatrice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is FUN and silly while also being villainous. My son loved the concept of an evil possum and laughed at every page. The illustrations are engaging - we loved taking a deeper look at each page. This is a must read for anyone who loves a mischievous main character.

[Mrs Heidrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun one that I look forward to sharing with kids!

[Heidi Yates · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lonely (and slightly evil) possum attempts to make some friends using a populator machine. Too bad he doesn't have time to read the instructions. This story is absolutely hilarious!

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A villain who wants a friends orders a machine to create his friends. When he doesn't follow the directions, chaos and hilarity ensues! Kids will love the fast paced text and great illustrations.

[Logan Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book with detailed/entertaining art and a fun little storyline. Totally worth a read with kids (but the art has some fun easter eggs for adults)! Check it out!

[Daniele Arndt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious, clever, and “bad to the bone” (Muahahaha)! Impossible Possums is an awesome story with amazingly fun illustrations! This book is so unique and creative—a must read!

[Lauri Meyers · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a fun and crazy adventure when an intelligent possum want to clone himself for a friend. For fans of Pinky and the Brain and exploding pasta. Vibrant active illustrations jump off the page.

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not your average picture book. Move it to the top of your TBR list! Share it with every kid you know!

[Keith Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun characters, a clever plot, and over-the-top artwork. I love the way the art fills the pages. There are some fun hidden pictures that are fun to look for, too.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Impossible Possums is so much FUN! It's got a hilarious main character, great read-aloud quality, and a wacky, engaging plot-- with amazing art! Kids will love this book!