Mem Fox Quotes

“But a lonely goblin has been watching. And he knows what to do to help them heal.”

“It is a rich and moving original fairy tale about family, friendship, and the power compassion has to unite us all.”

“In a time long past, in a land far away, a family has suffered an unspeakable loss.”

“A goblin who for many years has been hiding himself so that he does not frighten anyone finally finds a family.”

“In a time long past, in a land far away, there lived a goblin who had once seen himself reflected in a still pond.”

“His reflection had frightened him so much, he decided to hide his face from the world forever, so as not to frighten anyone else.”

“But one day, the goblin happened to see a farmer sigh, set down his tools, and bury his head in his hands. That night, the goblin went to work.”

“But in spite of his care, the goblin was seen. The farmer unable to sleep, stared out into the dark, and watched without a word.”

“He dug where digging was needed. He chopped where chopping was needed. He painted where painting was needed. And was careful not to be seen.”

“The following day, on the very same farm, the goblin saw a woman sigh, set down her pail, ad bury her head in her hands. That night, the goblin went to work. He watered where watering was needed. He planted where planting was needed.”

“The next morning, just before breakfast, she shouted, ″It’s something to do with food! People food - not possum food. But I can’t remember what. We’ll just have to try and find it.′ ”

“Because she couldn’t be seen she was safe from snakes, which is why Grandma Poss had made her invisible in the first place.”

“From that time onwards, Hush was visible. But once a year, on her birthday, she and Grandma Poss ate a Vegemite sandwich, a piece of pavlova and half a lamington, just to make sure that Hush stayed visible forever. And she did.”

“She looked into this book and she looked into that. There was magic for thin and magic for fat, and magic for tall and magic for small, but the magic she was looking for wasn’t there at all.”

“Grandma Poss made bush magic. She made wombats blue and kookaburras pink. She made dingoes smile and emus shrink. But the best magic of all was the magic that made Hush INVISIBLE.”

“Because she couldn’t be seen she could be squashed by koalas. Because she couldn’t be seen she could slide down kangaroos.”

“Grandma Poss looked miserable. ‘Don’t worry, Grandma,’ said Hush. ‘I don’t mind.’ But in her heart of hearts she did.”

“They ate Anzac biscuits in Adelaide, mornay and Minties in Melbourne, steak and salad in Sydney and pumpkin scones in Brisbane. Hush remained invisible.”

“Hush breathed deeply and began to eat. ‘A tail! A tail!’ shouted both possums at once. For there it was. A brand new, visible tail!”

“Grandma Poss held her breath - and waited. ‘It’s worked! It’s worked!’ she cried. And she was right. Hush could be seen from head to tail. Grandma Poss hugged Hush, and they both danced ‘Here We Go Round Lamington Plate’ till early in the morning.”

“But Wilfred Gordon wanted to know more, so he called on. Mrs. Jordan who played the organ. ‘What’s a memory?’ he asked. ‘Something warm, my child, something warm.”

“What a good idea,′ said Emu. ‘Now, who’d like to be Mary?’ ‘I would,’ said Wombat. But he was too big to be Mary. Numbat was chosen instead.”

“Now, at last, he was old enough to take part. So, with his heart full of hope, and his head full of dreams, he hurried along to the auditions.”

“Who could be out on such a night? But Lily opens the door to a lovely surprise.... A delightfully suspenseful story.”

“But then she is suddenly woken up by a loud knock and a surprise party from all of her family because it is her birthday. Although she is in her nineties, she says that she feels like she is four and a half.”

“Wombat is a cute and lovable character with a passion for the stage and a desire to be in the nativity play.”

“Wilfrid lives next to a retirement home, and his favorite old person is 96-year-old Miss Nancy.”

“He liked Mrs Jordan who played the organ. He listened to Mr. Hosking who told him scary stories. He played with Mr. Tippett who was crazy about cricket.”

“His friends were already there. Emu was bossing and fussing as usual. ‘Now, let’s get started,’ she said. ‘Who’d like to be the Archangel Gabriel?”

“Lily Laceby is sleeping and there is so much noise going on that her dog hears but she doesn’t. She just continues sleeping.”

“But he was too heavy to be the Archangel Gabriel. Bilby was chosen instead. Bilby patted Wombat on the back. ‘Never mind, Wombat! Don’t lose heart. Why not try for a different part?”

“Everyone says Miss Nancy has lost her memory, and despite the fact that Wilfrid doesn’t even know what a memory is, by accident he helps her find it.”

“He ran errands for Miss Mitchell who walked with a wooden stick. He admired Mr. Drysdale who had a voice like a giant.”

“It is about a boy, Wilfrid, who helps an elderly friend, Nancy, to regain some of her memory.”

“But his favorite person of all was Miss Nancy Alison Delacourt Cooper because she had four names just as he did. He called her Miss Nancy and told her all his secrets.”

“Wombat loves everything about Christmas--especially the Nativity play. He’s wanted to be in it for as long as he can remember. At last he’s old enough to ...”

“The images were almost all of her and her (assumed to be passed on) husband, which I thought was a cute and meaningful addition to the story.”

“Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge is a small boy who has a big name - and that’s why he likes Miss Nancy Alison Delacourt Cooper because she has too.”

“I really liked that while Lily Laceby was dreaming during the story, there were images on the side of the pages that showed what she was dreaming about, even though these dreams were never described via words. ”

“So when he finds Miss Nancy has lost her memory, Wilfrid determines to discover what memories are so he can find it for her.”

“Wombat loves Christmas. He loves the cards and the candles, the presents and the pudding and most of all he loves the Nativity play.”

“Will there be a part in the Nativity play left for Wombat? Utterly universal. Readers will empathize with the Wombat’s sadness and ultimate joy.”

“His house was next door to an old people’s home and he knew all the people who lived there.”

“At last he’s old enough to try out. But at the auditions, the first part goes to someone else. So does the next. And the next . . . Will there be a part left for Wombat?”

″ One wild winter night she drifts off to sleep. As she dreams peacefully of bygone days, Butch Aggie stirs, hackles raised, hearing strange noises.”

″ When Lily finally wakes from her nap, she hears the noises coming from her front door. She soon opens the door to see her whole family surprising her for her ninetieth birthday.”

“The Kangaroos were chosen instead. The Kangaroos put their arms around Wombat. ‘Cheer up, Wombat! Don’t lose heart. Why not try for a different part? Wombat tried everything.”

“As elderly Lily Laceby dozes by the fire, her dog, Butch Aggie, becomes alarmed by strange noises outside.”

“As elderly Lily Laceby dozes by the fire, her dog, Butch Aggie, becomes alarmed by strange noises outside. Finally awakened by Butch Aggie’s growls and ...”

“The ending, when all of Lily’s family, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and friends surprised her for her birthday was really heartwarming.”