Mem Fox

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Mem Fox

AM
The Magic of Mem Fox..jpg
Fox speaking to audience in 2014
BornMerrion Frances Partridge
(1946-03-05) 5 March 1946 (age 78)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Pen name"Mem" Fox
OccupationAuthor
Education Rose Bruford College
Flinders University
GenreChildren's literature
Notable works Possum Magic
Notable awards Nan Chauncy Award, 2017

Merrion Frances "Mem" Fox AM ( née  Partridge; born 5 March 1946) is an Australian writer of children's books and an educationalist specialising in literacy. Fox has been semi-retired since 1996, but she still writes and gives seminars. She lives in Adelaide, South Australia.

Contents

Early life and education

Merrion Frances [1] Partridge was born in Melbourne on 5 March 1946 to Nancy and Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge. [2] [3] In October, her parents left Australia to become teaching missionaries of Hope Fountain Mission in Rhodesia, and Partridge and her two sisters grew up and were educated in Africa. She was the only white child at the mission school. After authorities found out, she was forced to go to an all-white school and was teased for having an African accent. After graduating high school, she did volunteer work in a conference centre of the World Council of Churches near Geneva, Switzerland. [4] [2] [3]

Partridge dreamed of pursuing a stage career. Her father reluctantly agreed to send her to an English drama school on the condition that she would attend Rose Bruford College in London, which also included a compulsory teaching degree. In 1965, she began three years at drama school and discovered that "she didn't really want to act, but she did want to be known." She also met fellow student Malcolm Fox. After marrying in 1969, they moved to Rwanda, then England and finally Adelaide, South Australia. [4]

She later took a course in children's literature at Flinders University. [4]

Career

In Adelaide, Fox applied for a radio job at ABC. She only had irregular parts in radio plays and began teaching as she did not get paid enough money. By 1973, Fox had signed up to teach drama full-time at Sturt's Teachers University. [4]

Possum Magic

When her daughter was seven, Fox decided to take a course in children's literature at Flinders University because of Chloe's love of reading. One of the assignments was to write a children's book, for which Fox wrote a story named Hush the Invisible Mouse. Her professor encouraged her to publish it, and it was illustrated by Julie Vivas, a student in the art department. It was rejected nine times over five years before Omnibus Books accepted it, but asked her to rewrite it more lyrically, cut two-thirds of the story and change the mice to possums. [4] [5]

In 1983, the book was published as Possum Magic . It follows Hush, a possum whose Grandma Poss turns her invisible to protect her from the bush. Now considered a classic in Australian children's literature, Possum Magic is Australia's bestselling children's book. [2] [6]

Literary career

In 1984, Fox's second book Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge was published by Omnibus Books. It follows a boy who helps his elderly neighbour recover her lost memory through gifts. [6] The title of the book was the name of her father. [7]

The book Guess What? ranks number 66 on the American list of the 100 most-challenged books 1990 to 2000. [8] Groups and agencies can challenge a book to prevent it from being available to be read by the general public. The book has now been banned in Duval County, Florida on accusations that the book contains pornographic material. The specific section that troubled censors involves the main character taking a bath. [9]

Teaching career

In 1981, while working in drama, Fox decided to retrain in literacy studies. She said: "Literacy has become the great focus of my life – it's my passion, my battle and my mission and my exhaustion". [3] She has published books on literacy aimed at children, their parents, teachers and educators. She held the position of Associate Professor, Literacy Studies, in the School of Education at Flinders University until her retirement in 1996. [3] Since her retirement from teaching, Fox travels around the world visiting many countries and doing presentations and speaking on children's books and literacy issues. [3] Following an interrogation by US immigration officials on a trip in February 2017 to deliver a keynote speech in Milwaukee, Fox said that she would probably never visit the US again. [10]

Personal life

Fox is married to teacher Malcolm Fox, convicted of child sexual abuse. [11] Her daughter, Chloë Fox, is a former member of the South Australian House of Assembly. [12] [13] As she dislikes her given, legal name, Fox began using her nickname "Mem" around thirteen years of age. [14]

Awards and recognition

Works

Children's books

Non-fiction

Related Research Articles

Judy Horacek is an Australian cartoonist, artist, writer and children's book creator. She is best known for her award winning children's picture book Where is the Green Sheep? with Mem Fox, and her cartoons all over the world. She has been a regular cartoonist for newspapers including The Age newspaper, The Canberra Times, The Australian or The Australia Institute Newsletter. Horacek's latest book is Now or Never (2020), her tenth cartoon collection.

Libby Gleeson AM is an Australian children's author. Born in Young, New South Wales, she is one of six children, the sister of former ABC TV Washington Correspondent Michael Gleeson, and the mother of Home and Away actress Jessica Tovey and Sydney Morning Herald journalist Josephine Tovey. Her sister, Margie Gleeson, works as the head teacher of Creative and Performing Arts at Albury High School.

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<i>Possum Magic</i> 1983 picture book by Mem Fox

Possum Magic is a 1983 children's picture book by Australian author Mem Fox, and illustrated by Julie Vivas. It concerns a young female possum, named Hush, who becomes invisible and has a number of adventures. In 2001, a film was made by the American company Weston Woods and narrated by the author.

Patricia Mullins is a children's book illustrator. Some of Mullins' illustrations are in the Albert Ullin collection of the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia.

Margaret Dawn Hamilton was an Australian children’s literature publisher who served as the National President of the Children’s Book Council of Australia from 1991 to 1992 and as a National Board Member until April 2017 when she formally retired. She also published seven books.

Kerry Argent is an Australian illustrator of children's books.

Anne Bower Ingram (1937–2010) was an Australian children's author and publisher.

<i>Where is the Green Sheep?</i> Picture book written by Mem Fox and illustrated by Judy Horacek

Where is the Green Sheep? is a children's picture book by Mem Fox and Judy Horacek. Published by Penguin Books, it depicts various coloured sheep in various activities, with the protagonist, the green sheep, not being seen until the final pages.

<i>Sleepy Bears</i> 1999 picture book by Mem Fox

Sleepy Bears is a 1999 children's picture book by Mem Fox. It is about a bear preparing her family of six baby bears for hibernation.

<i>Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge</i> 1984 Childrens picture book by Mem Fox

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge is a 1984 children's picture book by Mem Fox. It is about a boy, Wilfrid, who helps an elderly friend, Nancy, to regain some of her memory. In 1998, American company Weston Woods Studio released a film adaptation of this book, narrated by the author with music by Ernest Troost.

<i>Wombat Divine</i> 1995 childrens book by Mem Fox

Wombat Divine is a 1995 Christmas-themed children's fiction book written by Australian author Mem Fox and illustrated by Kerry Argent. The book, written for children aged three years and above, tells the story of a young wombat who fears he will not be given a part in this year's Nativity play, but is delighted in the end to be chosen for the part of the Christ Child. A 21st anniversary edition of the book was published in 2016.

<i>Ducks Away!</i> 2016 picture book written by Mem Fox and illustrated by Judy Horacek.

Ducks Away! is a 2016 children's picture book written by Mem Fox and illustrated by Judy Horacek. Published by Scholastic Inc., It is about a mother duck and her five ducklings attempting to cross a bridge, one by one, and fall off the bridge into the river below. The duck becomes more and more agitated until she, with the last of her ducklings dropping into the water and their encouragement, decides to follow them.

Pamela Lofts, also known as Pam Lofts, was an Australian children's book illustrator and exhibiting artist based in Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia. She is best remembered as the illustrator of the Australian classic children's books, Wombat Stew by Marcia Vaughan and Koala Lou by Mem Fox. Although known for her book illustrations, she was also a photographer, painter, and sculptor.

<i>Good Night, Sleep Tight</i> (Fox book) Australian childrens picture book by Mem Fox

Good Night, Sleep Tight is a 2012 children's picture book by Mem Fox and illustrated by Judy Horacek. It is about Skinny Doug, a babysitter, who uses some nursery rhymes to help his charges, Bonnie and Ben, to sleep.

<i>Bonnie and Ben Rhyme Again</i> Australian childrens picture book by Mem Fox

Bonnie and Ben Rhyme Again is a 2018 children's picture book by Mem Fox and illustrated by Judy Horacek. In this book, a sequel to Good Night, Sleep Tight, two children, Bonnie and Ben, recite some nursery rhymes to their friend, Skinny Doug, while going for a walk.

<i>This & That</i> Australian childrens picture book by Mem Fox and Judy Horacek

This & That is a 2015 children's picture book by Mem Fox and illustrated by Judy Horacek. It is about a mouse telling bedtime stories to a pup.

<i>Baby Bedtime</i> Australian childrens picture book by Mem Fox

Baby Bedtime is a 2013 children's picture book by Mem Fox and illustrated by Emma Quay. The book, published in America by Beach Lane Books, and published in Australia by Penguin Books Australia, is about an adult elephant getting her baby ready for bed.

<i>Lets Count Goats!</i> Australian childrens picture book by Mem Fox and Jan Thomas

Let's Count Goats! is a 2010 children's picture book by Mem Fox and illustrated by Jan Thomas. It is a counting book with the narrator inviting the reader to count goats that appear in the pictures as they engage in humanlike behaviour.

References

  1. 1 2 "Its and Honour – 26 January 1993". Australian Government. Retrieved 7 March 2008.
  2. 1 2 3 Smith, Dianne (June 2000). "A Guide to the papers of Mem Fox" (PDF). The Lu Rees Archives . Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Life Story". Mem Fox website. Archived from the original on 2 March 2008. Retrieved 7 March 2008.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Gillies, Carol (January 2000). "Talking about Books: "Mem's the Word": Examining the Writing of Mem Fox". Language Arts . 77 (3): 250–257. doi:10.58680/la200097. JSTOR   41483060.
  5. ↑ Benns, Matthew (24 April 2005). "Brown's secret society set to crack million members". The Sun-Herald . Retrieved 25 February 2017.
  6. 1 2 O'Sullivan, Emer (2010). Historical Dictionary of Children's Literature. Scarecrow Press. p. 103. ISBN   9780810874961.
  7. ↑ Fox, Mem (May 1993). "Politics and literature: Chasing the "isms" from children's books". The Reading Teacher . 46 (8): 654–658. JSTOR   20201162.
  8. ↑ "The 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990–2000". American Library Association. Archived from the original on 18 February 2008. Retrieved 7 March 2008.
  9. ↑ Mokrzycki, Sarah (16 May 2023). "Guess What? Mem Fox children's book banned in Florida as 'pornography'". The Age. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  10. ↑ Zarin, Cynthia (27 February 2017). "An Australian Children's-Book Author's U.S. Customs Ordeal" . The New Yorker . Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  11. ↑ "Mem Fox's husband guilty of child abuse". ABC News. 8 July 2011.
  12. ↑ Grattan, Michelle (18 June 2004). "New ALP candidate has literary pedigree". The Age . Retrieved 19 August 2011.
  13. ↑ Sharron L. McElmeel (1992). Bookpeople: A Multicultural Album. Teacher Ideas Press. p. 55. ISBN   0-87287-953-4.
  14. ↑ Interview by Maria Zijlstra (22 August 2009). "The power of names". Lingua Franca. Radio National.
  15. ↑ "Dromkeen Medal". Scholastic. Archived from the original on 3 July 2007. Retrieved 15 July 2007.
  16. ↑ "It's an Honour – 1 January 2001". Australian Government. Retrieved 7 March 2008.
  17. ↑ Hartgerink, Nick. "Honoris Causa: for the sake of honour". University of Wollongong. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  18. ↑ "Honorary degree recipients for Doctor of Letters (DLitt)". Flinders University. 2004. Retrieved 19 May 2018. Merrion (Mem) Frances Fox, AM, DipT, BA, BEd, Grad Dip, DLitt (Hon) Woll, DLitt 2004
  19. ↑ Ducks Away!. OCLC. OCLC   945969497.

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