AUSTRALIAN AUTHOR A family of possums' lives and habitat are threatened by urban creep. What will happen to them? Where will they go? An enchanting story of the relationship between a wildlife-loving boy and a Brushtail possum family. The Urban Escapees is also a powerful story of our times: about increasing urbanisation and its impacts on the natural world. Through powerful story telling Susan Ramage has created a heart-warming tale that brings the big issues of urban creep and the subsequent destruction of our native flora and fauna into sharp focus. She makes the complex dilemma of development versus diversity instantly accessible and understandable to young readers by earthing the issue in a simple grass-roots tale. You will instantly fall in love with the characters who are beautifully brought to life by Nettie Lodge's illustrations. AGES: 3 plus AUTHOR: Susan Ramage is a graduate of the University of New South Wales and an award winning author who lives in Sydney. Her love of nature is celebrated in The Urban Escapees, her second book, where the story of Benjamin Brushtail and his family draws attention to the need for urban planning that is considerate and compassionate of the natural environment, including both wildlife and humans. Nettie Lodge For the past 20 years Nettie has been writing and illustrating children's books, including Bird, published by ABC Books which won a CBCA Notable Book Merit award. Her stories and illustrations largely reflect the plight and mishaps of animals. Her most recent major solo exhibition was based on the poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Coleridge and held at the Manly Art Gallery and Museum. She lives and paints in her studio on Scotland Island in Pittwater, north of Sydney and is and a part time lecturer for Torrens University at the Billy Blue College of Visual Communication.