Do you have a special child in your life who loves animals? Local wildlife sanctuary Speaking of Wildlife (SOW) has the perfect gift.
Larry the Opossum Has No Eyes is a brand-new children’s book, the first in the Speaking of Wildlife book series, written by SOW owner Krystal Hewitt, and illustrated by Alex Salmon.
The story tells the tale of Larry, an opossum who was born with no eyes and thus was unable to live in the wild. He found sanctuary, adventure, and excitement at Speaking of Wildlife, where he lived happily, helping to educate folks about wildlife, until he passed away in May 2022 at just over three years of age.
“Larry was the inspiration for the book,” said Hewitt. “Opossums are notoriously short-lived but in his three years with us, he became a legend of sorts. People still ask us about him, he was so memorable, and so beloved. This book will immortalize him, I hope.”
Hewitt banded together with a long-time friend from high school, Alex Salmon, to put the book together.
“Alex and I are both Twin Lakes Secondary School grads, and we met in Grade 9,” said Hewitt. “When I was ready to write it, Alex helped me shape it into a book, instead of a talk about opossums, which is where it kept heading. Alex’s wife helped with editing, and his son, Elliott, at age five, was the test subject. And of course, Alex’s illustrations are pure delight!”
The overarching theme of the book, and Speaking of Wildlife in general, is that animals' differences and different abilities don’t slow them down at all, and the same can certainly be said of humans, said Hewitt.
“The book shows that Larry was the most spirited and adventurous opossum ... nothing stopped him. I hope that he can be an example for the kids who read the book to strive for and learn from,” she added.
Larry’s legacy continues at Speaking of Wildlife, where a new opossum, Jawslyn, Jaws for short, is now making her home. Jaws was found as a juvenile after being struck by a car. Her broken jaw was fixed, and her damaged eye removed, but her injuries make her susceptible to infection. This, combined with her docile nature, made her a natural for residency at Speaking of Wildlife.
“Jaws is already making her presence felt,” said Hewitt. “We brought her to a couple of shows snuggled up safely in her bed and with her favourite treat, yogourt. By the third show, she was squirming out of the bed and wanted to see the world. Looks like Larry’s adventurous legacy will live on."
Larry the Opossum Has No Eyes is available through Speaking of Wildlife, either through the online store here or in person at wildlife shows or tours onsite. The book is also available at Manticore Books and Jack and Maddy’s in downtown Orillia.
To reach Speaking of Wildlife, email [email protected] or call 705-327-9450.
