By Brad Dison

Lifelong Castor resident Tony McCarthy has released a new children’s Christmas book just in time for the holiday season with full-color illustrations by his niece, Lauren McCarthy, who was also born and raised in Castor. 

Within days of its release, “Possum Tales: A Possum Christmas” reached #1 in new releases in children’s Christmas books on Amazon.  It has been accepted for distribution by Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and most other major booksellers.

The book tells the Christmas tale of a sweet family of country possums living in their little house in the tip top of a pin oak tree who are awakened on the night before Christmas by a loud noise in the nearby field. Could it be Ol’ Saint Nick and his team of Reindeer…or is Ol’ GrinPaw Possum up to mischief again? You’ll want to read this cute and funny rhyming tale to find out what ‘s a-happenin’…

Tony said, “A lot of thought went into the book from the highly detailed illustrations right down to the choice of font, the same font used by Dr. Seuss, which is easy for children to read.” 

When not writing stories for children, Tony is a registered nurse and director of nursing at Specialty Rehabilitation Hospital of Coushatta.  He is also a songwriter and vocalist for the regionally recognized band Extreme Caution.  Lauren teaches art at Martin Park Elementary School in Alexandria.

You can get a copy of “A Possum Christmas” at: https://amzn.to/4aaxS5K