Brave Ollie Possum

Ollie must learn to be brave or end up a bowl of soup.

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Ollie Mackerelli is determined to face his fear of the dark once and for all, but he gets more than he bargained for when his therapist turns out to be an actual monster. To make it even worse, Ollie is transformed from a boy to a possum and locked in a cage.

With no way to call for help, Ollie must learn to be brave (with the help of some furry friends) or he will be the main course. 

Adventurous, imaginative, and fantastically illustrated, Brave Ollie Possum is the debut children's story from author and screenwriter Ethan Nicolle. 

Canonball Books is the children's imprint of Canon Press. At Canonball, we believe stories are soul food, so you can expect excitement, danger, loyalty, virtue, and family in your Canonball books. Feed your kids the right books!

Watch a Trailer Here:

What Reviewers Are Saying:

"A wild, imaginative tale with lively illustrations that readers will find humorous yet encouraging." -WORLD Magazine

"Brave Ollie Possum is fantastic. Overflowing with imagination and heart. Consistently surprising and really, really funny." -Brian Lynch, screenwriter of Minions, Puss in Boots, and The Secret Life of Pets

"Brave Ollie Possum is just what youth lit needs today: an aspiring hero, a sense of humor, and the kind of adventure that older readers will enjoy as much as the young!" -Doug TenNapel, author of Cardboard, the Nnewts series, Earthworm Jim, and Tommysaurus Rex

"A funny, inspiring story about learning to face your fears that my daughter and I loved reading together and helped her finally stay in her own bed at night." -Frank J. Fleming, columnist for The New York Post and author of Punch Your Inner Hippie

"Brave Ollie Possum is something special: a story that walks alongside children and all their faults, never talks down to them, and in the end affirms that love overcomes their deepest, darkest fears. At once deliciously zany and refreshingly honest, these pages spill over with adventure, danger, and laughter for kids and those of us who never grew up." -Kyle Mann, editor of The Babylon Bee and author of How to Be a Perfect Christian

"Brave Ollie Possum is a delight! I first knew of Ethan Nicolle as the co-creator of Axe Cop and his other comics, all of which are filled with wit and absurdist humor. In his debut novel, Brave Ollie Possum, he has shown that his talents transfer well to extended prose. Reading Ethan’s writing made me feel like I was reading the work of a modern-day Roald Dahl. It is sure to be a fun read for adults and children alike! Ethan isn’t afraid to take us into dark and scary places and find humor therein. If you liked 'Witches' or 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' you are bound to like this book." -Trevor H. Cooley, author of The Moonrat Saga, The Jharro Grove Saga, The Dark Prophet Saga, and Noose Jumpers

"A funny and original adventure about a boy’s quest to find courage... Generously filled with Nicolle’s gorgeous pen and ink illustrations." -Paul Noth, writer and cartoonist for The New Yorker

"Ethan's book is super creative and deals with a subject close to my heart: childhood fear. I read this to my children and they were riveted to the characters and story the entire time. Love this book and would suggest it to anyone." -James Kennison, host of That Story Show podcast