Featuring 70 watercolor illustrations, this totally adorable gift of a book offers wisdom and insight from a delightfully unexpected source: the opossum.

Shy, resourceful, and deeply misunderstood yet thoroughly relatable, opossums offer a model for seeing the world—and oneself—in an entirely fresh way. 

Written and illustrated by Ally Burguieres, creator of the popular Instagram account @ItsMeSesame, who spends her days as a wildlife rehabber caring for and learning from opossums, When in Doubt, Play Dead offers encouragement to embrace life’s weird, wild, and wonderful moments.

Learn to live your life the opossum way with advice including the following.

• The difference between a weed and a flower is often a matter of taste.
• It’s nobody’s business what’s in your pouch. Unless you’ve got snacks in there. In which case, you should share.
• A bit of risk is part of life. Cross that street, but ALWAYS look both ways beforehand.
• Smile! Unless someone tells you to, in which case you are well within your rights to scream.
• And more.