Synopses & Reviews
Wombats are Australian animals that look a little like bears, but smaller. Their favorite pastimes are sleeping, digging, and eating, especially eating carrots. In this comical picture book, the feisty, determined wombat star of Diary of a Wombat returns to celebrate Christmas, wombat style. She goes head-to-head with some strange creatures, which look to us like Santa's reindeer, in competition for carrots—and wins. Then, an accidental stowaway on Santa's sleigh, she visits countries around the world and learns that there are carrots everywhere, more than she'd ever imagined. No wonder she isn't hungry for treats on Christmas morning! Funny, engaging illustrations complement the brief text for a unique wombat's-eye view of a favorite holiday.
Review
"Delightfully comical, providing a satisfying story that will appeal to the whole family, from toddlers through adults."--Kirkus, starred review
Review
"Delightfully comical, providing a satisfying story that will appeal to the whole family, from toddlers through adults."
and#8212;Kirkus, starred review
"French provides Whatley with bare-bones scaffolding on which to build comic moments of Wombat munching, napping, and tussling with reindeer."
and#8212;Publishers Weekly
"Charming and slight, the humor shines through the spare text and Whatley's expressive paintings of the lazy wombat."
and#8212;School Library Journal
"Succinct sentences and episodic pacing allow Wombat's adventures to speak for themselves."
and#8212;Horn Book
"Jackie French's succinct narration works charmingly with Bruce Whatley's depictions of the myopic, carrot-loving quadruped that accidentally stows himself on Santa's sled."
and#8212;Wall Street Journal
Review
"The story and the illustrations are both enchanting and endearing."and#8212;The New York Times Book Review
"Utterly universal. Readers will empathize with the lovable Wombat's sadness and ultimate joy."and#8212;Family Life
"Take[s] a playful approach to Christmas and its pleasures are infectious."and#8212;Publishers Weekly
Review
"hilarious yet realistic...a sumblime balance of the adorable charm of the creature, along with its drawbacks as an acquaintance." SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL School Library Journal
"Whatley's acrylic vignettes...provide the perfect counterpoint to French's deadpan narration...readers...will laugh out loud at the wombat's antics." KIRKUS REVIEWS Kirkus Reviews
"tongue-in-cheek picture book...the often cuddly looking wombat may leave some readers envious of its languid lifestyle." PUBLISHERS WEEKLY Publishers Weekly
"The sweet yet deadpan humor...will tickle youngsters...amusing...look at clever (and awfully cute) garden infiltrators." THE BULLETIN OF THE CENTER OF CHILDREN'S BOOKS, Starred Review The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Starred
"An affectionate, believable wombat self-portrait....very accessible and funny...." THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW The New York Times Book Review
Review
"Lesterand#8217;s precisely worded text creates a wide range of emotions, from joy to gloom to satisfaction, while Munsingerand#8217;s expressive line-and wash illustrations capture every nuance of the amusing story."and#8212;Booklist "This sequel will be embraced by youngsters who struggle with their speech and need some hints on how to handle the capybaras in their lives."and#8212;Kirkus "Readers should have fun reading aloud in Wodneyand#8217;s voice, but multidimensional Camilla is a scene-stealer herself."and#8212;Publishers Weekly
Review
"Young readers will howl. . . . Adult readers will especially enjoy the little details to be discovered upon frequent rereading. Make no mistake, this will be read over and over, providing new laughs each time."and#8212;
The Horn Book "The story itself is almost incidental: the real fun comes from the interplay of French's laconic journalizing [and] the poker-faced typography, and Whatley's wry acrylic spot illustrations, which unspool on a single plane like a droll parade."and#8212;
Publishers Weekly "As delectable in tone and delivery as the beloved Diary of a Wombat. . . . Beginning readers have just enough text to gain confidence while the illustrations provide oodles more meaning and endless laughs."and#8212;
School Library Journal "The pacing of the spare text and the engaging illustrations combine humorously, especially when the baby wombat meets a human baby, and their antics mirror each other. Large areas of white space surround the whimsical acrylic illustrations, rife with subtle details, heightening the appeal of this cute picture book."and#8212;Booklist
Review
In an equally beguiling companion to their award-winning Diary of a Wombat (2003), French and Whatley collaborate on an introduction to wombats and their behavioras offered through the author's 30+ years of having them as neighbors and caring for injured ones in South New Wales. After opening with her credentials (Ive also looked after orphaned baby wombatscuddly, furry creatures that wreck your kitchen and take over your life), she covers the animals ancestry, appearance (hairy brown rocks with legs), feeding habits, minds (such as they are), relations with humans and life cycle. Readers will come away understanding that they are wild animals despite their fondness for carrots and a good scratch on the back and that they can be enjoyable to have around so long as one doesn't mind the occasional broken door or bite on the butt. They are also, as Whatley shows in frequent close-ups and vignettes, impossibly cute. This shorter version of a 2005 title published Down Under is as irresistible as its subject.”Kirkus Reviews, STARRED review The writer and illustrator of Diary of a Wombat (2003) now offer a genial guide to wombats. French, who has encountered a fair number of these Australian marsupials in her garden and raised orphaned babies to return to the wild, provides a short history of wombats along with precise information about their physical characteristics, habits, diets, homes, senses, communication, mating, and rearing of young. Written in first person in an engaging, informal style, the book includes plenty of anecdotes (one amazing wombat used a lever to move a boulder) and practical advice (sing softly when approaching a wombat). Short, entertaining quizzes in sidebars will grab readers who want to settle questions that probably had not occured to them: Who's the greatest? You or a wombat? Created using pencil, ink, and acrylics, black-and-white illustrations offer appealing portrayals of wombats in action as well as drawings of their paw prints, droppings, skulls, and burrows. Affectionate, amusing, and informative.”Booklist The book concludes with explanations of how to observe wombats in the wild and the contemporary threats to their habitat. A final summation of What Ive Learned from Wombats provides a deft set of life lessons for youngsters. This is a congenial selection for animal lovers that could also be a fun item for booktalking.”School Library Journal Wildlife and animal lovers will undoubtedly burrow right into thisadults should be prepared for requests for a field trip to the zoo, or to the bush.”The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Review
"The team responsible for the Tacky the Penguin books and Princess Penelope's Parrot (1996), among others, is in rare form in this picture book, in which a swell little guy proves himself a hero to his tormentors. Wodney Wat has a problem: he can't pronounce the letter r, which makes him the butt of constant jokes and teasing. He's so distressed, in fact, that he routinely buries his head in his jacket--the closest he can come to actually disappearing. He thinks he's really in for it when "big, mean, smart" Camilla Capybara appears in Miss Fuzzleworth's classroom. But the tables are deftly turned when Wodney is tapped to lead a game of Simon Says: when he says "Go West" after a tough round of play, guess who does. Munsinger's well-detailed illustrations are superbly funny, a perfect complement to a comical story that will not only make kids laugh but also hearten those who feel they'll be outsiders forever." Booklist, ALA
"Rodney Rat, who can't pronounce his R's, is the shyest, most miserable kid in school, until one day he saves his classmates from the mean bully Camilla Capybara. Wodney's transformation from cowering to empowered is beautifully underscored in the humorous, expressive illustrations. Appealingly, Wodney doesn't need to overcome his impediment to be liked--and it's the impediment itself and Wodney's clever use of it that foils the villain." Horn Book
A shy rodent turns his defect into strength to overcome class bully and save the day. Every page is a delight in this imaginative book, which culminates in surprising word play. Energetic illustrations capture perfectly the characters of timid Rodney, the overbearing Camilla Capybara, and their rowdy rodent classmates.
Parent's Choice (R)
Review
"Whatley's pencil drawings...may well cause readers to laugh out loud...French's [story]...is an example to live by." PW Publishers Weekly
"Whatley's cleanly designed illustrations...work well with French's understated text. Strong lines focus attention on the expressive characters..." HORN BOOK Horn Book
"Amusing...Whatley's watercolor-and-colored-pencil illustrations are clean and crisp and work nicely with the text..." SLJ School Library Journal
"Good for story hours. The text is...jaunty and the artwork...amusing." BOOKLIST Booklist, ALA
"Whimsical...It's a sweetly fleecy tale of outsider-makes-good, the genially inevitable ending entirely satisfying." -KIRKUS Kirkus Reviews
"Cleanly designed illustrations work well with French's understated text." HORN BOOK GUIDE Horn Book Guide, Pointer
Synopsis
Christmas from a wombatand#8217;s point of view, including competition for the carrots children have left out for Santaand#8217;s reindeer,and#160;and guess who gets stuck in the chimney?
Synopsis
and#8220;Slept. Scratched. Slept.and#8221; Indeed, it seems like Christmas will be just another day for the wombat . . . until she smells carrots! In this charming picture book, the star of Diary of a Wombat goes head to head with Santaand#8217;s reindeer in competition for carrotsand#8212;and wins. Then, as an accidental stowaway on Santa's sleigh, she learns that carrots are internationally available. No wonder she isn't hungry for treats on Christmas morning! Engaging illustrations delightfully complement the spare text in this unique, wombatand#8217;s-eye view of a favorite holiday.
Synopsis
Wombat loves everything about Christmas--especially the Nativity play. But at the auditions, the first part goes to someone else. So does the next. And the next . . . Will there be a part left for Wombat? "Embodies a refreshing all-for-one Christmas spirit. . . . Its pleasures are infectious."--
Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Delicious humor. . . . A delight to read and share."--
School Library Journal (starred review)
Synopsis
Grandma Poss uses her best bush magic to make Hush invisible. But when Hush longs to be able to see herself again, the two possums must make their way across Australia to find the magic food that will make Hush visible once more. and#8220;Another treat from Mem Fox that is sure to be treasured. The whimsical illustrations are a wonderful complement.and#8221;--
Childrenand#8217;s Book Review ServiceSynopsis
Wombats are cuddly-looking, slow-moving Australian animals. Their favorite activities are eating, sleeping, and digging holes. Here, in the words of one unusually articulate wombat, is the tongue-in-cheek account of a busy week; eating, sleeping, digging holes . . . and training its new neighbors, a family of humans, to produce treats on demand. This entertaining book, with its brief, humorous text and hilarious illustrations, will endear the wombat to young children, who may recognize in the determined furry creature some qualities that they share.
Synopsis
When Wodney must face off against that big bully Camilla Capybara for a second time, a talking robot becomes his secret weapon. The meek wodent . . . er, rodent . . . hero with a speech impediment and a heart of gold is back! So is Camilla Capybaraand#8212;the BIG bully who makes poor Wodney and hisand#160; classmates tremble. But this time, Wodney has a secret weapon: a robot that helps him pronounce his rand#8217;s and seems to be just the thing to scare Camilla away for good.
With the second empowering tale about Wodney, Lester and Munsinger use their
signature dose of humor to remind us that the little guy can finish first, and itand#8217;s often
brainsand#8212;not brawnand#8212;that save the day.
Synopsis
The inimitable wombat who shared her adventures (eating, scratching, digging, sleeping) in the wildly successful Diary of a Wombat is backandndash;with a baby! This time, it's the baby who tells the story. And a perfect wombat story it is, featuring eating, scratching, digging, sleeping, and playing, as well as the important task of finding a new underground home big enough for baby and Mum. Wry, understated humor and gorgeous, funny illustrations make this new picture book a brilliant next chapter in the wombat saga.
Synopsis
What's the best way to scratch a wombat? Well, if it's a wombat that's familiar with humans, says author Jackie French, you rub the bony ridge along its back or behind its ears. And the harder you scratch, the better the wombat likes it. For more than thirty years, Jackie French has lived in the Australian bush, coexisting with wild wombats. In this cross between memoir and natural history, Jackie shares her often hilarious adventures with her wombats neighbors and describes their physiology, history, and habits. Bruce Whatley adds pencil drawings in both comic and realistic styles. It's a book that's perfect for the budding naturalist. It's an easy read. It's full of funny stories. It's science with a heart.
Synopsis
Poor Rodney Rat can't pronounce his R's and the other rodents tease him mercilessly. But when Camilla Capybara joins Rodney's class and announces that she is bigger, meaner, and smarter than any of the other rodents, everyone is afraid. It seems she really is bigger, meaner, and smarter than all of the rest of them. Until our unwitting hero, Wodney Wat, catches Camilla out in a game of Simon Says. Read along with Wodney as he surprises himself and his classmates by single-handedly saving the whole class from the big bad bully. Children will delight as shy Rodney Rat triumphs over all and his tiny voice decides the day, R's or no R's.
Synopsis
Shaun is the new sheep shearer in Shaggy Gully. Since shearing is such hard work, all the other shearers have sheep dogs to help them. But not Shaun. His partner is Pete . . . a sheep- sheep!
Pete has a polite way of rounding up his charges, and Shaun is an expert shearer. The sheep are thrilled with this unconventional new team, but the other shearersRatso, Big Bob, and Bungoare not. Luckily, Pete has a few ideas under his hat that are sure to please everyone.
Bruce Whatleys spirited illustrations bring to life Jackie Frenchs zany characters in this hilarious tribute to individuality and the working sheep.
About the Author
Helen Lester and Lynn Munsinger have been together through thick and thin since first publishing The Wizard, the Fairy, and the Magic Chicken in 1983. They have collaborated on the hilarious Tacky the Penguin series and many other wildly funny and popular titles, including the award-winning Hooway for Wodney Wat. Helen Lester is a full-time writer who makes her home in New York, and Lynn Munsinger is a full-time illustrator living in Vermont.LYNN MUNSINGER has illustrated more than ninety books for children. She graduated from Tufts University in Boston and the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, where she majored in illustration. She lives in Connecticut and Vermont.