Wombat Walkabout

"Six woolly wombats, walking one by one, / Passed a golden wattle blooming in the sun. / The last little wombat, whose name was Clive, / Stopped to smell the flowers... then there were FIVE." And so it goes as six wombats go walkabout in this Australian-themed rhyming counting book, finding their numbers thinned by a hungry dingo. Eventually the last two wombats realize what is going on, and manage to cleverly turn the tables on their canine adversary...

Winsome words - the rollicking rhythm makes the text here just roll off the tongue - are paired with adorable artwork in Wombat Walkabout, making this picture-book a wonderful story-hour selection for younger children. Part counting book, part poetry selection, part story of prey turning show more the tables on their predator, it is an entertaining book with plenty of humor, both textual and visual. As always, Sophie Blackall's artwork is immensely appealing, capturing the chubby charm of its phascolomian cast perfectly. As someone who loved Jackie French's Diary of a Wombat, I was probably always going to enjoy Shields and Blackall's work here, but I was surprised by just how adorable I found it! Recommended to fellow wombat lovers, as well as to anyone looking for fun counting books and/or humorous rhyming texts. show less

This title is absolutely freaking adorable; it's really a perfect storytime title. The book is large format with big illustrations spanning both pages. The text is a minimalist counting rhyme about six wombats outsmarting a wily dingo.

The book introduces some new vocabulary as well as some basic information about the wildlife in Australia. The wombats, with their unique outfits, cute half-moon eyes, and rolypoly bodies will win over toddlers jaded by bear/rabbit/turtle/etc. tales.

This is an extremely clever counting book with many wonderful aspects. The book allows readers to count down from six, as the wombats disappear one by one. But each page also allows readers to search for a hidden character. Initially, we are searching for the dingo dog, and he gets more and more difficult to spot as the story moves along. Later, when the last two wombats reverse the natural order and begin hunting the dingo dog, we can try to spot the wombats hiding in the pictures. Meanwhile, the wonderfully flowing text gives us a lesson in rhyming at the same time as a lesson in Australian flora, fauna, and dialect. In fact, this simple book has many lessons to teach all rolled into one fast-paced story, filled with illustrations of show more charming characters. A truly admirable and lovable tale, which would make a fabulous read aloud to children of any age or a good read-to-self option. show less

Quirky is the word that comes to mind when describing Carol Diggory Shields' recent picture book "Wombat Walkabout." Six little wombats go out on a walkabout one day in the Australian outback. They're having a good time until a hungry dingo sneaks up on them, carrying them off one by one...

Kids who are just beginning to read will appreciate the repetition - first one little wombat disappears, then all but the biggest two in turn - as well as the rhyme Shields uses to tell the tale. The pacing is excellent and the wombats' outwitting of the dingo at the end was exciting to read about. Additionally, wombats were a good choice; the word is a funny one and they're fairly exotic creatures (how often does one encounter a wombat?), and so they show more capture readers imaginations.

Sophie Blackall's illustrations bring out the humor and originality in the story. Each little funny-looking wombat has unique accessory or two that helps readers identify it. One has a little skirt, another a sailor's hat. Details like these, along with the expressions on the animals' faces, gives the characters personality and keeps readers engaged. show less

This reads so easily, the wombats have really found a place in my heart. I really like all the words introduced, and I couldn't help read this with my own rendition of an Australian accent. The little wombats go out for a walk, only to be stalked by a dingo. The dingo snatches the wombats one by one until there are only two wombats left. They hatch a plan to capture the dingo and get their friends back. It works and they all have tea. Lovely.

This story an Australian twist on the classic counting type of book with the monkeys jumping on the bed. Instead it features a family of wombats taking a stroll and one by one disappearing. I liked the way that it was told and how it introduces things that American students may not previously know. I am also glad that it had a happy ending instead of the family actually getting eaten like you are at first led to believe.

This is a very cute book about friends helping each other to defeat the bad guy. I like this book because it uses Australian language and gives a glossary in the beginning of the book, rather than the end. I think this is important because then children know what they're reading BEFORE they read it. I never understood why glossaries are in the back of the book after the reading has been done. It's also a great book for counting and math, and the text is fun too because it rhymes, which children love.