"Early one morning when the sun came out, Six woolly wombats went walkabout." This whimsical counting poem follows six brave little wombats on walkabout in the Australian outback. But the wilderness is bound to bring more excitement than an innocent counting game. Soon enough, the curious wombats learn to beware the hungry dingo! Aussie native Sophie Blackallas delicious illustrations set adorable wombats in a lush world of golden wattles, billabongs, kookaburras, and gum nuts. With marvelous wordplay and irresistible read-aloud phrases, this ingenious text is sure to become a well-worn favorite. Accompanied by a short, simple glossary of Australian terms and wildlife. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

A read-aloud with an Aussie accent, this bouncy rhyming tale of wandering wombats delivers age-appropriate suspense as well as a countdown. Six roly-poly brown wombats stroll, single file, in a dusty desert: They didn't see the dingo with the hungry eye,/ 'I've a hunch my lunch just walked on by!'  One by one, the wombats bringing up the rear stop to pick a gum nut or listen to a kookaburra bird, and the party diminishes (and then there were five). Shields (Lunch Money) does not reveal their fate, and readers will suspect the worst. In sandy watercolor hues, Blackall (Meet Wild Boars) individuates the plump, bearish wombats via accessories, like a paper hat or string of beads, while the swaggering dingo favors a pipe. She lets the foxy-orange dingo's pointy ears or long, sinister nose protrude from behind gray rocks and twisted trees; kids will enjoy hunting the villain in her offbeat, detailed spreads.A glossary demystifies the lingo from Oz. Ages 3 5. (Mar.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Starred Review. K-Gr 2 This fun glimpse of the Australian outback is written in a rhyming text that's a joy to read aloud. Six woolly wombats go on a walkabout, and the dingo that spots them is sure that he's just discovered his lunch. One by one, a wombat strays from the others until only Jen and Jack are left. Hiding by the trail, they spy the dingo with a large sack that's jumping about. Immediately they make a pit trap and lure the unsuspecting dingo into it. Four thankful wombats escape and six happy wombats walk back home two by two for tea. The meanings of the Aussie words are easily understood from the context, but the short glossary found before the story is still nice to have. The illustrations, which are bathed in pale browns, yellows, oranges, and blues, are an excellent complement to the text. Blackall uses a "less is more" approach to the art that successfully allows readers to focus on the animals, their expressions, and the flora around them. Since the wombats tend to look alike, the artist has adorned each of them with one accessory to give them individuality. This delightful story with its themes of friendship and nature could be perfectly paired with Jackie French's Diary of a Wombat (Clarion, 2003) and Mem Fox's Koala Lou (Harcourt, 1989) for an Australian-themed storytime. Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Starred Review. K-Gr 2 This fun glimpse of the Australian outback is written in a rhyming text that's a joy to read aloud. Six woolly wombats go on a walkabout, and the dingo that spots them is sure that he's just discovered his lunch. One by one, a wombat strays from the others until only Jen and Jack are left. Hiding by the trail, they spy the dingo with a large sack that's jumping about. Immediately they make a pit trap and lure the unsuspecting dingo into it. Four thankful wombats escape and six happy wombats walk back home two by two for tea. The meanings of the Aussie words are easily understood from the context, but the short glossary found before the story is still nice to have. The illustrations, which are bathed in pale browns, yellows, oranges, and blues, are an excellent complement to the text. Blackall uses a "less is more" approach to the art that successfully allows readers to focus on the animals, their expressions, and the flora around them. Since the wombats tend to look alike, the artist has adorned each of them with one accessory to give them individuality. This delightful story with its themes of friendship and nature could be perfectly paired with Jackie French's Diary of a Wombat (Clarion, 2003) and Mem Fox's Koala Lou (Harcourt, 1989) for an Australian-themed storytime. Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information