Jackie French (text), Bruce Whatley (illus), Grandma Wombat, HarperCollins, 4 Jan 2016, 32pp., $24.99 (hbk) ISBN 9780732299590
My kids love staying at their Grandma’s. She adores them, spoils them rotten and feeds them ice-cream and salt and vinegar chips. When they leave, she is usually pretty tired. I’m very grateful she is tired, particularly after reading the latest wombat book by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley. Unlike my children’s G-ma, Grandma Wombat has a lovely nap while watching her grandson – and you will not believe what he gets up to.
The book starts off innocently enough, with wombat scratches, a hunt for some carrots, eating and sleeping. But, as any parent knows, when you’re caring for a little one, before attempting sleep yourself, you must first lock the children up safely … in a cot, I mean.
Grandma Wombat doesn’t and her grandson strays, swapping places with a joey to bounce around in a warm pouch. And the momentum propels him onwards to adventure. Oh my.
At the end of the book, Grandma Wombat is still oblivious to where her sweet boy has been. (His poor mother would have a heart attack.)
The illustrations are bold, fun, Australian and a little bit silly, with great expressions on the animals’ faces.
This is a cheeky story for grandparents to share with their grandkids – so long as they’re not the napping kind. We wouldn’t want to give them ideas! It would also be a sweet gift for special grandparents from older kids who used to get up to mischief at their grandparents’ place. Or grandparents, if your kids are imposing on you to babysit a little too often, you may like to send this book home with the kids as a gentle warning!
Reviewed by Carissa Mason
