For anyone who knows the least bit of anything about Jackie French, you'll certainly know about her love of wombats. This accomplished author has a bit of a thing for these famous Aussie critters (including a resident wombat at her farm) and after the success of her glorious Diary of a Wombat picture book, this non-fiction companion is a must-read.Designed for older children, The Secret World of Wombats is a warm, humorous look into the lives of these adorable animals. From the wry cover illustration (by the talented Bruce Whatley) alone, it's easy to predict what kind of content we're in for, and the book doesn't disappoint.
Opening with a hilarious quiz to find out if you are yourself a wombat, we're soon treated to the history of wombats, how they got their name (it has indigenous origins), what exactly they are comprised of (it involves lots of fur) and how fast they can run (fast!).
Readers will also enormously enjoy a peek into the daily life of wombats, how they interact socially, where they live, what they eat, how they grow up, how smart they are and what their droppings look like (eww!).
The author also provides us indispensible info on how to meet a wombat and how to care for an orphan wombat if you find one.
Resplendant with heart-warming anecdotes on Jackie's real life encounters with these beautiful creatures and Whatley's highly detailed and beautiful real-life drawings, The Secret World of Wombats is like looking in on another world where very few have the chance to enter. What kids will learn from this book is priceless... and my, they will have fun along the way.
But shhh! It's a secret...
Title: The Secret World of Wombats
Author: Jackie French
Illustrator: Bruce Whatley
Publisher: HarperCollins, $14.95
Publication Date: 27 July 2005
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780207200311
For ages: 7 - 12
Type: Information Book, Non Fiction
