Unlikely friends entertaining

TheWildLife: ABerryLong Walk— LauraandPhilip Bunting (Scholastic, $17.99) ReviewedbyLouise Ward, WardiniBooks

Inadramatic opening to this colourful chapter book, Wombatis surprised to be awokenby an unfamiliar feeling — the sun shiningon his tummy.

Sounds lovely doesn’t it? But Wombatit not impressed as this meanshe is out of his burrow and that is most definitely outside of his safety zone.

Tocompoundthe situation, he hears a shout of “Wombat! Quick!” Assuming he is under attack, he dives back into his burrow.

What’s happened is thatRoois trying to get his attention— it’s an overture of friendship.

Wombat, nowstuck by his prodigious bottom in the entrance to his burrow is suspicious, but Roo’s tales of delicious berries at the top of the hill enticeWombatto try awalk, something that is usually anathema to him.

Whatensues is a tale of opposites. Roois as bouncy as a kangaroo in a story for children should be.

She’s perky and positive, believing she can do anything she puts her mindto: “In fact, Roothought she could probably hop over themoon or fluff out a rainbow if she tried hard enough.”

Wombatis a grump, seeing danger in everything outside his burrow and being very suspicious of feelings in general.

The colour palette of blues, greens and browns and the bold lines of the illustrations tell just asmuchof the story as the text. Rooand Wombat’s dialogue quickly establishes character and the story arc offers opportunity for each to find out the best of the other, and of themselves.

This is the first in what promises to be a series of stories featuring Wombatand Roo.

I’m looking forward to reading what the friends getupto next time.