Dippy’s Big Day Out (Jackie French, illus by Bruce Whatley & Ben Smith Whatley, HarperCollins)

The creators of the much-loved picture book Diary of a Wombat, are back with a new book that is set centuries back in time. Dippy, short for Diprotodon, is the biggest wombat who walked the earth—roughly 100,000 years ago. Kids who are familiar with his more contemporary incarnation will not be surprised to learn that his routine remains the same. Yes, Dippy loves to sleep (snoring and grunting blissfully while doing so) and he appears perturbed when awakened by the other creatures. Having inadvertently rested on a nest of fledglings, Dippy is forced to travel to find other places of respite. Adventures ensue, with strange and enormous plants and animals that look like rocks (that eventually move), while hunting for food brings its own surprises. Like Jackie French and Bruce Whatley’s previous wombat books, Dippy’s Big Day Out is deceptively simple but fosters adventure, curiosity, self-sufficiency and getting enough rest after play. Suitable for preschoolers learning about the benefits of structure and routine, this romp through prehistoric Australia serves as a reminder that the more things change, the more things stay the same.

Thuy On is a freelance arts journalist and reviewer, and the books editor of the Big Issue

Category: Reviews