Please welcome my guest author and illustrator, Abi Cushman, with her picture book list about wombats. Are you wondering what a wombat is? I have a vague recollection of a cartoon that my kids like to watch with marsupials that flew in propeller airplanes and had an Australian accent. I had to dig for it online to find it. It’s The Koala Brothers, and they had a wombat friend named Ned.
I think that my first exposure to wombats, which I learned from the show, were also marsupial animals. Let’s do a quick primer on wombats from the Australia Zoo with Terri and Bindi. They tell us that Hairy Northern Nosed Wombats are among the most endangered mammal animals in the world with only about 100 individual animals left!
Readers can learn more about wombats with Abi’s book list, especially with her book, Wombats Are Pretty Weird: A [Not So] Serious Guide.
We are also giving away a copy of Wombats Are Pretty Weird: A [Not So] Serious Guide. To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter at the bottom.
Nine Picture Books About Wombats
Do you know what a wombat is? If you don’t, get ready to be amazed. These adorable marsupials from Australia are full of surprises. The list of unique wombat characteristics includes backward pouches, nonstop teeth, and CUBE-SHAPED POOP. And that’s not all that makes them special. Many animals were saved from Australian bushfires in 2019 by seeking shelter in wombat burrows. This is why it’s so wonderful to see wombats having their time in the spotlight with these fantastic new picture books.
Wombats Are Pretty Weird: A [Not So] Serious Guide by Abi Cushman
When a snake stumbles into this book about wombats, he learns just how weird and wonderful these burrowing marsupials are. With giggle-inducing comic panels and kid-friendly sidebars, this hilarious informational picture book introduces fun facts about wombats–including how they make their cube-shaped poop–while bringing home the message that being weird is a good thing. [informational picture book, ages 4 and up]
Battle of the Butts: The Science Behind Animal Behinds by Jocelyn Rish, illustrated by David Creighton-Pester
Did you know that wombats have tough butts? In this bootylicious nonfiction book, kids can learn about ten animals with amazing butts and pick which one is their favorite. Will the wombat win? [informational picture book, ages 4 and up]
Wombat by Christopher Cheng, illustrated by Liz Duthie
This beautiful book showcases a day in the life of a wombat. Along the way, readers learn about the special characteristics of wombats, their burrowing abilities, feeding, predators, and joeys. It’s a great overview of a very special marsupial. [informational picture book, ages 5 and up]
Wombat Underground: A Wildfire Survival Story by Sarah L. Thomson, illustrated by Charles Santoso
With gorgeous art by Charles Santoso, this book chronicles a wombat’s experience as a wildfire rips through the forest and other animals seek refuge in its underground burrow. Inspired by real events, this is a great discussion starter about wombats, wildfires, and Australian animals. [informational picture book, ages 4 and up]
Wombat Said Come In by Carmen Agra Deedy, illustrated by Brian Lies
When a wildfire strikes, Wombat’s neighbors start knocking on his door, and he politely lets them in. With each new guest adding more and more chaos to Wombat’s formerly neat home, this is a humorous tale about helping your friends out when they’re in need. [picture book, ages 4 and up]
Wombat, the Reluctant Hero by Christian Trimmer, illustrated by Rachel Gyan
A wombat wants to keep to herself and do her own thing. But when a heat wave and then a wildfire hit the neighborhood, she uses her special burrowing skills to find underground water and to provide shelter. It’s an inspirational story about rising up to help your neighbors. [picture book, ages 3 and up]
Wombat by Philip Bunting
This young picture book plays with the very fun word, “wombat”. Similar to Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett and Circle Under Berry by Carter Higgins, it introduces concepts like colors, numbers, and relationships by making small changes in the text. It’s silly wombat fun for the youngest readers. [picture book, ages 2 and up]
Wally the World’s Greatest Piano-Playing Wombat by Ratha Tep, illustrated by Camilla Pintonato
Wally is the world’s greatest piano-playing wombat. Until another wombat shows up and plays the piano better. When he tries to one-up the other wombat by adding other tricks to his performance, the other wombat just keeps getting better too. So Wally gets frustrated and gives up. This is an entertaining story with a relatable message about competition and how we can approach it in a positive way. [picture book, ages 4 and up]
Witch & Wombat by Ashley Belote
A little witch goes to the pet store to get her first cat and comes back with a wombat instead. Will the other witches notice? Well… yes. After all, wombats don’t have long tails for holding onto broomsticks, and they can’t leap onto the edge of a witch’s cauldron. This funny, heartwarming story encourages readers to have an open mind and celebrate our differences. [picture book, ages 3 and up]
Wombats Are Pretty Weird: A [Not So] Serious Guide GIVEAWAY!
We are giving away a copy of Wombats Are Pretty Weird: A [Not So] Serious Guide. To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter below. We can only mail to U.S. and A.F.O. addresses.
Abi Cushman is the author-illustrator of funny picture books, including WOMBATS ARE PRETTY WEIRD, ANIMALS GO VROOM! and SOAKED! She has also worked as a web designer for over 15 years, and runs two popular websites of her own: MyHouseRabbit.com, a pet rabbit care resource, and AnimalFactGuide.com, which was named a Great Website for Kids by the American Library Association. In her spare time, Abi enjoys running, playing tennis, and eating nachos. (Yes, at the same time.) She lives on the Connecticut shoreline with her husband and two kids.
To learn more about Abi and her books, visit her website at AbiCushman.com. If you like secrets, exclusive sneak peeks, wombats, and special giveaways, subscribe to her newsletter.
p.s. Related posts:
Book Lists Around a Particular Animal
Children’s Books About Tortoises to Fall In Love With
Favorite Owl Children’s Books
Five New Rescue Dog Books
5 Picture Books Around Pet Adoption
Top 10: Best Dragon Children’s Books
Top 10: Favorite Duck Picture Books
Our Favorite Dinosaur Books
Hamsters and Guinea Pigs in Early Chapter Books
Top 10: Crocodile Books for Kids
Top 10: Zoo Books for Kids
Top 10: Pokémon Books
10 Hilarious Cat and Dog Picture Books
To examine any book more closely at Indiebound or Amazon, please click on image of book.
As an Amazon and IndieBound Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Follow PragmaticMom’s board Multicultural Books for Kids on Pinterest.
Follow PragmaticMom’s board Children’s Book Activities on Pinterest.
My books:
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
- Starred review from School Library Journal
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me
The first Wombat book we bought is the favorite. “Diary of a Wombat” by Jackie French (Author), Bruce Whatley (Illustrator).
That book is the cutest!
Wombat Saud Come In is the only wombat book I’ve read so far and the illustrations are amazing!
Brian Lies’s illustrations are gorgeous. Love his use of light and shadow.
I did know the stuff about wombats and the wildfires – that makes them even awesome-er!
Meant to say “did NOT know”
My students loved learning about wombats in The Battle of the Butts. I can’t wait to read Wombats are Pretty Weird and share it with my readers. It has been on my to read list for quite some time.
My granddaughters enjoyed reading about
Wombats in Wombat Stew. They will love all of these Wombat books.
I don’t think my school’s media center collection has any books about wombats, so we’d love to have a copy of Wombats Are Pretty Weird. We do have the classic Koala Lou and it is loved by many students.
Who knew that there were so many wonderful books with wombats!
I love Super Marsupials: Kangaroos, Koalas, Wombats, and More because it is a great book to use with my science standards.
Oh fun! I haven’t seen this one before. I’ll have to check it out!
My niece enjoys “Sally Kangaroo and Her Baby Sister Too by Nathan Saadat.
The only books I can think of are the Winnie the Pooh books with Kanga and Roo.
I dont think I know any books about wombats
I adore the wombat picture books by Jackie French. Diary of a Wombat is the most well known, however I loved The Fire Wombat that was published after the 2019/2020 bushfires