Why I Picked It Up:
My youngest son has become obsessed with Australia. His dream right now is to see the Sydney Opera House. So, we were exploring Amazon for all things Australian and this book popped up. I quickly added it to my cart.
Why I Finished It:
This story is adorable! It isn’t easy to root for a wombat, or any animal who is ripping up a family’s garden, but you have to in this story. From the point of view of the Wombat, you see his daily struggles of dealing with and training his humans that moved in to the house where he lives. The story is unique given the different perspective.
Who I Would Give It To:
Great story for elementary students, especially those who are intrigued by animals and Australia. The reader doesn’t necessarily need to know much about Australia to understand the story, but it could springboard some curiosity and research.
Integration Ideas:
Making Connections:
The entire time I was reading this, I was thinking about Memoirs of a Goldfish. These two books would be fun to have students compare and contrast. The obvious similarity is that they are both animals telling about their day, but nudge the students to think deeper. Push them to discover that these animals reactions and personalities. This will help students really understand characteristics of characters.
Inference About Character:
It’s so important to have students discuss characters actions, descriptions, and dialogue. It is important for students to know that this is making inferences. The character trait isn’t provided, you have to discover the trait based on the information the author gives you. In this story there isn’t dialogue, but students should choose actions and descriptions to give a character trait to the Wombat. Students can discuss these traits or write them down, but it is essential that they provide the text evidence (the action) that made them come up with that trait. Note to the teacher: your students will probably need a list of character traits to choose from!
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