Renée Treml, Wombat Big, Puggle Small, Random House Australia, 29 May 2017, 24pp., $14.99 (Board Book), ISBN: 97801437882926
Small children will love handling this attractive board book. Australian native animals, Wombat and Puggle – a Spiny Anteater – are the two main characters. Together as friends they have fun throughout the day until tired out from their play, they snuggle up at night.
Subdued water colour backgrounds help to highlight the detailed illustrations of the two animals giving the text a warm and reassuring atmosphere. The gentle mood makes this a perfect bedtime book, suitable for one to five year olds with its very simple two-word text on each page. Each double page spread depicts the funny antics of this lovable pair throughout the day while the uncomplicated text rhymes with the following pages. Amusing as well as instructive, this small, glossy board book introduces young children to many important concepts such as big and small, short and tall, in and out etc. The key word on each page is printed in bright colours and sometimes in a variable type size or shape to give it emphasis. These visually appealing attributes make it a great way to begin simple word recognition with pre-schoolers.
This is a book toddlers in particular will thoroughly enjoy and relate to as the two good friends revel in each other’s company. Renée Treml has created a beautiful first book for children who will want to hear it read and revisit the two memorable characters time and again.
Reviewed by Grace Nolan
