Puggle’s Problem

by Aleesah Darlison, Illustrated by Sandra Temple

Wombat Books. Australian, Picture Book. Hardcover rrp $17.95

Young readers love stories about Australian native animals and puggles, baby echidnas, are one of the most unusual and fascinating.

Pipp is a very clever puggle. He was top of his class at eating ants. He was top of his class at curling into a ball. But this little puggle has a problem. He is the only puggle in the whole bush without any spines.

Pipp gets help from the other animals – koala, wombat, kangaroo and kookaburra. But only an echidna really knows how to help and Pipp’s mum tells him that if he believes in them, good things will happen. There is a gentle message of patience subtly woven into the story and as everyone knows, an echidna without spines is easier to hug!

I loved the read aloud rhythms and the sounds they made, like when Pipp dug in the ‘soft scritchedy dirt’.

Illustrator Sandra Temple is an award-winning wildlife artist. Her illustrations are cute enough to cuddle but also an excellent depiction of the features of our native animals. Readers will have no trouble describing or drawing a puggle after reading this book.

Puggle’s Problem is both entertaining and educational. As an added treat, colouring in pictures can be found here http://www.wombatbooks.com.au/pugglesproblem.html.

http://www.aleesahdarlison.com/
http://www.sandratemple.com/