Wombat Said Come In

Ages 4 to 8, Grades P to 3

A kindhearted wombat offers refuge to a parade of animal friends during an Australian bushfire in a delightful new picture book from New York Times best-selling creators Carmen Agra Deedy and Brian Lies.

    Australian bushfires roar above Wombat’s home. He is fortunate that his burrow is deep below ground and he is safe. He snuggles under his crazy quilt and drinks his tea. Soon his frightened friend Wallaby shows up at his door. “Oh Wombat! I c-c-can’t reach my home! M-m-may I stay with you awhile?”

    Wombat pauses only for a tick of the clock, and says, “Come in!”

    Then, one by one, five uniquely Australian animals – the Wallaby, a Kookaburra, a Platypus, a Koala, and a Sugar Glider – seek refuge from the fires, and Wombat welcomes them all. When you have the heart of a wombat, there’s always room for one more!

    Fellowship, empathy, and adorable Australian animals star in this delightfully heartwarming and funny story about help in the time of trouble from New York Times best-selling author Carmen Agra Deedy (14 Cows for America, The Library Dragon, The Rooster Who Would Not Stay Quiet) and Caldecott Honor-winning and New York Times best-selling illustrator Brian Lies (The Rough Patch, Bats at the Beach).

    The book will delight children with Deedy’s engaging story and Lies masterfully rendered animals. It is an ideal read-aloud for adults  seeking a story with humor and heart. Generosity and kindness provide powerful SEL themes. Older readers will get a glimpse of the unique environmental challenges presented by the country’s annual bushfire season.

About the Author

Carmen Agra Deedy, a New York Times best-selling author (14 Cows for America) and nationally known storyteller has been writing and traveling around the world telling stories for more than thirty years. Her books have received numerous awards and honors, including a Pura Belpre honor, a Christopher award, a Jane Addams honor, and a Bologna Ragazzi award. Carmen has presented at many prestigious venues, including the Kennedy Center and the TED Conference, but children are her favorite audience. Born in Havana, Cuba, she came to the United States as a refugee and like most immigrants sees the world from multiple perspectives. She lives in Georgia.

Author Residence: Stone Mountain, GA

Author Hometown: Havana, Cuba

Brian Lies has illustrated over thirty books, including the 2019 Caldecott Honor-winning The Rough Patch, which also won a Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Crystal Kite Award, and the New York Times bestselling bat series (Bats at the Beach, Bats at the Library, Bats at the Ballgame, and Bats in the Band). He now lives in a seaside town in Massachusetts with his wife, daughter, and two cats. His hobbies are bicycling, woodworking, and tending a big vegetable garden behind the house.

Illustrator Residence:Duxbury, MA

Illustrator Hometown:Princeton, NJ