cover image Wombat Divine

Wombat Divine

Mem Fox. Harcourt Children's Books, $17 (32pp) ISBN 978-0-15-201416-2

The show must go on--and the annual Nativity play is no exception. Ready to break a leg, Wombat eagerly auditions for every part in the production, only to find that he's not quite suited for any of them. When fussy director Emu brilliantly suggests that Wombat accept the important role of baby Jesus, the play is finally ready for opening night. In her humorous and understated watercolors, Argent's (One Woolly Wombat) beguiling bunch of Australian animals embodies a refreshing all-for-one Christmas spirit. Fox's (Time for Bed) title is one of the few this season to take a playful approach to Christmas and its pleasures are infectious. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)