Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Bookish Wisdom earns from qualifying purchases. This doesn't change our picks or your price.
Quick answer: If your child loved Diary of a Wombat, read Diary of a Baby Wombat, Wombat Stew, Possum Magic and Koala Lou. All are warm Australian picture books with animals and gentle humor.
Jackie French and Bruce Whatley's picture book follows a wombat's busy days of sleeping, eating and training its human neighbors. The books below share that humor, Australian animals and diary-style fun. Most are for ages 2 to 7, and all are real, in-print books.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diary of a Baby Wombat | Jackie French | 2–7 | the nearest match |
| Wombat Stew | Marcia K. Vaughan | 2–7 | read-aloud fun |
| Possum Magic | Mem Fox | 2–7 | Australian classics |
| Koala Lou | Mem Fox | 2–7 | family comfort |
| Wombat Divine | Mem Fox | 3–7 | seasonal fun |
| Diary of a Worm | Doreen Cronin | 3–7 | diary-style humor |
| Diary of a Spider | Doreen Cronin | 3–7 | funny diaries |
| Diary of a Fly | Doreen Cronin | 3–7 | bug humor |
| Edward the Emu | Sheena Knowles | 3–7 | being yourself |
| Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy | Lynley Dodd | 2–6 | rhyming fun |
| Wombat Walkabout | Carol Diggory Shields | 2–6 | counting and rhyme |
| The Very Hungry Caterpillar | Eric Carle | 1–5 | first picture books |
| Where the Wild Things Are | Maurice Sendak | 3–7 | imagination |
| Giraffes Can't Dance | Giles Andreae | 2–7 | confidence |
| Mr Gumpy's Outing | John Burningham | 2–6 | gentle humor |
1. Diary of a Baby Wombat by Jackie French
The story of a baby wombat told in diary form, with soft, funny art. A direct companion.
Best for: the nearest match.
2. Wombat Stew by Marcia K. Vaughan
Animals try to cook a wombat in a stew. Rhyming, funny and a long-time favorite.
Best for: read-aloud fun.
3. Possum Magic by Mem Fox
A grandma possum makes her granddaughter invisible and must find a way to undo it. A classic of Australian picture books.
Best for: Australian classics.
4. Koala Lou by Mem Fox
A koala feels unsure of her mother's love and tries to win a race. Warm and gentle.
Best for: family comfort.
5. Wombat Divine by Mem Fox
A wombat tries to win a role in the nativity play. Light, funny and Christmas-themed.
Best for: seasonal fun.
6. Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin
A worm describes his day in short diary entries. Funny and clever.
Best for: diary-style humor.
7. Diary of a Spider by Doreen Cronin
A spider writes about life and friends. Short and charming.
Best for: funny diaries.
8. Diary of a Fly by Doreen Cronin
A fly describes school and flying lessons. Cheerful and quick.
Best for: bug humor.
9. Edward the Emu by Sheena Knowles
An emu is bored with his life and tries being other animals. Silly and sweet.
Best for: being yourself.
10. Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy by Lynley Dodd
A little dog leads a parade of neighborhood dogs. Rhythmic and cheerful, from New Zealand.
Best for: rhyming fun.
11. Wombat Walkabout by Carol Diggory Shields
A wombat and his friends walk through the Australian outback. Cheerful and rhythmic.
Best for: counting and rhyme.
12. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
A caterpillar eats through a week of food and becomes a butterfly. A classic of simple pictures.
Best for: first picture books.
13. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Max sails to an island of monsters. The classic of imagination.
Best for: imagination.
14. Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae
A giraffe finds his own rhythm. Rhyming and uplifting.
Best for: confidence.
15. Mr Gumpy's Outing by John Burningham
Mr Gumpy takes animals out on a boat. Gentle, with a happy end.
Best for: gentle humor.
How to Choose
For more wombats, read Diary of a Baby Wombat or Wombat Stew. For Australian classics, Possum Magic. For diary humor, Doreen Cronin's Diary of a Worm. For rhymes, Hairy Maclary. Read these aloud with a sleepy voice for the wombat and an excited voice for the rest. Picture books are best enjoyed together. Let your child find the wombat on each page, copy the sounds and try the diary format at home by writing short entries about a pet or a day. Libraries often host story times with Australian animal themes. A fun follow-up is to visit a zoo or wildlife park that has wombats, or to look at photographs and videos of them online. Drawing a wombat or writing a short diary entry from the animal's point of view is a great activity after reading.
Related: What Age Is The Diary of a Young Girl (Anne Frank) Appropriate For? A Parent’s Guide · Diary of A Wimpy Kid Printable Book List
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Diary of a Wombat about?
A wombat describes in short diary entries her days of sleeping, digging and teaching her new human neighbors to give her carrots.
Who wrote and illustrated it?
Jackie French wrote it and Bruce Whatley illustrated it.
What age is it for?
About 2 to 7.
Is it funny?
Yes. The pictures and the deadpan diary voice are the main source of humor.
Are wombats real?
Yes. They are marsupials that live in Australia and dig burrows.
Where do wombats live?
Wild wombats live in Australia and Tasmania, in burrows they dig.
Is Diary of a Wombat suitable for toddlers?
Yes, though the humor works best for ages three and up.
What is the best Jackie French book for older children?
Hitler's Daughter and Pennies for Hitler are for older readers, while the Wombat books suit younger ones.
Does the book have a sequel?
Yes. Diary of a Baby Wombat follows the same style.
Why is the wombat funny?
The deadpan, bossy voice and the idea that the wombat trains her humans make the book charming.
How long is the book?
It is a standard picture book of about 32 pages.