Fremantle Press
August 2026
ISBN: 9781760997793
RRP: $24.99
There is absolutely no doubt that quokkas are pretty much top of our list of Australian native animals most likely to entice tourists from around the world to visit. Yes, the koalas, the wallabies, the echidnas and platypuses, the elusive rakalis and the shy sugar gliders and many more are all drawcards themselves but really, is there anything more fun than a small cute furry animal that appears to completely adore having its photo snapped from every conceivable angle, including selfies? And who better to provide an important subtle lesson about friendship than these apparently gregarious little guys from Rottnest?
Quokka is surprised that Seal doesn’t smile. Really? Doesn’t everyone smile? Maybe Seal just needs something to turn that frown upside down. Quokka tries everything but nope, Seal’s expression remains the same. At first, his failure makes him a little sad but after a contretemps of his own, in which he briefly loses his own smile, he discovers that Seal doesn’t need to smile to be a friend. In fact, they discover one very special thing they have in common. Katie’s illustrations are always lovely – realistic enough to give the children a good grasp of the creature’s appearance but with the cartoonish edge of expressions etc to be entertaining as well. And the endpapers in this one are just divine!!
This is a new edition – a smaller size just right for smaller hands which will please many EC educators especially. I didn’t see the first edition so I’m particularly happy [smiling like a quokka in fact!] and know that kiddos especially Smalls will delight in both the illustrations and the narrative.
They will easily grasp the intent as well – and that will be an easy provocation to some meaningful discussion about accepting others, and demonstrating that friends don’t have to be exactly alike in all ways. I would definitely partner this one with Julie Murphy’s Cheer up,Blobfish! as well. A terrific book as a read-aloud, for circle time or for your EI lessons as well as just for the pure joy of it, it’s a very happy smiley 5 😃😃😃😃😃rating from me for Smalls from around 3 upwards.
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