Riley is born happy, and in his short life, is never anything else. Human beings, on the other hand, are never happy. They want to be someone else, somewhere else, looking like something else.
Australia
Materials from Australia
When I Was Little Like You
Mary Malbunka shares her stories of playing with friends, building cubby houses, climbing trees, collecting sugar bag digging for honey ants, hunting for lizards, and learning about the seasons, animals and plants, she creates a vivid picture of a truly Australian childhood in which country-ngurra-is life itself.
Half a World Away
When Louie’s best friend Amy moves to the other side of the world, Louie must find a way to reconnect with her.
Clancy : The Courageous Cow
Clancy the cow is a misfit in his herd, but when he proves himself in the annual cow wrestling match, he demonstrates the foolishness of judging by appearances.
Ziba Came on a Boat
Ziba came on a boat. Sitting in the crowded hull, with her mother’s arms around her, Ziba remembers all that she has left behind. They hope to find peace and safety in a new land, but where will their journey end.
Why Do I Have To Eat Off The Floor?
Why can’t I sleep in your bed?
Why can’t I drive the car?
Why can’t we play all the time?
These seemingly innocent questions, the kind usually asked by a child to an adult, take on a wildly humorous twist when addressed to a child by her dog, Murphy! The minimalist text and succinct illustrations, brilliantly set off the grandiose ambitions of this adorable, little dog with BIG ideas. His owner patiently answers all of his “why” questions, until finally, she’s forced to tell it like it is: that Murphy is a D-O-G (not a human).
Bobbie Dazzler
Bobbie is an energetic Red-necked Wallaby. She can jump, she can bounce, and she can skip. She can even hop on one leg. Her friends Koala, Wombat, and Possum are very impressed. But there is one thing Bobbie cannot do. She cannot do the splits. And she wants to.
Featured in Vol. II, Issue 1 of WOW Review.
Piglet and Papa
When Piglet’s beloved father chases her away after she plays too rough, all of the barnyard animals try to make her feel better, but Piglet is still afraid that her father no longer loves her.
Samsara Dog
Dog lived each life as it came, until he learned the most important lesson of all. Based on Buddhist concepts of Samsara and Nirvana, it tells a story about love, life, death and dying.
Weird Stuff
Brian Hobble isn’t much of a writer—he’s more of a soccer player. (And sometimes he’s not much of a soccer player either!) But one day he borrows a pink Easyflow pen from Nathan Lumsdyke, during his favorite author’s school visit, and suddenly he can’t stop writing. Unfortunately for Brian, the pen only writes flowery, embarrassing love stories, even in his science test. Brian can’t wait to give the weird pen back…until he realizes Cassandra Wyman is a lot more interested in writing than she is in soccer.