Witch & Wombat

May 15, 2023
A bespectacled young witch longs for a cat but ends up with something unexpected. Though Wilma is excited for her first feline pet, when she goes to the Beast Buddies Pet Shop there are no more cats; instead, she is offered a wombat. She begrudgingly takes the dumpy, snoozy chum but worries: "Everyone else brings cats to school. Cats have been friends to witches for centuries. What a cat-tastrophe!" Unfortunately, Wombat is afraid of heights, which makes mastering Broom-Flying Basics a challenge; can't perch on the edge of a cauldron during Brewing Potions for Beginners; and doesn't stay in the required spell boundary zone, causing a spell to go disastrously wrong. Wilma is so frustrated she wishes Wombat would disappear. And Wombat does just that--by burrowing deep into the ground. Sprinkled with wombat facts (Wilma's remembering that wombat scat is cube-shaped helps her follow a trail of poop to find her pal), this is a winning testament to true friendship. Wilma sets aside her assumptions of what a witch's companion should look like and realizes just how wonderful Wombat truly is. This is a not-so-spooky tale perfect for Halloween and beyond. Wilma has bluish-black hair and pale skin among a diverse class. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A spellbinding tale that encourages readers to accept--and celebrate--what makes us different. (Picture book. 4-7)

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

June 1, 2023

PreS-Gr 2-Wilma, a child witch, wakes up excited. Today, she will become a complete witch. She goes to receive her cat to start her magic training. She gets to the pet shop, but they are all out of cats and only have a wombat. So begins a whimsical story of Wilma and her wombat, and as readers soon learn, wombats are so unlike cats. They do not play with yarn, they produce cube-shaped poop, they have small tails, and they can dig tunnels up to 650 feet long. They will not perch on the cauldron, as Wilma needs, and her wombat is afraid of flying on a broomstick. She cries out in distress and wishes he were a cat-and he disappears. When she discovers that the wombat is reading up on how to become a cat, Wilma is in awe, and changes her mind about what kind of witch she will be. This quirky picture book lives beyond any seasonal use. The font is set up in a graphic novel-type format, which may be small for some younger readers. VERDICT With a valuable lesson to accept others as they are, this story is great for any children's collection, any time of year.-Annmarie Braithwaite

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 31, 2023
When the pet shop runs out of black cats, Wilma, a pigtailed young witch portrayed with tan skin, is stuck with a wombat, which causes her to stick out like a sore thumb among her witchy peers, shown with various skin tones. Wombat tolerates wearing a kitty-ear headband, but on every other account—
as Wilma makes painfully clear with her disappointment—the critter isn’t the hoped-for familiar. When Wombat disappears, Wilma discovers the animal burrowed deep in the earth, reading Finding Your Inner Feline and attempting to become the cat that Wilma wants. The witch realizes the folly—and unfairness—of trying to “make you into something you’re not,” embraces Wombat’s wombat-ness, and discovers that the duo’s social clout actually increases. Belote’s digitally rendered vignettes bring to mind classic comedy animation throughout this lesson about overcoming bias and leaning into possibility. Ages 3–7.

September 1, 2023
Wilma is excited to bring home her new cat, but there's a big problem: the pet store is out of cats and gives her a wombat instead. The young witch doesn't hide her disappointment and unsuccessfully tries to force her pet to be more catlike. Belote's humorous digital illustrations showcase the many ways a wombat is not like a cat. It's only after her pet runs off that Wilma begins to appreciate the wombat she has. This lighthearted and heartwarming allegory about acceptance also includes a brief appended list of interesting facts about wombats, building on a sillier list within the story. Marva Anne Hinton

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2024
Wilma is excited to bring home her new cat, but there's a big problem: the pet store is out of cats and gives her a wombat instead. The young witch doesn't hide her disappointment and unsuccessfully tries to force her pet to be more catlike. Belote's humorous digital illustrations showcase the many ways a wombat is not like a cat. It's only after her pet runs off that Wilma begins to appreciate the wombat she has. This lighthearted and heartwarming allegory about acceptance also includes a brief appended list of interesting facts about wombats, building on a sillier list within the story.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)