Room for More

Two
wombats, two wallabies, a koala, and a tiger snake humorously squeeze into one
burrow--and reveal important truths about environmental disasters and the
importance of welcoming refugees. When a
fire sweeps through the Australian bush, wombats Dig and Scratch are glad to
have a cool, damp burrow to keep them safe. But Dig notices that other animals
are not so lucky. When Dig invites a wallaby mother and her joey to shelter with
them, Scratch grumbles. When Dig beckons to a koala, Scratch complains. And
when Dig welcomes in a tiger snake, Scratch is fit to be tied--but Dig is sure
there's always room for more. And when the rains come to douse the fire and
bring a new threat of flooding, a crowd of creatures may turn out to be just
what the wombats need.

Inspired
by stories of animals sheltering in wombat burrows when her homeland of
Australia experienced devastating fires, award-winning author Michelle
Kadarusman gets young readers up close and personal with Australian wildlife.
Illustrator Maggie Zeng brings the creatures to life with a generous dose of
personality as they squeeze together in the burrow and work together
aboveground. Extensive back matter includes information about wildfires, a
glossary of animals, and age-appropriate context about environmental disasters
and the work that is being done--including a renewal of Indigenous land
practices--to prevent them.

Author: Michelle Kadarusman
Publisher: Pajama Press
Published: 07/19/2022
Pages: 32
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.35lbs
Size: 9.10h x 9.80w x 0.50d
ISBN: 9781772782523
Audience: Ages 4-8


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 04/15/2022

About the Author
Kadarusman, Michelle: - Michelle Kadarusman is a multi-award-winning author of
middle-grade novels, including Music for Tigers, The Theory of Hummingbirds,
and the Governor General's Award finalist Girl of the Southern Sea. Born
in Melbourne, Australia, Michelle has also lived in Indonesia and Canada; today
she splits her time between Toronto, Canada, and Byron Bay, Australia. Room
For More, Michelle's first picture book, was inspired by Australian
wildlife sheltering in wombat burrows during the devastating Australian bush
fires of 2019-2020.Zeng, Maggie: - Maggie Zeng is
a children's book illustrator, graphic designer, concept artist, and
animator. Born in Montreal, she attends Concordia University and
previously received the Outstanding Achievement Award in Applied Arts Technologies
at Dawson College. Maggie loves making story-driven illustrations that
convey a feeling of adventure and wonder through fun characters and magical
environments. Her first picture book is This is the Boat That Ben Built.