Author Archives: Patricia Smith

(for Christopher) Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a nice, comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One winter morning Benson went outside to soak up some sunshine. He dug himself a shallow hole and lay down in it, feeling the warm sun onContinue reading “Whittling Whistles”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a medium-sized wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One afternoon Benson was sitting at the table in the kitchen reading a very exciting book he got from the library, about pirates and a kangaroo and an elephant calledContinue reading “Reading Aloud”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in an ordinary wombat hole, with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson had a best friend called Zali. As soon as he met her one day in the playground they became friends. They loved being together and talking and doing things.Continue reading “Best Friends”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a tidy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One of Benson’s mother’s friends had a new baby, and everyone went to visit. “Why do we have to go and see the baby?” Benson said. “What’s interesting about babies?”Continue reading “Benson and the Baby”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a comfy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day Aunt Moss was cleaning out her cupboard and Benson was helping her, when she found some coins in an old shoe at the bottom of the cupboard. SheContinue reading “Benson Buys a Duck”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a tidy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day Aunt Lillibet said to Benson’s mother, “You know, that front door needs a coat of paint. It’s looking very shabby. It gets the full sun every day andContinue reading “The Perfect Green”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a very nice wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day Benson came into the kitchen, and Aunt Moss was sitting at the table, with a pile of jelly beans. Benson went and sat down beside her. “WhatContinue reading “Yellow Jelly Beans”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a very tidy wombat hole with this mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One night after dinner it was Benson’s turn to wash the dishes, but he had something in his room he was in the middle of doing, with sticks andContinue reading “Washing Up Again”

Once there was a young wombat called Benson, who lived in a nice little wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day Nanna came for a visit. She was very old, and very very wrinkly, and she was always having naps. After lunch she sat down in a chairContinue reading “Bark”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a neat, comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day Benson was digging in the backyard. He had a new idea for a hole that was bigger at the bottom than it was at the top, andContinue reading “Benson Says No”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a very nice wombat hole with his mother, and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day Aunt Lillibet hurt her ankle playing badminton. It wasn’t broken but it was very sore, and she had a big pink elastic bandage on it, and theContinue reading “Bored”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day Benson went with his mother to help her with the shopping. They bought a big bag of oranges. “It must be the season for oranges,” Benson’s mother said.Continue reading “Oranges”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a nice tidy wombat hole with his mother, and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One evening Benson was in bed, reading a bedtime story to his mother, when they heard a squeak from the kitchen. Aunt Moss called out, “A mouse! There’s aContinue reading “A Mouse in the Kitchen”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a nice little wombat hole with his mother, and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One afternoon Benson’s mother was out at a meeting, and Aunt Moss was at her bee-keepers’ afternoon tea, and Benson was at home by himself with just Aunt Lillibet.Continue reading “Butter”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day Benson went to the playground to play, and there was a quokka there, wearing a funny hat. Benson went to the big swing. The quokka came over andContinue reading “The Quokka and the Book”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a comfortable, tidy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Aunt Moss had an old pillow that she loved. It was full of feathers, and she said it was the most comfortable pillow in the world. But it gotContinue reading “Feathers”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a tidy little wombat hole with his mother, and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Once a year, Aunt Lillibet made a pudding that was so delicious and wonderful that everyone talked about it for days afterwards. She would spend a whole morning mixingContinue reading “Pudding”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a comfortable wombat hole with his mother, and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson had to have an injection, with a needle, to make sure he didn’t get a disease that could make him very sick. His mother and Aunt Lillibet and AuntContinue reading “Needles”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a tidy little wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day it was Benson’s mother’s birthday, and Aunt Lillibet and Aunt Moss decided she should have a party, and they invited lots of friends and relations. They spentContinue reading “Counting”

Once there was a young wombat called Benson, who lived in a very nice wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day Benson was out by himself, just doing stuff, when he came up to a fence. It wasn’t a tall fence but it was too high to climbContinue reading “The Fence”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a nice comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One morning Benson was just going into the kitchen to get a drink of water when he saw Aunt Moss sitting at the table by herself. She looked sadContinue reading “Augustus”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a very comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day his mother and Aunt Lillibet and Moss had to go to a family wedding, and Benson wasn’t invited. Benson was looking forward to a long day atContinue reading “Benson Bakes Some Bread”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a nice, comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One Tuesday it was a very rainy day, and in the evening it started to pour. It rained and rained all night, and it was still raining when BensonContinue reading “Rain”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson’s mother was in the kitchen one morning, and Aunt Lillibet came in with a pumpkin that she had grown in her garden. It was a great big pumpkin, withContinue reading “Benson and the Pumpkin”

Once there was a young wombat name Benson, who lived in a comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One morning after breakfast, Benson wanted to go for a ride on his bike, but when he went out to get on it, he could see that one of theContinue reading “The Bike Pump”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a warm, dry wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One night Benson was asleep and he woke up because he had to go to the toilet. He went to the toilet and on his way back to bedContinue reading “Stars”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a tidy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One morning when Benson’s mother was washing up the breakfast dishes, she said, “The lilly pilly trees on top of the big hill will be covered in fruit by now.”Continue reading “Lilly Pillies”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a very comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson’s mother was going to a wedding. “Why are you wearing that hat?” Benson said. “It’s very becoming, and besides, hats are coming back in,” she said. “Everyone’s wearingContinue reading “The Wedding”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a very nice wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One morning Benson was having his favourite breakfast, pancakes with mushrooms and blueberries. Aunt Moss came out of her room looking very sleepy. She was still in pyjamas andContinue reading “Lost”

Once there was a young wombat called Benson, and he lived in a comfy wombat hole with his mother, and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One morning his mother went out to the vegetable garden and picked some carrots. She took them inside to wash them. Benson came into the kitchen and saw herContinue reading “Carrots”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a very comfortable wombat hole with his mother, and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day after breakfast Benson said, “I’m going to look for a dragon today.” His aunt Lillibet said, “You can’t do that. There’s no such thing as dragons. They’reContinue reading “Benson and the Dragons”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a tidy little wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One afternoon Benson was outside doing stuff, and when he came in, Aunt Lillibet was in the kitchen, sitting at the table, making something with modelling clay. Benson rushedContinue reading “Mushrooms”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a very comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One morning Benson went out in the back yard to do some digging, and he saw Aunt Moss walking around, looking at the ground, so he said, “Have youContinue reading “Leaf Pie”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a nice little wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day Benson and his mother were sitting outside under a tree, shelling peanuts. They cracked open the peanut shells and put the peanuts in a bowl and theContinue reading “Monkeys”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a nice wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day Benson was annoying some ants with a leaf. His mother said, “Benson, stop poking the ants with that leaf. You can see it upsets them.” Benson didn’t wantContinue reading “Weeds”