Author Archives: Patricia Smith

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. Benson’s Nanna had a cough that wouldn’t go away. It made her very tired. Sometimes she was so tired, she couldn’t work in the the garden and she justContinue reading “Nanna’s Holiday”

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. Benson was trying to build a fort out of old pieces of wood, and he got a splinter in his finger. “My finger hurts,” he said to his mother.Continue reading “A Splinter in Your Finger”

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 when Benson was having breakfast, his mother said, “I think we’ll go and visit Nanna today.” Benson said, “Can I make something special for her?” His motherContinue reading “Mushroom Marmalade”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a safe, warm wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Aunt Moss was going to visit an old friend who lived a long way away in another valley. Benson’s mother said, “I’m worried about Aunt Moss going all thatContinue reading “The Landslide”

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. One night after dinner, Benson and his mother were just doing the dishes when they heard a big bang outside. “What was that?” Benson said. They both stopped andContinue reading “Fireworks”

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 when Benson’s mother took him to the playground, there was a new wombat sitting in the sand-pit. Benson went up to say hello.“Hi, my name’s Benson,” he said.Continue reading “Sandpit Wars”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a happy, comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One morning just before lunch, Benson went for a walk down to the creek. His cousin Elmer was there, digging. “Hi Elmer,” Benson said. “What are you doing here?”Continue reading “Forgiveness”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a calm, peaceful wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Aunt Moss had a headache. “My head is really hurting,” she said. “I think I’ll go and lie down.” Benson’s mother made her a nice cup of cardamom andContinue reading “Aunt Moss’s Headache”

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. Benson and his mother were out shopping. They went past a big paperbark tree and Benson stopped. “What’s that noise?” he said. His mother looked up into the tree. “RainbowContinue reading “Quoll”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a warm, comfy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. It was a very hot summer. In the bush where Benson lived, the noise of cicadas singing filled the air all day long. Sometimes it got so loud thatContinue reading “Cicadas Singing”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a clean, roomy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson went to the playground with his mother. It was a beautiful sunny day, and everyone was there, playing and talking to each other. Benson’s friend Mick said, “Let’sContinue reading “The See-Saw”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a clean and tidy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson spent the morning digging. When his tummy told him it was just about lunchtime, he came in to wash his hands. His mother and Aunt Moss wereContinue reading “Decisions, Decisions”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a safe, warm wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day Benson’s Uncle Elton came over with Benson’s cousin Elmer. “I’m taking Elmer climbing up on Black Mountain,” he said. “I thought Benson might like to come alongContinue reading “Mountain Climbing”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a warm, tidy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day Benson was over at Nils and Nella’s house playing hide-and-seek, when he saw something white flash between the trees up high, and he heard someone call, “Yip,Continue reading “Gliding”

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. Benson was writing a letter. “How do you spell alphabetically?” he asked Aunt Lillibet. Aunt Lillibet didn’t know exactly, so she asked, “Why do you want to know?” whileContinue reading “Spelling”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a warm, tidy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson was walking along one day when something fell out of the sky and hit him on the head. “Ow!” he said. He looked around for what had hitContinue reading “Lost and Found”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a roomy, comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day Benson’s mother came home from her Bushcare group looking worried. She went into the kitchen where Aunt Lillibet was making a rockmelon smoothie for Benson and hisContinue reading “Waddle”

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 day Benson was exploring in the bush down by the creek with his friend, Roly, when they heard a noise like an animal calling for help. “What’s that?”Continue reading “The White Wombat”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a warm, comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day when Benson was at the playground with his friend, Mick and his sister Bonnie Lou, a bird came and landed on his head. Mick said, “Watch out,Continue reading “A Bird on Your Head”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a warm, safe wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Aunt Lillibet’s friend Gordon came over to ask Benson something. He said, “It’s Hairy Nose Day soon, you know. The committee has decided that this year we want somethingContinue reading “Hairy Nose Day”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a warm, comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Aunt Moss’s friend, Shelley, had a party to celebrate Earth Day, and everyone had to come as an animal. Benson said to his mother, “I want to be aContinue reading “Penguin”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a nice, roomy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One morning Benson woke up and there was a song stuck in his head. He went out to see his mother. “There’s something stuck in my head,” he said.Continue reading “Music in your Head”

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. In the summertime, nearly everyone went away on holidays. Benson’s friend Mick and his family were going to the beach for a week, and Alejandro and his family wereContinue reading “Not Going on Holidays”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a clean, tidy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Aunt Moss made some of her very best lime butter, and she decided to take some over to Uncle Elton. “Elton loves lime butter,” she said. “Everyone loves yourContinue reading “Getting Elmer Down”

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. Benson’s friend Mick and his little sister Bonnie Lou came over to play, and Benson’s friend Roly was there too, and Benson’s mother said they could make a bigContinue reading “Wombat Pizza”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a warm, comfy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. It was a hot summer’s day and everyone was outside. Aunt Lillibet was picking caterpillars off her rhubarb plants, Aunt Moss was practising her ukulele and Benson was digging.Continue reading “The Little Koala and the Hailstorm”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a safe, warm wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Every year on Our Wonderful Waterways day, there was a big picnic for everyone down by the creek. Everyone brought their picnic blankets and they ate waffles and watermelonContinue reading “Our Wonderful Waterways”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a neat, tidy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson’s mother went to a meeting called the Community Association every month, and she usually took Benson with her. At the meeting they talked about the most boring thingsContinue reading “Ronda, or Getting Old”

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’s mother asked him to take some things over to his cousin Lance’s place. “Lance has a Very Special Friend coming for lunch, and he needs someContinue reading “Simple Things”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a nice, warm wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson went over to his friend Mick’s place to play one day. They were playing outside with Mick’s sister Bonnie Lou, when they heard a noise in the bushContinue reading “The Strawberry Ladder”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a roomy, comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Aunt Moss got out her paints and sat down at the table ready to do some painting. Benson said, “Can I do some painting too?” Aunt Moss said thatContinue reading “Zali’s Rock Garden”

Once there was young wombat named Benson who lived in a warm, comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day Aunt Lillibet said to Benson, “I want to make some cheese and herb scones, but I need some wild mint. I want you to go pick some forContinue reading “Turning Left”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a safe, warm wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One morning when Benson was just finishing his breakfast – chopped carrot and lemongrass and sweet potato – his mother said, “Benson, I wanted to make some bread thisContinue reading “The Bushranger”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a warm, cosy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. As the summer days grew longer, Benson and his family decided to go on a camping trip with some other families. At the camping ground, they built a bigContinue reading “How Many Ducks?”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a warm, cosy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson was lying on his back in the sun, in the sunny spot just outside the front door when he heard a kind of scritching noise. He opened hisContinue reading “Ken and Kenny”