Author Archives: Patricia Smith

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a tidy, comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One morning Benson was making himself a sandwich with macadamia butter and celery and lettuce. He took it outside to sit in the sunshine where his friend Roly wasContinue reading “The Quandong Tree”

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. It was a very hot summer, so hot that Benson spent day after day inside because it was too hot to play outside or ride his bike or evenContinue reading “Going South”

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. Benson’s uncle Elton invited everyone to come for lunch. Benson said, “Do we have to go?” Uncle Elton was not a very good cook. “Of course we do,” saidContinue reading “Creekweed”

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 morning Aunt Lillibet came in, quite excited. “Look what I found!” she said. “It was by the side of the road with a sign that said ‘FREE’. It’sContinue reading “The Label-Maker”

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. Benson went over to his friend Mick’s house to play with Mick’s new tennis set. It was fun, until they had a big fight over whose turn it wasContinue reading “Mandy”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a comfortable, cosy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson was at the playground with his friend Mick and his cousin Elmer. They played Hidey-Go-Catchies for a while which was fun because Benson was good at hiding andContinue reading “Are you Okay?”

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. Once a year all the wombats got together to have Wombat Picnic Day. There were games and races and competitions for everybody, with prizes, and watermelon and iceContinue reading “Wombat Picnic Day”

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 mother was in the kitchen cleaning out the fridge. Benson came out of his room and sat at the table. Then he got up and went outside. AContinue reading “Unbored”

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 and his friend Roly both belonged to the Library Lovers’ Club. One Thursday when they went to the library, all the Library Lovers were busy cutting and gluingContinue reading “The Orange Scrunchie”

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. Benson’s friend, Pascoe the story-teller, had been very sick and she was staying with them while she was getting better. The days were cold, but there was a warmContinue reading “Roly’s Story”

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 was in the kitchen, boiling up a big pot of onion skins. “Are you making soup, Aunt Moss?” Benson asked. If she was, he was pretty sureContinue reading “Making Stories”

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 rainy, windy evening, Benson was snuggled under a blanket with his warmest socks on, reading a story about a princess and a gardener, when there was a knockContinue reading “A Story for Pascoe”

(or The Third Drawer ) 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. It was a cold, rainy day and Benson was drawing an octopus. His green pencil needed sharpening, so he went to ask Aunt LillibetContinue reading “Socks”

(Seeing and Noticing) 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. Aunt Lillibet and Aunt Moss were going to visit their good friend, Shelley. Aunt Lillibet had made a pumpkin and prune cake, and Aunt Moss wasContinue reading “Water Buffaloes”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a tidy, well-made wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One morning when Benson went to the playground with his mother, there was a wombat Benson had never seen before. He was bigger and older than Benson, with smoother,Continue reading “Nugent”

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 morning after breakfast, Benson went out to play in the back yard, and he found a red cape lying on the ground. He picked it up and tiedContinue reading “Becoming a Superhero”

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. Benson’s mother liked to have things clean and tidy, the washing up done, the floor swept, the beds tidy. But one day she went crazy. She washed the dishes,Continue reading “The Cleaning Rampage”

(A Visit to the Art Gallery) 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. At breakfast time, Aunt Moss said, “I’m going to visit the art gallery tomorrow.” Benson said, “What’s an art gallery?” “It’s a placeContinue reading “Feeding the Spirit”

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. Aunt Lillibet was washing the dishes after dinner. Benson’s mother had made two kinds of pasta, one with tomatoes and eggplants and mushrooms, and one with fried zucchini, andContinue reading “Butterfingers”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a warm, happy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson knew that Christmas was a special time. His mother and Aunt Lillibet always cooked mountains of food, and Aunt Moss and Benson made presents for everyone, little toysContinue reading “Visiting the Manger”

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. Towards the end of August, when the weather was starting to warm up and the birds were starting to get noisier, Aunt Lillibet stopped in the middle of weedingContinue reading “The Portal”

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 was playing with his friends, Nils and Nella, when they found something unusual. On the ground in the middle of a patch of dirt in the bush, wasContinue reading “The Bath Plug”

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 friend, Mick, and his little sister, Bonnie Lou, came to Benson’s place to play. Aunt Lillibet was looking them while Mick’s mother went to a conference with Benson’sContinue reading “Bonnie Lou’s Gumnuts”

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. Aunt Lillibet decided to make a pie. “What kind of pie are you going to make?” Benson asked. “I was thinking of making an apple pie,” she said. Benson’sContinue reading “Making Pies”

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 asked his mother one day, “Why do people cry?” His mother said, “I wish I knew! It’s a mystery to me.” Aunt Moss said, “People cry when theyContinue reading “The Pink and Green Pencil”

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 was helping his Nanna make lunch. She was kneading the dough for the pizza, folding and pushing and turning it, and Benson was cutting the capsicum up veryContinue reading “How Old is Old?”

(Each to their own) 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 went to play at his friend Mick’s place. His mother came too, to talk to Mick’s mother, Delia, and Aunt Lillibet and Aunt MossContinue reading “Scottish Dancing”

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 Lillibet and Aunt Moss had a friend called Shelley, who lived with her mother and looked after her. When Shelley’s mother got very old and died, Shelley wasContinue reading “A Good Listener”

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. One day Benson was playing parachutes with his friend, Roly. Roly had found an old termite mound near his own burrow, and he and Benson were taking turns jumpingContinue reading “Roly’s Family”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a fine, comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One day there was a parcel in the mail for Aunt Lillibet. It was from Nanna. There was a note that said, “Have fun! Love from Nanna.” Inside wasContinue reading “The Melon-Baller”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a roomy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. It was the middle of summer and it was too hot to do anything. Benson kept complaining that it was too hot to go outside, it was too hot toContinue reading “The Book Party”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a tidy, comfortable wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Aunt Lillibet had a plan. “It’s terrible the way people keep cutting down trees to clear spaces and build other things. The world needs more trees! I’m going toContinue reading “Tree Pirates”

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. It was nearly Aunt Lillibet’s birthday, but she wasn’t looking forward to it. “I don’t want another birthday,” she said. “I feel so old!” Benson was surprised. Aunt LillibetContinue reading “Birthday Races”

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 morning Aunt Lillibet came in from the garden and said, “I’ve heard there’s a mob of pademelons up by the big hill.” Benson’s mother said, “Should we goContinue reading “The Storyteller”

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. Benson’s cousin Lance sent invitations to all the family to come for lunch. Lance loved to cook, and he loved to cook for people even more. Benson’s mother lookedContinue reading “Garlic Swedes”