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. Aunt Lillibet put on her gardening gloves and collected her pruning saw and her snippers. “Come on, Benson, we’ve got some pruning to do,” she said. “The wisteria needsContinue reading “Pruning”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a neat and tidy wombat hole with his mother, and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One morning Aunt Lillibet said to Benson’s mother, “My cousin Ruby wants to know if her grandson, Hector, can come and stay with us while she goes onContinue reading “Hector Protector”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a warm, safe wombat hole with this mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson’s friend Mick came over to play, and his sister, Bonnie Lou, came too. It was hot, so Benson asked his mother if he and Mick and Bonnie LouContinue reading “The Crossroads”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a clean, tidy wombat hole with his mother and this two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson’s mother had to go and help a friend who had a new baby, and Aunt Lillibet and Aunt Moss were both at their astronomy class, so Benson wasContinue reading “Staying in Touch”

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 friends came over to celebrate Hairy Nose Day. They sat under the big gum tree and had special pink lemonade that Benson’s mother made, and so many differentContinue reading “Superpowers”

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 a friend called Roly, that he suspected of having Magical powers. He could remember everything, and he could find things without even looking for them. One morning BensonContinue reading “Aunts and Great-Aunts”

(Version 1.2) Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a nice, safe wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. One morning Benson was looking for his skipping rope to tie two branches together to make a bridge, but he couldn’t find it anywhere. It wasn’t anywhereContinue reading “Benson and the Brave Little Echidna”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a clean, tidy wombat hole with his mother and this two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson’s mother had to go and help a friend who had a new baby, and Aunt Lillibet and Aunt Moss were both at their astronomy class, so Benson wasContinue reading “Keeping in Touch”

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. Wednesday was Bushcare day. Everyone gathered to do weeding or planting to help take care of the bush they all lived in. Malcolm, who was in charge, decided thatContinue reading “Digging in the Same Hole”

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. Tuesday was the day for Aunt Lillibet’s knitting circle. They always took turns meeting at each other’s houses, and this week it was Aunt Lillibet’s turn. “The problem is,”Continue reading “Intolerance”

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 was sitting at the table knitting beanies for homeless possums when Aunt Moss came out of her room. Aunt Lillibet dropped her knitting and thirty-seven stitches fellContinue reading “Shaving for Tucker”

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 was making a banana sandwich for himself and Aunt Moss. “Bananas are such a happy fruit,” Aunt Moss said. “They’re always smiling.” She held up a banana, theContinue reading “Scowling Bananas”

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. Aunt Moss was going to visit her friend, Rebekah, and she asked Benson if he would like to come along. “Rebekah’s grandson Ralph lives with her, you know, andContinue reading “The Violin”

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 invited to his friend Alejandro’s birthday party. He didn’t want to go. His mother said, “Why don’t you want to go? Alejandro is a good friend, andContinue reading “Benson Learns to Dance”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson, who lived in a lovely wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson’s Nanna had a fall and hurt her ankle. Benson’s mother, and Aunt Lillibet and Aunt Moss were very worried. “She obviously can’t look after herself,” Aunt Lillibet said. “SheContinue reading “People You Can’t Live With”

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 day Benson’s cousin, Lance, came over. “I’m thinking of renovating one of my old burrows,” he said to Benson, “and I was wondering if you would like toContinue reading “Renovating”

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 morning Benson said to his mother, “I’m thinking of getting my own place.” “Oh,” said his mother. “Are you?” “I think I’m old enough to have a place ofContinue reading “A Place of Your Own”

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’s mother was sorting out the washing. She held up Benson’s favourite orange jumper. There was a hole right in the middle of the front. “Look at this bigContinue reading “Moths”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in a comfortable, roomy wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Benson’s mother was racing around the kitchen trying do do six things at once. She was making anzac cookies and lemon syrup for Aunt Lillibet’s belly-dancing friends who wereContinue reading “Decorum”

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. It was a beautiful day and Benson was playing outside with his friend, Philip. After a while he came in and said to his mother, “I need a pieceContinue reading “A Piece of String”

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. Aunt Lillibet decided she wanted to paint her cupboard. She measured it carefully so she would know exactly how much paint she would need. “Exactly one tin of paint,”Continue reading “A Tin of Paint”

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 Easter time everyone got chocolate Easter eggs, but Philip’s mother’s cousin sent him a chocolate fairy. The fairy had fine delicate wings, and a little chocolate dress thatContinue reading “The Chocolate Fairy”

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 was cleaning out a cupboard and she found a pile of old maps. “These must be your Uncle Lionel’s maps,” she said. “What are they maps of?”Continue reading “Mapping”

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 morning Benson was playing with his snail shell collection and his mother was cleaning out the fridge where the quandong jam had spilled everywhere. Aunt Lillibet was out weedingContinue reading “The Lost Princess”

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. One afternoon after lunch, Benson was bored. He had a bit of a snuffly nose and a kind of a headache, and he didn’t feel like doing anything. He didn’tContinue reading “Fish Footprints and Earth Whales”

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 had a friend called Pete who wanted to be a pirate. He had a pirate shirt, with red and white stripes on it, and a pirate sword calledContinue reading “Pete the Pirate”

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 a beautiful day to be outside and Benson’s mother invited all the other mothers over to have a cup of tea and they brought all their children toContinue reading “Statues”

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. Aunt Lillibet’s friend Shelley was teaching her how to weave. The first thing Aunt Lillibet made that didn’t fall apart was a tea-towel. She was very proud of it.Continue reading “Tea-Towels”

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 and his mother went to visit his Nanna and take her some pumpkin muffins that Benson had made. They had a great time, playing hide andContinue reading “Wild Dogs”

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 while Benson was making himself a banana sandwich, his mother came into the kitchen and wrinkled up her nose. “What’s that smell?” she said. “Kind of dampContinue reading “The Black Stinker”

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 day Benson’s Uncle Elton came over for afternoon tea. Uncle Elton really enjoyed making things. He made all sorts of things out of wood and things he found,Continue reading “Uncle Elton’s Music Holder”

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. Near where Benson lived there was a creek, and on the other side of the creek, at the top of the hill, there was a fence. Sometimes when BensonContinue reading “The Fence”

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 went over to his friend Mick’s place to play. Mick’s little sister, Bonnie Lou, wanted to play too, but Mick said she was too little. “Go and play withContinue reading “Baking Clay”

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 and his mother went to visit an old friend who lived a long way away, near a big lake. They went in a train, but that’s a storyContinue reading “Benson at the Lake”

Once there was a young wombat named Benson who lived in an interesting wombat hole with his mother and his two aunts, Lillibet and Moss. Aunt Lillibet had a sniffly nose. She was sitting by herself with a scarf around her head, gloves on her hands, thick warm boots and a thick winter coat on,Continue reading “Ginger Toes”