Lovable round-faced marsupials take center stage in the cheerful, bouncy board book edition of Wombat by Philip Bunting (The Gentle Genius of Trees).
"Wombat," the first page announces. A cartoonishly wide-eyed version of the thick-bodied, brown-furred animal stands next to a yellow flower. "Twobats," the facing page adds confidently, as the first wombat tries to hand the now-plucked flower to a blushing, identical companion. Unfortunately, a newcomer popping up between them makes "threebats" and causes a slight case of stink-eye in the would-be gifter. More-supials follow, and then the book shifts to play with other concepts: shapes like Squarebat, the aptly named Splatbat, and all three primary colors plus the queasily green Vombat. The story circles back around to conclude the romantic plot when the first pair reunite, the flower finally passing from paw to paw. The charming gift changes their relationship status from "likebat" to "lovebat," a development that culminates in a tiny, diapered mini-bat with a single curled hair sprouting from its chubby-cheeked noggin.
Bunting's expressive characters have no visible mouths themselves but make smiles an easy proposition for the reader. The spare, rhythmic text will rock grownups and littles through multiple rereads and could become a chant to know by heart. The book's form factor leans all the way into its topic with pages die-cut into the shape of the titular animal's face, earning extra adorability points for presentation. Adults with toddlers should keep this sweet, silly romp-bat in their pouches for quick giggles. --Jaclyn Fulwood, youth services manager, Allen County Public Library