Wombat Books

Book title: Clara Capybara by Aleesah Darlison and Ruth-Mary Smith

Reviewer: Neen Ramos

This story’s premise is instantly relatable. Clara Capybara is always a reliable helper for everyone. She is the most considerate cavy, helping tie shoelaces, carrying gift boxes, and cleaning up after her friends, always quick with another ‘yes’. It makes her popular, but it also leaves her drained. Eventually, Clara has nothing left to give, and Mama steps in to remind her that kindness isn’t only about helping others – it has to include yourself as well.

Many children know what it’s like to want to please, and many adults will recognise themselves in Clara too. The tone never scolds her for being helpful. Instead, it shows that boundaries can be kind. When Clara finally says ‘no’, it isn’t framed as rejection but as self-care, and that subtle difference makes the book reassuring rather than heavy-handed.

Smith’s illustrations lift the story further. The capybaras are soft, rounded, and expressive, their eyes conveying a lot of emotion without needing much text. The rainforest backdrops are rich but not overwhelming, with vibrant shades of green and yellow that make the pages feel alive. The inclusion of native flora, such as tibouchina and golden trumpet, also adds an extra layer for readers who notice these details.

Darlison plays with synonyms and alliteration, giving the text a rhythm that works aloud while slipping in small language lessons. The story also lends itself to classroom use, with opportunities for discussion, role-play, or simple activities that help children think about self-care and friendship.

Wombat Books lists this title as a picture book for readers up to 7 years. That age band feels right: the text is accessible for preschoolers, while the themes of boundaries and self-care will make most sense to children in the early years of primary school. Clara’s friends accept her first ‘no’ without hesitation, which feels tidy. This neatness works for younger readers, though some older children may notice that things don’t always go so smoothly in real life.

Clara Capybara is a gentle story with wide appeal. Its strength lies in showing that kindness and boundaries can exist together, which is a lesson children don’t often see modelled so clearly. The illustrations are warm, the text is engaging. Even if the resolution feels a little too smooth, the book opens the right kind of conversations.

Loved reading about Clara Capybara? Imagine the impact of helping a child discover their first favourite book.

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Review’s bio:

Neen Ramos is an emerging poet residing on Dharug land. Her body of work explores the complexities of the immigrant experience. With a background in marketing, Neen brings a thoughtful and layered approach to storytelling, weaving themes of resilience, displacement, and belonging into her poetry and creative nonfiction. Her writing invites readers to reflect on the nuances of language, the quiet sacrifices of migration, and the vibrant yet bittersweet ties to home. She is currently developing a poetry collection, gods of the margins, which navigates the liminal spaces of cultural identity, colonial inheritance, and the act of becoming in a new land. Through this work, she explores what it means to write from the edges—linguistically, politically, and emotionally—while reclaiming space and voice.

Book title: Juniper’s Painting by Catherine Bauer and Jennifer Horn

Reviewer: Garth Thomas

Juniper’s Painting is a delightful picture book for under-10-year-olds. But there’s plenty of charm for the parents or guardians as they share it aloud with their child. Juniper’s Painting tells of a little girl, named Juniper, who’s stranded and bored inside her beachside home during a big storm. It’s the beginning of autumn; the rain is pouring, the wind is howling and venturing outdoors is out of the question. Juniper’s mum (a modern working mum who slaves over a laptop) is too busy to play. Juniper must learn to amuse herself and, in the process, creates a painting of the beach as she wishes it to be. It’s a pivotal moment in the book; this is where the colours really sing and brightness bursts from the page. Juniper’s imagination brings colour to her world and to the story itself, proving that it’s not just about what you look at, but how you choose to look at it as well. Juniper finds peace and fulfilment in her art, a valuable lesson every artist should learn, but more broadly it’s about the power of mind over matter. Eventually, the storm does lift and Juniper makes it to the beach. Even her overworked mum comes along to relish the sunshine!

Catherine Bauer’s text is simple, but lyrical. There’s a pleasing rhythm to it when read out aloud; the descriptions are poetic and engaging. She uses some intriguing words for the young reader/listener that will no doubt expand their vocabulary: ‘splodged’, ‘splintered’ and ‘grubby-grey’. And there are metaphors to be had: ‘Rain clouds swallowed the sun’ and ‘the wind and rain had chased the summer away’ (reviewer’s italics). There are also plenty of ‘hooks’ to provoke conversation during any bedtime story session: Why can’t parents always give children full attention? Why is it good to develop self-sufficiency and independence? How do you adapt to circumstances not of your own choosing? And how can imagination save the day when reality disappoints you?

Another pleasing aspect of the book is that it doesn’t ‘talk down’ or ‘belittle’ our child heroine. We see Juniper’s world through Juniper’s eyes; she makes a ‘blanket cave’, drinks ‘tea’ from a toy tea set and puts teddy to bed when he’s ‘tired’ – all juvenile fantasy, but still relatable to a young reader/listener. At the same time, we’re also gently nudged to see things from her mum’s point of view (i.e.: Mum has to do work, Mum has other responsibilities); this prompts the young reader/listener to understand things from the parent’s viewpoint and that the world can’t revolve around children all the time.

Jennifer Horne’s illustrations are gorgeous. They’re executed in what appears to be ink and water colour, utilising bright daubs of pigment to contrast the dark smudge of the storm. It’s an effective use of palette and lends itself to the storytelling. The characters are also beautifully realised and drawn with whimsy. The eye for detail is thoughtful and nuanced; the more you look at the pictures, the more you see. It’s an impressive tour de force in book illustration. Would highly recommended for young and old alike.

Loved reading about Juniper’s Painting? Imagine the impact of helping a child discover their first favourite book.

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Donate today at booktober.org.au/donate

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Review’s bio:

​​Garth Thomas spent 35 years at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation editing for the programs The 7.30 Report, Lateline, Australian Story and Foreign Correspondent (winning an Ellie Award in the documentary category), but now in retirement wants to tell his own stories. Garth completed the Year of the Novel course at Writing NSW in 2023. He was praised for his ‘clear, strong narrative voice’, ‘vivid characters’ and ‘sharp, clear, inviting prose’. His thoughtful remembrance True Drug, True Story appeared in the online magazine Ink. He is also a member of a regular writing group who meet to discuss all things writing and reading, as well as tapping out some new paragraphs. In 2025, Garth was inducted into the WestWords Academy Program. His short story, The Oort Cloud won a Highly Commended prize in the Living Stories competition and was published in the anthology Only I Can Say. The judges described his work as ‘humorous, contemplative and emotionally resonant’. Garth continues to develop his writing craft, penning novel manuscripts and short stories while enjoying the camaraderie that WestWords encourages and provides.