In the 1970s and 1980s many Australian children’s picture books had a distinctly Australian look. The local landscape, flora, and fauna predominated, and unique Australian characters abounded. Today, it is much harder to pick an Australian picture book. Globalisation and market imperatives have led authors to broaden their subject matter, and illustrators have adapted their styles so that a more universal sensibility imbues their work.

Unashamedly Australian books do still make an appearance, however. In Baby Wombat’s Week, Jackie French and Bruce Whatley reprise the format of their hugely popular Diary of a Wombat (2002). Mothball is now a mum, and this gorgeous book details a week in the life of her baby, who is joined by a human child. Whatley entertainingly animates and interprets French’s minimalist yet enthusiastic text. The totally endearing baby wombat trundles self-assuredly through the pages, leaving disasters in his wake. The interactions between the two babies – human and wombat – are particularly appealing, and the final image is an absolute delight. There is no doubt that this hilarious sequel will be as popular as the original.

It seems that many celebrities think that writing a children’s book is child’s play. Actor Rhys Muldoon and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who have co-written Jasper & Abby and the Great Australia Day Kerfuffle, have fallen into this trap, unaware that, while it may be easy to come up with a story for children, crafting a good picture-book text is far more complex.

All in all, though, Rudd and Muldoon have not done a bad job. The story moves along snappily, with some nice alliterative flourishes, like the knitting ‘nannas from Nambour’. Muldoon, a former Playschool presenter who obviously knows what appeals to children, has included plenty of food, animals, and slapstick humour. However, the text tends to be overwritten and should have been pruned to allow more room for the illustrations to tell their story.

Carla Zapel’s loose-lined watercolour illustrations, though sometimes cluttered, are full of movement and visual interest. She is at her best depicting Jasper and Abby, the prime minister’s cat and dog. They are the stars of this simple tale about Australia Day celebrations at The Lodge that are sabotaged by an overenthusiastic pooch. The idea is nice, the story fun, but the overall presentation is somewhat lacklustre. Proceeds from the sale of the book go to the Centre for Community Child Health at the Royal Children’s Hospital, in Melbourne.