Go Camping (WOMBATS! #1)

As blue-hued Albert and lavender-tinted Pickles, both wombats, embark on a much-anticipated camping trip, they’re shocked to discover that their individual expectations about the event are wildly at odds in this sprightly, chuckle-worthy graphic novel gambol by Frost (Let’s Draw Fun Animals). While practical Albert arrives prepared for the great outdoors with a tent and a compass, chimerical Pickles—who has grand visions of a cozy fire and refreshing hot tub—is equipped with tons of seemingly useless luggage, such as a jar of dill pickles and a donut floatie. After Pickles stumbles into a nearby creek, the marsupial emerges from the water only to find that a gray baby koala has latched themself onto him. Though Pickles is excited for a new friend, Albert insists they locate the infant’s mother, kicking off an adventure through the woods that leads the trio toward myriad situations both exciting and treacherous. Wholesome interactions and lighthearted humor elicit continuous laughter, but the secret sauce is the baby koala, whose huge, endearing eyes and elephant-size ears camouflage their precocious tech acumen. Rather than incite conflict, the best friends’ contrasting personalities provide ample opportunities for narrative give-and-take, modeling thoughtful and sincere friendship. Ages 6–9. (Apr.)