Kangaroo's Visitor Gets a Surprise, by Peter Taylor

“It’s Kangaroo’s latest invention,” hooted Owl, “but we don’t know what it is or what it does. I think it looks scary.” “Well, nothing scares me!” said Koala. “I’ll go and see him and find out what he’s made.”

Kangaroo likes to make things, but when Koala goes to see the latest invention, he gets quite a fright. The mysterious machine grabs him and shakes him, before giving him a good wash. Koala isn’t at all impressed – but the other animals think Koala’s experience is funny.

Kangaroo’s Visitor Gets a Surprise is a humorous picture book story from Queensland author Peter Taylor. The story is an excellent read-aloud offering, filled as it is with lots of sounds which children will enjoy echoing – from the squidgy-squodgy of the machine to the hooting of the owl and laughter of the kookaburra.

The illustrations, by West Australian illustrator Gail Breese, are lots of fun, too, with plenty of semi-realistic Aussie animal on display on every spread.

Kangaroo’s Visitor Gets a Surprise can be purchased online through this link, and sample spreads can also be seen here.

Lots of fun.

Kangaroo’s Visitor Gets a Surprise, by Peter Taylor, illustrated by Gail Breese
Trafford Publishing, 2004