Bobbie Dazzler is a lively and bouncing Red-necked Wallaby. She can do many things, but she can’t do “the splits.” Her friends, Koala, Wombat and Possum, are an appreciative audience as she performs for them, jumping and twirling, balancing and skipping, and they are not in the least disappointed when she attempts a split and fails. But Bobby minds and decides she will rise to her self-imposed challenge. Finally, after taking a deep breath, she slowly manages to slide into position. “Dazzling, Bobbie! Dazzling!” everyone cries. Unfortunately, Bobbie can’t get out of the split without help from her friends. After some practice, the splits are a part of her bag of tricks, and after some more practice, her friends can do them too. Accompanied by Dawson’s energetic watercolor-and-ink illustrations and replete with warmth and gentle humor, this is a nice introduction to Australian animals as well as the concepts of practice and trial-and-error. A brief note on the copyright page gives information concerning the Red-necked Wallaby. (Picture book. 2-5)
