Reviews

Wandi by Favel Parrett

amerasuu's review

Go to review page

5.0

A perfect book. Glad I gave my nephews a copy

nina_reads_books's review

Go to review page

4.0

I don’t usually review children’s books on here but I absolutely love reading them with my own children. We have read many many picture books and then moved onto chapter books and middle grade fiction. In my eyes a mark of a good children’s book is its ability to be read aloud by an adult as well as engage the child. So when I started reading Wandi to my two kids I knew it was a winner.

Wandi is written by one of my favourite Australian authors @favelparrett. She has written three books for adults and I have loved all three – but Past the Shallows has my absolute heart! Wandi is her first foray into children’s literature and came about through her association with the Dingo Discovery Sanctuary. While volunteering there she met Wandi the dingo.

Wandi made headlines when as a five week old pup he was found in the backyard of a home in Wandiligong in Victoria. He had marks on his back that seemed to show that he had been dropped there by an eagle. This book charts the story of Wandi from when he was a small pup through to his becoming a star at the dingo sanctuary.

Favel Parrett’s imagining of Wandi’s story is pitched perfectly to children while also being of interest to the adult reading. She has managed to infuse the most delightful writing into a wonderful story. I so enjoyed this book, Favel’s writing is just sublime and I absolutely recommend all her books!

Thank you so much to @hachetteaus for my #gifted copy of this book.

smitchy's review

Go to review page

4.0

Wandi is a beautifully told story about a real Alpine Dingo pup who was dropped by an eagle into a backyard in North-Eastern Victoria in 2019. Told almost entirely from the perspective of Wandi (short for Wandiligong meaning "Manifestation of Spirit") from the warmth of his den, to the terror of the eagle and man, to final acceptance and home in the Dingo Discovery Sanctuary & Research Centre in Gisborne, Victoria, this is one epic tale for a little pup.

Told by award winning author Favel Parrett with respect to country and indigenous mythology the story of Wandi teaches young readers about the role of Dingoes, their place in the ecosystem, and the treats to their survival. Facts at the back of the book give eager learners further resources for more information.
Highly recommended for animal lovers of any age and independent readers 7+.

lostingothicmusic's review

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

belle_reads's review

Go to review page

fast-paced

4.0

saphfyre42's review

Go to review page

emotional informative inspiring sad fast-paced

5.0

tobiasojones's review

Go to review page

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.5

jouljet's review

Go to review page

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

lydiascho's review

Go to review page

hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

3.75

helenfarch's review

Go to review page

5.0

Wandi tells the story of a dingo cub that is snatched from his home and family by a preditatory eagle. Finally dropped, injured, alone and lost, Wandi is found by a Human and taken to the Dingo Discovery Centre. Here he meets other dingoes, shows off the skills his mother had been teaching him in the wild and makes a friend and life companion in Hermione.

Based on a true story (you can follow the real Wandi's adventures on Instagram by Following @wandi_dingo) this charming middle grade adventure, told from the perspective of Wandi, both entertains and educates and is a wonderful way to introduce young people (and us older people as well) to learning more about these beautiful native animals.

They will learn that:
- dingos are not dogs and do not bark
- that they are native to Australia and have lived here for thousands of years
- that dingoes are an important part of Australia's ecosystem as our country's largest predator

At the end of the book there is a Q&A with the author about why they wrote this book, as well as information about dingos from Kevin D. Newman, the supervisor of the Dingo Discovery Santuary and Research Cenntre.

I never know that this Dingo Santuray existed, and so close to Melbourne. It is definitely a place that I think deserves a visit and all our support.

Thanks to Hachette Australia for the review copy of this book.