Koala Lou

Ragina Shearer
5653 Multicultural Children’s and Young Adult Literature
Book Review – International Literature


1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Fox, Mem. KOALA LOU. Ill by Pamela Lofts. ISBN 0-15-200502-1

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Koala Lou is a picture book story focused around the love of a mother and the everlasting need of that love from her first born. Koala Lou is the first born and always loves when her mother tells her, “Koala Lou, I do love you.” Later more siblings are born and her mother becomes so busy she declares her love less and less. Koala Lou decides if she trains for the Bush Olympics and wins she will hear the cherished words from her mother again. She ends up coming in second, but is greeted by her mother who tells her, “Koala Lou, I do love you.”

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
This is an excellent picture book for story time and reading aloud to young children. The setting is the Australian Bush and the characters are Australian animals that live in the Bush. Koala Lou is a baby Koala bear and her companions are Australian animals such as an emu, platypus, and a kookaburra. The story makes reference to Koala Lou climbing a Gum Tree which is a native tree of Australia. The illustrator, Pamela Lofts captures the essence of the Australian Bush and its animals.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT (S)
Horn Book starred 1990. “ In a gentle tale set in the Australian bush, Koala Lou wants to win the Bush Olympics.”

Kirkus Review 1989. “Surprisingly, this disappointment makes her wish come true; her mother is there to comfort her with the treasured words and a big hug.”

Publisher’s Weekly 1989. “As the family grows and her mother gets busier, Koala Lou yearns to hear those words again. She sets out to win the Bush Olympics as a way to gain her mother's attention. “


5. CONNECTIONS
Young readers can learn about the culture and geography of Australia, while enjoying a familiar story theme of the undying love of a mother and child.

More Mem Fox Books featuring animals:
Fox, Mem. POSSUM MAGIC. ISBN
Fox, Mem, TOUGH BORIS. ISBN
Fox, Mem. A PARTICULAR COW. ISBN
Fox, Mem. BOO TO A GOOSE. ISBN
Fox, Mem. HATTIE AND THE FOX (STORIES TO GO). ISBN