Koala Lou
By Mem Fox
Summary: Koala Lou is one of many brothers and sisters in her family. Being the first born, her mother showered her with love and always told her, "Koala Lou, I DO love you," but as more siblings came along Koala Lou heard this endearing phrase less and less. In an effort to hear these precious words from her mother again, she enters herself in the Bush Olympics where she would compete in the climbing contest. To her dismay she is defeated by Koala Klaws and retreats into the woods to cry. When darkness falls and she returns home, her mom is awaiting her with open arms to tell her, "Koala Lou, I DO love you."
Fox, M. (1988). Koala Lou. San Diego, CA: Gulliver Books.
My Impression: This simple tale is beautifully written and will stand the test of time. All children who have siblings can relate to Koala Lou as she has to share her mother's attention and that isn't always easy. Koala Lou teaches kids a great lesson, moms will always love their children. This book is a must have for all libraries and a great addition to kids' collections at home too.
Professional Reviews:
Koala Lou (2008). [Review of the book Koala Lou, by Mem Fox]. Pivotal Book Review. Retrieved from http://www.consultpivotal.com/koala_lou.htm
A perfect example of why the Australian writer has become one of
today's top authors of
children's books. Koala Lou
is loved by everyone, but it
is her mother who loves her
most of all. She often tells
her daughter, "Koala Lou, I
DO love you." 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.
Lofts's colored-pencil
drawings portray the
Australian flora and fauna
beautifully, including a few
of the more exotic species.
This book sends out positive
messages to children about
the wonders of being human:
Koala Lou celebrates the
eternal love of a mother for
her child without
sentimentality.
Library Uses: This book is naturally a perfect fit to have kids chant along with the repeated phrase, "Koala Lou, I DO love you." This also provides librarians with the perfect segue to discuss author's purpose for writing and specifically for writing a phrase repeatedly. In this case, the repeated phrase was the catalyst for the entire story. Have students come up a phrase that they hear often and create a story based around this phrase.
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