KOALA LOU

Fox, Mem. 1988. KOALA LOU. Ill. by Pamela Lofts. New York, Harcourt, Inc.

ISBN 9780152005023

Plot Summary

Adorable, cuddly Koala Lou is loved by everyone. Her mother would throw her arms around her precious baby and claim, "Koala Lou I do love you!" several times each day. As nature would have it, Koala Lou's mother added more children to the family which took up most of

her time. Especially her time spent with Koala Lou. What to do? Koala Lou thought if she became the winner of the Bush Olympics her mother would notice her and be so proud of her that she would once again throw her arms around Koala Lou and say the sweet words, "Koala Lou, I love you!" The training begins and Koala Lou works her little self into exhaustion as she climbs tall trees, lifts weights and jogs every day. On the day of the race all the animals are anxiously awaiting for the games to begin. Koala Lou comes in second and is devastated. Koala Lou pulls herself together after a good cry and returns home where her mother is waiting with those wonderful words, "Koala Lou, I do love you!" and a very long hug.

Critical Analysis

How important is it to tell your children how much you love them? Just ask Koala Lou. It meant everything to her. Mem Fox captures the innocence of a child in her furry character of Koala Lou. Eldest children will identify with Koala Lou because they have seen their mothers involved with the new babies. Sibling rivalry has been a theme in many children's books. The time spent together gets taken up by the new baby and then the eldest child feels left out. Mem Fox begins the journey with happiness and the fact that everything is right with the world, according to Koala Lou. As sibling rivalry creeps into the story more anxiety begins to show in the face of the young koala. Despair is evident when Koala Lou comes in second during the Bush Olympics. She feels like a failure. At the end of the story the warmth and contented expressions are back as Koala Lou's mother repeats the words that mean everything to her offspring, "Koala Lou, I DO love you! I always have and I always will." The strong emotion of a mother's love can be felt in the words and illustrations.

Australian artist Pamela Lofts provides lively, colorful illustrations which marry with the text into a heart warming story for children of all ages any where in the world. She brings the colors of the Aboriginal people into her settings and animals. Animals native to Australia are represented by the emu and the kookaburra.

Reviews

Kirkus Reviews: This satisfying reworking of a familiar and ever-important theme is appealingly illustrated - bright colors, soft-edged sculptural forms, precise detail, dozens of expressive animals.

Publishers Weekly: "...positive messages to children about the wonders of being human: Koala Lou celebrates the eternal love of a mother for her child without the sentimentality of Robert Munsch's Love You Forever, and Night Noises, lovingly bridges the generation gap."

Connections

GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU written by Sam McBratney - illustrated by Anita Jeram

ON THE NIGHT YOU WERE BORN written and illustrated by Nancy Tillman

LOVE YOU FOREVER written by Robert Munsch - illustrated by Sheila McGraw