Pamela Lofts (1949–2012)

There are three main reasons why I love and enjoyed this book. First, my dad used to read this book to me when I was little so it is one of those stories that stay with you forever. He would always repeat the line, "Koala Lou, I DO love you!", to me every night after he would read the story. In the morning he would also repeat it. It was like he was the "mom" koala and I was Koala Lou, so now every time I read this story I think of my dad and how much this story relates to the both of us. show more Second, I love the pictures throughout the story. Even though they are illustrations they seem so real. The fur on the koalas looks real as well as all the other animals in the story that are depicted look real. It is almost as if you can, as the reader, place yourself into the story and be with Koala Lou in the Bush Olympics. Third, I love the message of the story. I love how even though Koala Lou seems like her mother does not love her anymore, she truly does. It shows that even when you are feeling unloved you are still loved. I really enjoyed this book when I was little and now that I am older. It is such a sweet tale and I recommend it to everyone. show less

Loved this book. Demonstrates several "lessons to be learned". I would read this to the class to show a mother has unconditional love for her children even though she doesn't say it everyday because she is busy. I would also use this book to demonstrate what it looks like to work really really hard to win something, and then maybe you don't win. It's important to have confidence like Koala Lou did. I would also read this book to my students to show them how to be a good loser. It's okay to show more cry, but don't show bad sportsmanship. This book would also maybe be appealing to students who just got a new sibling and may be feeling a little "left out" since mom is so busy with the babies, but it shows that mom still loves you and always will! Even if you lose a race. show less

Ok, hmm. I believe the message is that moms love their children even if they're not constantly saying it, and even if they don't win competitions. But what I got was how the child had to draw special attention to herself to get her mom to make time for snuggles. I hope good parents remember to regularly pay attention to every child, even the ones who aren't babies or who have special needs or whatever.

I really enjoyed this book. After reading about it in Mem Fox's "Reading Magic" I decided that I needed to read it for myself. As a reader, my impression of the book is magical. Fox somehow manages to pack lots of action in such a short amount of space! The illustrations were fun as well, adding more spunk to the story. The page with all the animals that loved Koala Lou was one of my favorites. The illustrator made all the animals look menacing, but not terrifying. The drawing of the emu show more really gives the reader the idea that this emu doesn't tend to like other animals.

As a teacher, this book would go well teaching the concept of losing to children. Koala Lou loses the race, and is upset by it, but she discovers in the end that her mother still loves her. The issue of sibling rivalry is something that is felt intensely by children of all ages. Mem Fox does a great job of writing about an important emotion for many young children while enchanting them with her storytelling.

The book also has fantastic illustrations that kept me captivated and would hopefully do the same for children, however I would read this only to students in second grade or lower, unless there was a specific reason (studying Australia for example). show less