Koala Lou

Written by Mem Fox

Illustrated by Pamela Lofts

Fox, Mem. Koala Lou. Ill. by Pamela Lofts. San Diego: Harcourt, Inc., 1989.

ISBN 0152005021

Plot Summary

This charming story is about a koala mother's love of her children. Koala Lou is the first born joey who now has to learn how to share his mother's love with her new brothers and sisters. When Koala Lou was an only child her mother would tell her a hundred times of day, "Koala Lou, I DO love you!" With her mother being busy Koala Lou became sad and longed for her mother to say she loved her again. This story tells of Koala Lou's plan to win her mother's love back.

Critical Analysis

The Australian culture is represented in the text, characters, and illustrations. The characters are animals found in Australia, including koalas, kookaburras, and emus. When Fox describes settings of the book she mentions gum trees and the Bush which symbolize the Australian culture of the story. Fox even incorporates native dialect when Koala Lou's mother says "How're ya goin', blossom?" to Koala Lou. 

The colored pencil illustrations by Pamela Lofts are beautiful, detailed, and culturally accurate. The expressions Lofts draws on the animals represent human emotions and feelings. The feel of Australian culture is in every animal, plant, and tree of this book.

Children of all ages will love the cute cuddly animals and the precious story line. This is a must have in libraries who serve elementary age children.

Review Excerpts

• "Koala Lou is appealing and truly believable...Fox brings out the best in her characteristics, and also conveys and important message about competition." -School Library Journal
• "A first-rate choice for bedtime, story hour, or reading aloud." -Horn Book
• This satisfying reworking of a familiar and ever-  important bright colors, soft-edged sculptural forms, precise detail, dozens of expressive animals. Another winning import from on of Australia's favorite authors." -Kirkus Reviews
• "A perfect example of why the Australian writer has become one of today's top authors of children's book." -Publishers Weekly

Connections

More books by Mem Fox.

• Wombat Divine (9780152020965) 
• Possum Magic (9781862910959)