Little Koala lost by Blaze Kwaymullina

Ill. by Jess Racklyeft. Omnibus Books, 2016. ISBN 9781742991283
(Ages: 2 - 5) Belonging, differences, Australian animals, counting. This is an amalgamation of two common picture book structures, comprising a counting element and a plot of a lost animal looking for a place to belong. As implied by the title, one little koala is lost in the bush, so off he goes looking for a place to live. 'Can I live with you?' he asks two marvellous magpies, three tricky turtles, four pesky pelicans, and so on. Each time the animals say no, citing koalas lack of a physical attribute or ability that they have that he does not. The emus tell him his legs are too short for running fast and the magpies ask him how he would greet the dawn when he cannot sing. Just when little koala has lost all hope and begun to cry, ten kooky koalas appear in the trees. 'Would you like to live with us?' they cry. The Aussie landscape depicted on each page and the responses given by the animals that koala approaches give some information about Australian animal behaviours and their habitats. While there is little to set this picture book apart from many others in the same genre, it provides a pleasant reading experience.
Nicole Nelson