Koala Lou

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Fox, Mem. 1988. Koala Lou. Ill. by Pamela Lofts. San Diego: Voyager Books. ISBN 0152000763

PLOT SUMMARY

In this picture book, Australian author Mem Fox tells the story of a young koala, Koala Lou, who is on a quest to affirm her mother’s love.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Although the main character of this story is a koala, children will be able to relate to her.  The emotions that Koala Lou feels after the addition of siblings will be familiar to children who have younger brothers or sisters.  Koala Lou is young and her age and experiences will be similar to those of the target audience of this book.

The plot of this story is simple, yet meaningful.  Koala Lou seeks attention from her mother who has been concentrating her efforts on Koala Lou’s younger siblings.  Koala Lou has always been told that she was loved, but since the addition of new family members, her mother has not been as forthcoming with praise.  Koala Lou enters the Bush Olympics and hopes that by winning, her mother’s attention will once again be focused on her.  Koala Lou’s performance at the Bush Olympics does not go as she had hoped, but the ending of the story clearly resolves Koala Lou’s feelings.

The setting of this story is the Australian bush.  Throughout the story, Fox identifies other animals from the bush. While the themes of the story obviously include the love between a mother and child and the conflict that arises when siblings enter a family, the theme is subtle and not overwhelming to young readers.  The story is a fun one and definitely an enjoyable read.

Throughout the story, Fox repeats the phrase, “Koala Lou, I DO love you!”  The rhythm of this phrase makes this story a good one to read aloud.  The text flows naturally.  Some pages have only one line of text while others have large paragraphs.  Despite this variance, the text flows naturally and the divisions increase the effectiveness of the story.

Illustrator Pamela Lofts used colored pencils to create the illustrations in Koala Lou.  The illustrations are colorful and vibrant.  Lofts is able to create a lot of texture in the pictures, most noticeably in the various animals’ fur.  Lofts has also used her illustrations to add humor to the story.  For example, Koala Lou wears sneakers while training for the Bush Olympics and many of the spectators are wearing hats.  These comical additions allow for the story to be fun and lighthearted.

The cultural markers in this story are more easily identified in the illustrations than in the text.  Throughout the book, the animals and plants illustrated subtly demonstrate the wildlife that might be found in an Australian bush.  The story about a love between mother and child will be relatable to readers of all cultures.  I enjoyed reading this story to my two-year old daughter.  On the first page, when Fox introduces us to Koala Lou, my daughter was quick to pronounce the koala “Cute!”  We both adored this story.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Horn Book: “A first-rate choice for bedtime, story hour, or reading aloud.”

Kirkus Reviews: “Another winning import from one of Australia’s favorite authors.”

CONNECTIONS

Readers who enjoyed Koala Lou might also enjoy the following stories by Mem Fox:

Mem Fox. Possum Magic. ISBN 0152632247

Mem Fox. Time for Bed. ISBN 0152010661

The Lily Pond

BIBLIOGRAPHY

 

Thor, Annika. 2011. The Lily Pond. Trans. by Linda Schenk. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN 9780385908382

PLOT SUMMARY

Near the beginning of World War II, Sweden offered asylum to Jewish children.  Stephie and her sister, Nellie, are sent to live in Sweden with foster families to escape the dangers of the war.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Young readers, especially girls, will easily relate to the main character of this story, Stephie.  Although Stephie faces hardships that may be foreign to many readers, such as being sent away to live with strangers, she also faces issues that will be familiar to many readers, such as a crush on a boy and feeling out of place in a new school.  Her bravery is admirable.  Stephie is definitely a believable protagonist and her youthful perspective is honest.

The plot of this story is set in the larger context of World War II.  The story is not sugar-coated, but is appropriate for younger readers.  While the target audience of this story is children ages 8 and up, I thoroughly enjoyed this story.  I think it was meaningful to me because I was able to see the larger picture of the story and the threat of concentration camps looming.  If younger readers are unable to do that, the story will still be significant.  Thor has presented a story that is both authentic to the time period and enlightening without adding too many unnecessary historical details.

Thor excels at creating a vivid setting for the reader to imagine.  I was easily able to imagine the different homes where Stephie lived and the island where her foster parents lived.  The details were not overwhelming and I only realized how descriptive Thor’s writing was after reflecting about the story after I completed reading it.

The importance of family is a theme that can be found throughout this story.  Stephie’s love for her family is apparent and she struggles, like most adolescents, with the fact that she is growing up.  In Stephie’s case, the absence of her family makes the transition to adulthood even more difficult. 

I am unfamiliar with Swedish culture, but Thor’s presentation was subtle, and informative.  Small details were woven throughout the book to inform the reader about Swedish culture.  For example, Stephie often ate fish while on the island with her foster family because her foster father was a fisherman.  Differences in religions are apparent throughout the story as well.  In addition to information about Swedish culture, Stephie also teaches the reader about the culture of Austrian Jews.

The Lily Pond is a companion to Mildred L. Batchelder Award Winner A Faraway Island.  The Lily Pond can definitely stand alone, but readers interested in this genre may wish to read A Faraway Island first.  The third installment (of four) is due later this year.

The Lily Pond was completely engrossing.  Although it was a quick read, it was the kind of story that I could not put down until it was finished.  Historical fiction is my favorite genre and The Lily Pond reminded me why.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Booklist: “A compelling look at World War II–era Sweden, this distinguished Holocaust story will resonate.”

Horn Book: “Stephie’s story of adjustment to a new school and of a first crush is both specific and universal."

CONNECTIONS

                    

People interested in the experience of children during World War II might also be interested in these stories:

Eugene Yelchin. Breaking Stalin’s Nose. ISBN 0805092161

Anne C. Voorhoeve. My Family for the War. ISBN 0803733607

Son of a Gun

BIBLIOGRAPHY

De Graaf, Anne. 2012. Son of a Gun. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9780802854063

PLOT SUMMARY

Son of a Gun is the story of ten-year-old Nopi and her eight-year-old brother, Lucky, who are caught in the middle of a vicious civil war.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Nopi and Lucky are characters that children will be able to identify with.  Lucky likes to dance and play soccer which will be hobbies familiar to many readers.  Their love for each other and their parents will also be relatable for young readers.  The characters are endearing and readers will find themselves cheering for the children to overcome their hardships. 

The plot of this story begins as Nopi and Lucky are kidnapped from their school and forced to be child soldiers.  They are able to escape and reunite with their parents, but that seemingly happy ending is only the beginning of the tumultuous adolescence that the children will experience.  De Graaf provides enough details that readers unversed with the Liberian conflict will be able to follow the plot of this story.  The details, however, are not overwhelming. 

The setting of this story is described in detail.  I was easily able to visualize this story in my mind.  The theme of the importance of family is woven throughout this story.  Nopi and Lucky are constantly on a quest to protect each other, and later, to reunite.

Throughout this story, de Graaf proves repeatedly that she has the gift of being able to vividly describe something completely horrific without being too graphic for young readers.  I was continually amazed at de Graaf’s ability to keep the story appropriate for children.  Initially, my gut reaction was that a story of child soldiers would be inappropriate for children to read about.  De Graaf quickly proved me wrong. 

Adding to the authenticity of this story is more than twenty pages of notes at the end of the book.  This story was well-researched and based on actual stories.  Although this story is brief (only 89 pages), it was extremely powerful to me.  I once had an ex-child soldier (from the Ivory Coast) as a student and have taught a family of Liberian refugees throughout the years.  While this story allowed me to understand their experiences better, the fact that it was from Nopi and Lucky’s perspective increased the impact ten-fold.  I found myself crying almost constantly while reading this story.

De Graaf was also able to seamlessly include cultural markers within the pages of this story, and at an age-appropriate level.  She educates the reader on tribal differences, geography, and history.  Throughout the story, however, we are reminded that Nopi and Lucky are like any other children.  Their story, however, happens in the middle of a brutal war.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Library Media Connection: “Based on interviews with children who were soldiers, this is an open look at something ugly, but the hope that Lucky and Nopi keep for a better life shines through. Information about life in Liberia, the civil war and the child soldiers, and drawings and poems by former soldiers are also included. It is a powerful read, and does not shield the reader from the horrors of war. The underlying message is that of hope for a better future, and the rebuilding of a country that was torn apart.”

Kirkus Reviews: “De Graaf bases her episodic, present-tense narratives on interviews with Liberian children and adds an informational appendix with photos that not only lays out Liberia's troubled history (up to 2006, when the original Dutch edition of the book was published) but also includes upbeat drawings and letters from young survivors.”

CONNECTIONS

Readers who found Son of a Gun interesting might also appreciate these related titles:

Francesco D'Adamo. Iqbal. ISBN 1416903291

Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton. Facing the Lion: Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna. ISBN 0792272978