Koala: The real story by Dr Mark Norman
black dog books, 2010. ISBN 978 1742031309.
(Age: Junior primary: Non fiction text). Recommended. From the
enticing picture on the front cover, to the bandaged animal on
the last page, the information Dr Mark Norman expounds in this book is
stimulating and refreshing. Each double page is full of life, with
photos of mainly sleeping koalas taken from all angles, alongside
concise pieces of information. The facts, told in a chatty style, are
most accessible to a younger audience: new words are given in bold
print, their pronunciation following in parentheses: at the bottom of
some of the pages is a smaller fact box comparing a child's life to
that of the koala, adding a bit of fun to the non fiction text. Most of
the photos are of koalas sleeping, because, after all, that is what
they do most of the day, and it is fascinating to actually read about
why they sleep so much.
Double page spreads are about particular topics, and these range from
Awkward acrobats, Amazing birth, Bringing up baby to Koalas and climate
change. The whole is served well with a succinct glossary, giving the
reader meanings for some of the new words found in the text, and an
index, teaching younger readers where to go when requiring information
in the text. I was disappointed with the map showing where koalas live,
as the text mentions Kangaroo Island and South Australia, but does not
show it on the map, but an astute teacher will have a large map of
Australia in the classroom to rectify this omission.
A delightful and charming expose of the inactive lives of the koala,
the icon of Australian animals, told in a chatty and inviting style,
brimming with accurate and up to the minute information, this book will
be a hit with primary aged children. Dr Mark Norman is senior curator
at Museum Victoria and well known for his books on life in the sea (The
octopuses'
garden: The Secret World under the Sea, The Penguin Book:
Birds in suits, The Antarctica Book: Living in the freezer, The
Shark
Book: Fish with attitude and The Great Barrier Reef Book: Solar
Powered) which have won accolades from the Children's Book Council
of
Australia and the Wilderness Society.
Fran Knight