One Koala, One Hundred Trees by Leesa Allinson, illustrated by Heather Potter and Mark Jackson and published by Wild Dog Books is a hopeful story about a curious young girl determined to make a difference and make her family’s rural property safer for koalas. Identifying a problem and wanting to help a situation demands creative thinking, problem solving skills, determination and a never give up attitude which the young girl displays. This story is inspired by the Koala Kiss Project which aims to create a continuous koala corridor along Australia’s eastern seaboard. Throughout this story and in the backmatter are facts about koalas relating to habitat, diet, behaviour, appearance, breeding, life span, threats as well as a koala habitat planting guide.
The young girl (narrator) finds an injured koala on her farm. Together with her dad they spring into action to help the koala, calling Wildlife Rescue. Later that night the girl is concerned and pondering what can be done to help koalas live in a safe environment. With her dad’s support they embark on a mission to find answers to her questions. They visit the koala hospital where the vet gives the girl a fact sheet. This information gives the girl an idea, a course of action her family can take. It soon becomes apparent that the task is too large for their family to complete. This challenge sees the girl come up with a solution to enlist community support. She also attracts media attention to help her cause.
The soft watercolour expressive illustrations convey a strong sense of place reflecting life on a large farm and the surrounds. The striking details in the landscapes, streetscapes, interactions between the characters and body language add another rich layer and meaning to the story.
The book is perfect to use in early primary years for children preparing to write descriptive pieces or to compare and contrast life in the city versus a rural property.
This is a memorable story capturing a young girl’s curiosity and compassion that drives her to lead a community to make a difference. It is a story about the power of community, sustainability, protecting the environment and how asking questions and seeking knowledge can lead to meaningful change. Koalas are listed as endangered in Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory and this story is one of hope for koalas now and in the future. This is a powerful, yet gentle reminder that the youngest can inspire change when fuelled by curiosity, unwavering determination and optimism.