Inspired by the 2020 bushfires, Hand to Hand, written and illustrated by Liz Anelli and published by Walker Books, is a powerful story told from the point of view of a joey koala as a bushfire erupts, intensifies and forces all the animals (insects, birds, mammals and marsupials) to flee the valley.
This story begins in a lush, peaceful valley brimming with life and Australian animals. As the joey wakes, the valley feels, sounds and looks different, offering subtle clues of the danger approaching. The blue sky dulls beneath a blanket of thick grey smoke. The mother koala and joey climb to the top of the tree. From this vantage point they and the reader gain an insight into what is unfolding and sees the valley transform as the fire takes hold.
Anelli’s short, sharp text paired with an evocative, dramatic colour palette deftly captures the escalating danger with remarkable immediacy as well as the uncertainty, fear and terror the Australian animals are facing. The gusting winds, the roar of the flames, and the frantic movement of fleeing animals immerse the reader fully in the chaos and terror of the moment.
Against this backdrop of devastation there are the helpers, the fire fighters battling to control the blaze and rescuing the animals. The people in the animal hospital tending tirelessly to the injured animals and providing refuge and safety while rehabilitating them. The people who rehome the animals in a new and safe valley. These moments of compassion and community offer hope and balance to the story’s intensity.
This is a picture book that will move readers, immerse them into the setting and leave them with a lasting sense of both the fragility of the natural world and the impact of human compassion. It is an invitation to reflect, to care and to recognise the resilience that emerges when communities, human and animal, come together after devastation.