A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 192

Dynamic Duo: Book 2

Picture Book: Koala Lou            

Author: Mem Fox

Illustrator: Pamela Lofts

Summary: Koala Lou is wonderfully loved by her community of Australian animal friends and especially by her mother who many times a day will say, “Koala Lou, I DO love you!” However, other koala babies have come, and Koala Lou’s mother has less time for declaring her love. Koala Lou begins to doubt this love so she prepares to enter and win the Bush Olympics so that her mother will again declare, “Koala Lou, I DO love you!” Koala Lou trains with passion, but she comes in second in her event. Disappointed, she goes away to cry. After dark, Koala Lou returns home and is enthusiastically greeted by her mother who says, “Koala Lou, I DO love you! I always have, and I always will.” Then she hugs her for a really long time.   

Hanna’s Comments: Like yesterday’s PBT Dynamic Duo offering, this book is all about the unconditional love of parents. However, these 2 books are quite different. Here you have a determined oldest child who misses the attention of her mother so she works hard to achieve success. She learns that her mother’s love is already present and not reliant on her success. This would be a good book to read to children if you have a need to explain the grace vs. works issue in Christianity or the ever-present love and mercy of God in the Old Testament.  

Publisher & Date of Publication: Gulliver Books, 1988

Age & Grade Appropriateness: 4 and up, Pre and up

# of Pages: 32

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: There are some videos on Youtube.com including one of Wally Amos, Famous Amos cookie entrepreneur, reading this book on stage.

PBT Category: Pre 2K

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: coveting/envy/jealousy, disappointment, family, God’s nature, grace, image of God, labor/work, loss of faith, love, mothers, parents/parental love, pleasing God/the Shema, relationships, self-acceptance/self-image/self-esteem, siblings

Scripture Connections: Can a woman forget her child? Yet, I will not forget you. (Isaiah 49:15); By grace you have been saved through faith. This is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8)

Idea(s) for Application: Use this book when presenting a lesson to children on how God’s love is not conditional and does not have to be earned.