August 31, 2015
In this first book in the Wildlife Rescue series, photographer Eszterhas documents the work of Cheyne Flanagan and volunteers at the Koala Hospital in Port Macquarie, Australia, where they rehabilitate injured, sick, and orphaned koalas. After being examined at the hospital, baby koalas are sent to live with human foster mothers: “The joey will cling to the foster mom as she moves around the house, even while she watches TV, washes the dishes, or reads a book.” The moments captured in Eszterhas’s crisp photographs are as adorable as one would expect, and facts about koala characteristics and behavior provide a sense of the marsupials’ behavior once they are released into the wild, and end sections discuss conservation efforts. Ages 7–10.
August 1, 2015
This book, abundant with color photographs, takes readers into the world's only hospital solely for koalas. Both a table of contents and brightly colored banners throughout the book help readers home in on their particular interests. However, the text is short and accessible enough so that the book can be read in a single sitting. The hospital nurses koalas that are sick, injured, or orphaned, and it releases them into the wild whenever possible. The text clearly states that most of the problems koalas experience stem from their having to share habitat with humans; lest anyone be misguided when they see koalas in an Australian's backyard, "actually, it's people who are living in the koalas' backyards: Scientists have found koala fossils in Australia that are 20 million years old. That's long before people lived there!" All of the text has a conversational, matter-of-fact tone that allows readers to effortlessly pick up facts about common threats to koalas-including dog bites-and about the tender care the rescued koalas receive from the time they enter the "koala ambulance" to the time they are released back into the wild. Readers will likely feel a gentle tug of responsibility for the cuddly marsupials, so they'll appreciate the closing information about how kids can help preserve wildlife. The photographs are crisp, informative close-ups. A good read for animal and conservation enthusiasts. (author Q&A, glossary) (Nonfiction. 7-12)
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October 15, 2015
Grades 1-4 The Koala Hospital in Port Macquarie, Australia, rescues and treats more than 200 of these adorable marsupials each year. One of the first patients wildlife photographer and author Eszterhas introduces readers to is Buster, an adult koala that was hit by a car. During his examination, Buster sits in a laundry basket, where he feels cozy and safe. Descriptions of proper handling illustrate the gentle care each koala is given by its vet or human foster mother, but readers are reminded never to touch these cuddly animals in the wild. Every spread features high-quality, heart-melting photos of sick, injured, or orphaned koalas receiving treatment (there's even a koala ambulance!), as well as those ready to return to the wild. Youngsters will glean basic koala facts from the text, but its emphasis is on the impact humans have on koalas and their habitats. Notes on conservation efforts and suggested ways to help koalas or other threatened wildlife will guide readers looking to make a difference in their own backyards.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)