Dexter: The Courageous Koala (Jesse Blackadder, HarperCollins)

Dexter: The Courageous Koala is an emotional story that dramatises some real conservation issues. Ashley’s school holidays are off to an awful start. Her father has lost his job, which means she’s not allowed to get the puppy she’s been hoping for, and to ‘make up for it’ she has been shipped off to her crazy half-aunt Micky in Byron Bay. Ashley arrives in the middle of a tropical cyclone and after some initial sulking, she soon becomes caught up in Micky’s quest to save the local koalas. Both reader and character are immediately thrown into some extreme conditions: the storm is flooding the roads, trees are crashing through windows, and Micky’s house is cut off from almost everything. Add to this the emotional story of baby koala Dexter, who is fighting to survive, and it’s impossible not to get invested in the story. This is a touching story aimed at readers aged eight to 13. It will appeal in particular to younger readers with an interest in animals.

Bec Kavanagh is a Melbourne based writer/reviewer and education consultant

Category: Reviews