Shelley Knoll-Miller, Parcel for Koala, Penguin Random House Australia, July 2023, RRP $14.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781761046636
Koala and his mates live in a very noisy bushland setting. All day, there are squawks and screeches from cockatoos and possums and bats who live in the nearby trees with Koala. All this racket is just exhausting for everyone, even those animals who are making the noise, but particularly for Koala as koalas are sleepy animals.
So, when Koala receives a surprise parcel, everyone is keen to see what is inside. What is it that Koala needs most of all? The anticipation leads to a lot of guessing by the bushland animals about the contents of the parcel. What can possibly be inside?
Parcel for Koala by Shelley Knoll-Miller is a delightful glimpse into the bushland home of some of its noisiest inhabitants and one very sleepy resident. The picture book is full of bright expressive illustrations and just the right amount of text to engage the readers and listeners in this amusing tale. Perhaps the best part of Parcel for Koala is that every page is filled with delicious opportunities to make noises—to squawk and squeak or crunch and munch—all the way to the discovery of what lies within the surprise parcel.
Parcel for Koala is the perfect book to share with littlies, or for older children to read to youngsters. It’s also a marvellous excuse to make weird noises, regardless of age.
Reviewed by Jennifer Mors
