Susan Kelly (6)

Recommended Ages: Gr. 1-3

Plot Summary: Jimmy and his mom were crossing a street in Australia when she got hit by a car. Thankfully, a workman saw the new orphan lying on the side of the road and brought him to the Koala Hospital. Once he was examined by a doctor, he went home with Barb. As he grew, he was checked on frequently. Finally, he was introduced to another koala bear who taught him to climb. He learned to eat eucalyptus leaves and be more independent. He didn't get hugs or much human contact anymore. He was ready to go back to the forest. Barb watched him climb up a tree and said goodbye.

Setting: Australia

Characters:
Jimmy - baby koala bear
Mom Koala - was trying to get ecalyptus leaves and had to cross the street to find them because they are being cut down
Cheyne - hospital's wildlife biologist
Barb - fosters baby koalas in her home
Twinkles - girl joey, first other koala that Jimmy met, learned to climb from her

Recurring Themes: conservation, koala, animal hospital,

Controversial Issues: scary part at beginning about mom "Suddenly, the joey saw bright lights from a car. His body hit the ground hard. He squeaked and squealed for his mother, but she didn't answer."

Personal Thoughts: Great story to get kids interested in wildlife conservation. Through Jimmy's story, readers learn about koalas. Includes a map, facts, note from the photographer, and additional resources.

Genre: Informational text

Pacing: fast, large font, 1-2 paragraphs per page, about 2-3 sentences per paragraph
Characters:
Frame:
Storyline:

Activity:… (mais)

Jimmy the Joey tells the story of a baby koala that was rescued after his mother was hit and killed by a car. The story explains how his keepers took care of him and helped him get the skills needed to return the wild once he grew up. The age level for this book is K-3rd grade, but I would put the interest level being closer to third grade than Kindergarten. This would be an excellent choice for an animal report or for a lesson on how people impact animals. There is a section in the book with a map of Australia. It shows where Australia is in the world, and where Jimmy was found in Australia. The page also has useful facts about Koalas, such as what they eat, where they live, and that they are marsupials.… (mais)