JIMMY THE JOEY

After being hit by a car, an orphaned 6-month-old joey is rescued, rehabilitated in a koala hospital and then a home, taught to climb and live outside with other koalas, and finally returned to the wild.

This heartwarming, true story of an irresistible marsupial, not a true bear but with all a bear cub’s appealing qualities, is illustrated with photographs taken during the filming of a documentary about the Koala Hospital in Port Macquarie, Australia. While recording the joey’s growth and development in the smoothly told narrative that accompanies the photos, the authors also weave in some general information about the species: where they live, what they eat, how they grow first inside their mothers’ pouches. The design suggests a scrapbook of the joey’s life, decorated with traditional Australian Aboriginal designs and using the colors of eucalyptus bark and patterns of eucalyptus leaves as page backgrounds. The illustrations focus on the joey; people, though vital to the animal’s recovery, are mostly out of the picture. Final pages include maps, a few facts about koalas, a photographer’s note and extensive suggestions for learning more about this iconic but little-known species. Unfortunately, these don’t include Sandra Markle’s more informative Finding Home, illustrated by Alan Marks (2008).

Stories of animal rescue abound, but the cuteness factor here gives Jimmy’s story special appeal.