The Koala Who Could

My daughter fell in love with The Squirrels Who Squabbled, so we added The Koala Who Could to our collection and it’s quickly become another favorite. The story follows a cautious little koala who doesn’t like change, and it delivers a sweet, reassuring message about stepping out of your comfort zone. The rhyming text makes it fun to read aloud, and the illustrations are just gorgeous, full of color and expression. My daughter giggles at the koala’s reactions but also really connects with the lesson about trying new things. Like the other books in this series, it strikes a perfect balance between being entertaining and meaningful. It’s one of those picture books that kids ask for again and again, and I don’t mind rereading because the message is so positive. Highly recommend for any child who enjoys funny animal stories with a heartwarming takeaway.

If you are looking for an amazing board book that will be great for your kid as they age and it has great graphics a story that has a life lesson, look no further. All of Rachel Bright's books are fantastic. They each tell a different story through the lives of animals. The stories always have a life lesson that is easy to understand for young kids and the images in the books are eye grabbing. Her writing makes it easy to really get into story telling. I cannot say enough good things about all of her books!

This is a great book! We bought this for 2 different friends that are having babies and both really loved it. It’s a cute story and it’s a big hard cover book with nice illustrations inside. I recommend.

Great book to encourage a child.

Cute book. Kinder kids loved it

This is a very cute story that has a message of overcoming fears to be able to enjoy life. It also shows how much better life is if you just give new things a chance. I love the pictures, the rhyming, and the word play.

The art and concept are cute. Story's perfectly fine, though it is a case of some external event being the catalyst for the shy Koala finally engaging with his friends below. Don't go into it expecting that the Koala actually made a conscious decision to come down (as I was hoping). Also be aware this book was written in British English. If you're not British, some pages just straight up do not rhyme which sounds odd and throws off the rhythm of the read. That being said, my kids (7&5) do enjoy the book and choose it themselves to read. The Koala being named Kevin is also very hilarious to them.

My son is obsessed with this book. He talks about it alllll the time. I had to find him a koala bear and he sleeps with it every night after I read the book 3 times.

... but it has a habit of softly tapping adults on the shoulder and saying, “Hey… this might be about you.” Kevin the koala is perfectly happy exactly where he is. Same tree. Same view. Same routine. Why change anything if everything feels safe? New things are suspicious. Change is overrated. And honestly, Kevin has very solid arguments. What makes this story so lovable is how deeply human Kevin feels. His resistance to change is not mocked or rushed. It’s understood. Rachel Bright doesn’t tell children, or adults, to “just be brave”. She shows that fear of change is normal, and that courage often starts with curiosity, not confidence. There is real humour here too. Kevin’s inner monologue will make parents smile knowingly, especially those who have ever said “I’m fine like this” while clinging tightly to their own metaphorical tree. Children will laugh, relate, and feel seen rather than pushed. The illustrations are vibrant and full of life. The contrast between Kevin’s stillness and the buzzing world around him is beautifully done. When the leap finally happens, it feels earned, joyful, and surprisingly emotional. This is a wonderful book to read with children who struggle with transitions, new schools, new routines, or big feelings around change. It’s also a quiet comfort read for grown-ups navigating change while pretending they are totally fine. In short: a hopeful, funny, and compassionate story about change. Not as something to fear, but as something that might just surprise you. And Kevin proves that you don’t stop being scared before you leap. You leap while scared 🐨💚

Really great illustrations and story . Bright images good for babies and kids.

Uno dei libri preferiti da mio figlio (non è bilingue ma riesce a seguire bene la storia in inglese). La rima lo rende accattivante e da ritmo alla lettura, le immagini aiutano a capire anche dove magari c'è un gap linguistico. Insieme a "The Lion Inside", è uno dei più belli. Questo in particolare parla del coraggio di buttarsi in nuove avventure, quindi è molto indicato per quei bambini un pochino "timidi", che faticano a lasciarsi andare alla novità o che sono semplicemente dei super osservatori che si uniscono all'attività solo quando questa ormai è finita. Consiglio di prenderlo in inglese in quanto quello tradotto in italiano non lo trovo altrettanto bello: mancano le rime e quindi la storia perde di "sonorità" e cattura meno (a parer mio) l'interesse del bambino.

The message of the story is so simple but it has helped my koala obsessed twin grandchildren to learn and grow in confidence and in their own abilities. It’s beautiful to look at and the illustration style is very Australian in its colour scheme and the main character is very cute and memorable. The story itself is very well written and detailed but not so complex that it can’t be understood or remembered. The pictures have a lot of hidden details that children can point out so they can ask questions of their own it’s designed to be entertaining and educational. If you want to buy a book that will help your child learn and grow without forcing it down their throats then you should definitely buy this one.

Love all of Rachel Bright's books so this was absolutely needed to add to our collection. A lovely story of a koala who struggles to try new things. Highly recommended. Book received in excellent condition.