CHILDREN can explore local wildlife, familiar landmarks and the challenges facing koalas through a growing series of books and songs created by Victoria Point couple Mike and Sandy Clark.
The latest release follows Kari and Banjo koalas on their journey to a chook’s birthday party, using an old map to navigate Redland suburbs that have changed dramatically.
Writer Sandy Clark said the koalas encounter many of the obstacles faced by wildlife today, including fences, dogs and swimming pools.
“The koalas have an old map to get there, but things have changed, so they face obstacles that our koalas face today as they make their way through the Redland suburbs,” she said.
“There is a message there and we want children to see the message through the eyes of the koala.”
The third book is accompanied by an Old Koala Trail song written by Mr Clark, which readers can access through a QR code and sing along with using printed lyrics.
The series began in 2019 with The Chooks – A Day at the Park, introducing twins Lucy and Levi and their family’s bayside life.
Its follow-up, Chooks on Coochie Island, sees the family explore Coochiemudlo Island with Oscar the cat and Clarence the cockatoo, while drawing attention to local dolphins and curlews.
It includes a curlew-count activity and a newly added Chook family rap.
Mrs Clark said each book offered activities for children, such as naming characters and learning koala facts, with the books updated and re-released this year.
“With the addition of the songs, the books have become more interactive,” she said.
The colourful characters began as cartoons Mrs Clark created while running an Airbnb on Coochiemudlo Island between 2010 and 2023.
“I started doing chook cartoons – chooks in t-shirts and wearing bikinis,” she said.
“I have used these characters in my books.”
The couple also incorporated Mrs Clark’s artwork into their Cleveland business, Daisy Layne Homeware Lifestyle on Bloomfield Street, which opened in 2016.
“I used a lot of my drawings on homewares – cushions and the like at the Carrara Markets in 2016, then we ran a home shop in Ross Court and later Ormiston before moving to Cleveland,” she said.
“It has evolved to a range of homewares, clothing, giftware, furniture and paintings.”
While the stories are strongly grounded in the Redlands, Mrs Clark is already planning a New Zealand holiday for the Chook family’s next adventure.
“I plan on taking them to see the culture and meet some kiwis and sheep,” she said.
“The premise is for them to be local, informative and about nature. They are quite tactile and have proven popular.”
The books cost $30 and are available from Indigiscapes at Capalaba, Daisy Layne Homeware Lifestyle and the Cleveland information centre.
Accompanying songs are also available on an MP3 player for $25.
