Loveleaves the Koala by Pixie O'Harris

Sitting at her grandfather's knee, Laurel hears the story of how Grandpa kept a pet koala when he was a boy. He and his brother Ned had rescued it from the bush after its mother had been killed; the boys brought it home to the delight of Grandpa's sister who christened it Loveleaves. Laurel has heard the story many times before but that never impairs her enjoyment of it and she longs to have a pet koala just like Grandpa had.
   When Grandpa returns to the country, her father gives her a present of a toy koala. Laurel, though pleased with it, realises it is no substitute for the real thing. One day she visits the koala park with her parents and much to their horror they discover on the way home she has exchanged her toy koala for a real one . . . they hurry back to the park, where, fortunately the understanding keeper takes a sympathetic view of the matter and gives Laurel a pass to come and visit the koalas any time she likes.
   This is a lovely, heart-warming story which every one in the family will enjoy. It touches on feelings shared by children everywhere and is particularly appealing because of the special relationship shared with Laurel and her Grandfather. There is a nice touch of authentic bush nostalgia as grandfather speaks about his childhood.