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Paddy O’Melon

A little joey kangaroo was having a very exciting day as it was the first time he was considered big enough to be able to hop out of his mother pouch. His legs wobbled as he took his first steps watched proudly by his mother. But the peace of the day was shattered when two very large black dogs came crashing into the clearing where the little joey and his mother were standing.

The O’Melon family were having a picnic in the rainforest when they came across a tiny, abandoned little joey kangaroo fast asleep under a tree, and although they looked high and low for its mother, they could not find her. Being a lovely, kind family they decided to take the little joey home, so wrapped him up very carefully in a warm jumper.

As he was so tiny he had to be fed from a very small bottle of special milk and soon began to grow up into a strong little joey, who was allowed to hop about the gardens and the yard of the O’Melon’s house. He loved his new family and they loved him. His name was of course, Paddy! Paddy O’Melon, the Irish Kangaroo,

As he got bigger he became friends with some of the other rescue animals living at the O’Melon’s, but it was not until they began to ask him what kind of animal he was and when he answered “I’m Paddy O’Melon, the Irish Kangaroo,” and they laughed: he wondered why!

This is a lively story of discovering who you are, about being brave and learning to keep on trying until you find the answer. The illustrations by Daryl Dickson are true to life, making the animals that Paddy comes across on his journey, and should you be so fortunate to come across one, very easy to recognise.

Beautifully crafted and illustrated this story about a young pademelon kangaroo, will have special appeal to young and old readers alike who will be introduced to a range of native wildlife and birds that live in the rainforests of Queensland, as well as discovering the importance of looking after the natural heritage of this world.

As the book is based in the rainforests of Far North Queensland, an area that is like many others endangered, there are many interesting discussion which can be held based about the birds and animals in the story, as well as the effects on the rainforest development and global warming are bringing about.

There is something for everyone inside the covers of this interesting book from Julia Cooper, a passionate and highly regarded naturalist, who sadly passed away in 2011 leaving behind her this wonderful legacy for generations to come.

Royalties from this book are being donated to Far North Queensland Wildlife Rescue to continue the wildlife work she was so very passionate about

Author Julia Cooper. IIl: Daryl Dickson
Publisher Exile Publishing/EK Books
ISBN 9781925335637
Website https://ekbooks.org
Distributor Exile Publishing
Released August 2017