Sammy The Koala Becomes A Movie Star

• Sarith Gunaratne, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2010

Sammy the koala had many dreams, many dreams that won’t ever come true. That was until one certain day. Every day Sammy would climb up to the highest point of the tree and stare at the city which was far away from the tree. Sammy’s best dream was to be able to go to the city and hopefully be a movie star.

One very warm day, Sammy was taking a walk when he bumped into a Platypus. ‘Hey! You’re the Koala that wants to be a movie star’ said Platy the Platypus. ‘And you’re the Platypus that wants to climb a tree’ replied Sammy. ‘Yeah, but going to the city is ridiculas’’ complained Platy the Platypus. ‘Maybe you should go swim in the lake, it’s a much better hobby’ suggested Platy. ‘Maybe I’ll try that’ agreed Sammy.

So off Sammy went to the lake. ‘If other animals can swim why can’t I? Thought Sammy. ‘one, two, two and a half, go!’ shouted Sammy and splash he went. ‘Arr, I’m drowning, help!’ shouted Sammy. ‘I’ve got you’ said Platy appearing from nowhere. ‘Maybe you should go run some laps around the lake to get thinner, and then you might even be able to float instead of sink’ suggested Platy. Sammy felt a bit sad, maybe he was a little fat.

So the next day Sammy stopped eating eucalyptus leaves and started eating the mushrooms which grew on the ground. He started running four laps around the lake every day. Days went by, Sammy got thinner and thinner. He was so thin that his grey fury skin turned into grey smooth skin.

A couple of weeks went by and Sammy thought he was ready to swim. Sammy dived into the water without any fear, and he actually floated. There was a green misty line in the water which was an Alligator. It was heading straight to Sammy. The Alligator swam faster and he tripped over a rock, he flipped in the air and cannon bolted the water. The splash was so big Sammy went flying into the city.


‘Did you see that?’ asked a human lady. ‘Yes, it’s a skinny koala that flew from the forest to here, amazing’ replied a human man. ‘Move out of my way’ said a Movie star director. ‘That koala is the next movie star, it’s skinny and it can fly. It’ll make a big hit in my new movie’.

The next day Sammy was flown to Hollywood by a five star rated plane.

When Sammy arrived in Hollywood he was taken to a very luxury hotel called Planet Hollywood.

The next day Sammy had his first rehearsal of the new movie (The flying Koala).

Couple of weeks passed by and Sammy was so tired he couldn’t move a muscle. ‘Come on Sammy, one more rehearsal, next week is the big show’ complained the movie star director. So Sammy tried to do his best. After the rehearsal, the Movie Star Director very worried about Sammy being tired. He thought the show will be a disaster.

Finally the day of the big show came. At backstage the movie star director was talking to Sammy about being tired. ‘Don’t worry, I can do it, I had a big rest those couple of days.’ said Sammy. ‘Ok, if you can then you can’ replied the movie star director.
Sammy stepped a foot onto the stage and looked at the millions of people staring at him and the huge lights. He took one big breath and acted.

Soon the show was over and Sammy did a stunning performance on the flying Koala. ‘ Great job, Sammy’ said The movie star director.

One week has past and Sammy was thinking of going back home to the Australian rainforest. ‘I was thinking of going back to Australia’ said Sammy. ‘But there’s more shows to go’ complained the Movie star director. ‘Sorry, I made my decision, I’m leaving tomorrow’. Said Sammy.

The next day Sammy got to the airport and flew back to Australia. When he arrived he went straight to his eucalyptus tree. ‘Hello, you’re back from wherever you went’ said Platy. ‘Yes I am, and I got back from being a movie star’ explained Sammy. ‘Say have you managed to climb up that tree yet?’ asked Sammy. ‘Yes of course! No, not really!’ said Platy.

So from that day on Sammy started eating normal things that Koala’s eat and being lazy just like Koala’s do!