The Last Hollow traces the final days of the Elder Tree and the animals who lived in it.
The first thing that strikes you is just how many animals might make their homes in the one place.
This tree has been standing for more than 200 years, and is home to sugar gliders, cicadas, and even a python.
And in the middle of the tree is a hollow where two red-tailed black cockatoos live. Their names are Marlin and Banksi.
Written by wildlife advocate and author Ben Dessen, and illustrated by Tay Timoney, The Last Hollow is a vivid depiction of the wide-spread environmental impact the removal of a tree can have.
One day when Marlin and Banksi return from a trip looking for food, they discover their hollow is gone. They have babies on the way, so they have an urgent need for a new home to nest in.
They explore various nests, from an eagle's high on a pole, to the ground-level curlew's nest, a swamp hen's nest on the water, and a round, muddy magpie's nest. Will Marlin and Banksi find a new home in time? Read The Last Hollow find out if they're successful.
Wonderful for home or school, The Last Hollow is a beautiful book with stunning artwork, and an important reminder to care for the environment. It will encourage young readers to look up at the trees around them and search for wildlife.
At the back you'll find a few facts about the threatened black cockatoos (there are five black cockatoo species), and their tree hollow homes, as well as how a wildlife sanctuary is creating artificial hollows to help cockatoo chicks.
Title: The Last Hollow
Author: Ben Dessen
Illustrator: Tay Timoney
Publisher: New Holland Publishers, $ 24.99
Publication Date: September 2025
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781760797652
For ages: 4+
Type: Picture Book