As wildlife across the globe contends with climate change, habitat loss, and overexploitation, a quiet but powerful voice continues to speak up for the animals — even after her passing. The late author and activist Claudia Clark, who died in December 2025, leaves behind a heartfelt rallying cry for the next generation in her children’s book, Hannah’s Call to Care: How One Girl Discovered the Power of Protecting Wildlife.

Written for readers ages 10 to 14, the book follows 12-year-old Hannah, whose ordinary rural life in New South Wales is upended the day her father brings home an orphaned kangaroo joey. From that moment forward, Hannah is pulled into the demanding, eye-opening world of wildlife rescue and rehabilitation — a world Clark spent her own life championing.

Guided by a seasoned wildlife rescuer, Hannah learns to check wombat pouches, free a flying fox tangled in barbed wire, build a possum box, and uncover the uncomfortable truth behind a “cute” koala spotted in a store. She also confronts one of the hardest lessons rescuers face: the courage it takes to let an animal go. The story draws directly from real experiences shared by Australian wildlife rescuers, giving the narrative an honesty that lands harder than your average middle-grade read.

What sets Hannah’s Call to Care apart is its insistence that conservation isn’t a job reserved for adults, scientists, or experts in khaki vests. Clark wrote the book to show young readers that compassion is a skill — one they already have, and one they can put to work right now. The book even closes with a practical state-by-state guide on how to report and assist injured or orphaned animals across Australia, turning empathy into action.

“This book offers an inspirational nudge to young readers,” Clark said. “Kids have so much compassion. They just need to know how to use it.”

A lifelong admirer of Australian wildlife, Clark — originally from California and most recently based in Berlin with her husband and rescue dog — built a career around social justice and animal welfare. She also authored Dear Barack: The Extraordinary Partnership of Barack Obama and Angela Merkel. A portion of the proceeds from Hannah’s Call to Care will be donated to wildlife conservation efforts in Australia, continuing her mission well beyond her lifetime.

Perfect for classrooms, libraries, and family reading nights, Hannah’s Call to Care: How One Girl Discovered the Power of Protecting Wildlife (Bookspublishing.com, ISBN-13: 978-1968615987) is available now on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Hannahs-Call-Care-Discovered-Protecting/dp/1968615989 and directly from the author’s site at https://www.claudiaclarkauthor.com/books/buy-hannahs-call-to-care/.

Pick up a copy, hand it to a young reader in your life, and help carry Claudia Clark’s conservation legacy forward.