The 12th Dog

The 12^th Dog by Charlotte Calder, illustrated by Tom Jellett (Hachette Australia) HB RRP $24.99  ISBN 9780734416919

Reviewed by Brook Tayla

The delightful memories that this book brought up make me smile.

The 12th Dog is the classic Aussie kids’ street or backyard cricket match story – simple but fun.  Charlotte’s words take us on a sweet journey of the annoying ball thief who is finally recognised for his great cricket playing skills. Tom Jellett’s illustrations are adorable – especially the expressive, realistic faces the dog pulls throughout the book.

When I was growing up there were many games of cricket played in the street and dogs made really good fielders – but occasionally one would take off with the ball and there would be a stream of kids chasing the dog down the road to get the ball back.  From memory the dogs always outsmarted and outran all of us, which ended the game unless another ball could be found!  

At one stage we had a ball crazy dog named Snoopy that the neighbours used to borrow for their backyard cricket games.  They put him to the test one day in a match that lasted five hours – he didn’t let them down!

This is a really great book that both children and adults will enjoy and hopefully it will get lots of you playing cricket with your dog – they make the best players…..and the best memories!

Brook Tayla writes a blog called telltalestome@wordpress.com and would love you to drop by, read some reviews, leave a comment and follow by email so you get to receive all the latest reviews.

Big Bash League

 Big Bash League by Michael Panckridge (Random House Australia) PB RRP $14.99

Switch-Hit Showdown ISBN 9780143782230

Double Delivery ISBN 9780143782193

Captains’ Clash ISBN 9780143782216

Bowling Blitz ISBN 9780143782254

What is Big Bash League you might wonder? Chances are that you are not a huge fan of cricket, for BBL has many followers (see http://www.bigbash.com.au) Australian author Panckridge who has already produced some child-friendly sporting books, has his finger on the pulse with a new series of novels suitable for readers 8 to 12 years which tells stories of cricket-loving kids. In the first, Double Delivery, both boys are featured in games that take place in a Queensland oval with cricket-mad twins Millie and Maggie wanting to join in. But of course there’s reluctance with a ‘boys-only’ mentality. Meanwhile, in the caravan park where the twins are staying, things are disappearing, so this book based on cricket games, also serves as a mystery tale.

Switch-Hit Showdown is set in Melbourne with a Renegades fan, Barney, meeting his match in a game against a team, headed by Fifi, which blitzes his. Before the grand final, however, it seems a spy mission is in order.

In Bowling Blitz, talented fast-bowler, Jimmy and his sister Izzy, having just moved from Perth to Adelaide, are huge BBL fans. But Jimmy’s not so fussed about being an Adelaide Strikers supporter. As in the other Big Bash League titles, there is more than just cricket happening: Jimmy has a problem with a kid and his dad from a neighbouring cricket club who are trying to poach him.

The last of these four titles, Captains’ Clash, is set in Sydney, where Fletcher, Jana and their mates are counting down to a full T20 match --their greatest cricket game ever. But brother and sister and their mates first need to settle a score with another team.With decent-sized typeface, chapter headings and illustrations, these stories are easy-to-read and fast-paced, and offer good reading especially to reluctant readers, both boys and girls. For cricket fans the publisher has included notes at the back of each book which offer all-round tips (such as getting fit, good techniques and practice) and bowling tips (grip, run-up (follow-through and so on). There is also in each of the books, depending where the story is set, there are statistics about local clubs: the Perth Scorcher fans, for instance, can read about results, records, team players, strike rates and more.

It’s great to see books – and a sport – which includes both males and females participating. The series ought to do well this summer!

2016–17 Big Bash Book

2016–17 Big Bash Book by Daniel Lane (Allen and Unwin)

PB RRP $29.99   ISBN 9781760291419

Reviewed by Daniela Andrews

This highly visual sporting reference guide to the upcoming sixth season of the KFC Big Bash League (BBL) should appeal to T20 cricket fans of all ages. It is the second BBL guide in the series – award-winning sports journalist, Daniel Lane, also wrote one for the fifth season.

Lane covered the tournament for Fairfax Media last year and his wealth of knowledge (and passion for the BBL) definitely shines through in this guide. There is a lot to absorb!

It is presented in a full-colour, glossy, magazine-style layout with a great balance between photographs and text. It opens with an introduction to the BBL, including an article on the farewell to Mike Hussey, and a piece by Adam Gilchrist on the popularity of last season’s BBL.

There are informative, double-page spreads on the eight BBL and WBBL (Women’s Big Bash League) teams. Each section includes statistics, a fifth-season performance summary, a sixth-season prediction and the team’s game draw.

Interviews with eight selected players reveal, amongst other things, their personal mottos (such as ‘Life begins at the end of your comfort zone’). There’s also a section showcasing 32 notable players (‘Big Performers’). The book concludes with entertaining ‘Gobsmacking Moments’ from the fifth season. (Yes, the #WatermelonBoy phenomenon is in it!)

A glossary of cricket terms and abbreviations has been included in the back of the book, along with the T20 rules. The inside front and back cover are marked ‘Autographs’, encouraging readers to take the guide along to the games. (The design might make it a little tricky to find information quickly, during a game. It would be great to have an index of players in next season’s edition, perhaps!)

The guide will make a worthy companion in the lead-up to, and during, the sixth-season of the BBL (20^th December, 2016 – 28^th January, 2017).

Glenn Maxwell Lucky Break

Glenn Maxwell Lucky Break by Patrick Loughlin (Random House Australia)

PB RRP $14.99
ISBN 978-0-85798-607-8
Reviewed by: Jaquelyn Muller

It’s time to slap on the zinc and get a shine on the new ball as the covers come off for another big summer of cricket. Random House has timed its new sports fiction series rather nicely with the Cricket World Cup headed for Australia next year and a huge program of tests, T20 matches and One Day Internationals starting. They have partnered with one of Australia’s best T20 players Glenn Maxwell; to create a cricket fiction series for boys (and cricket mad girls) aged between seven and twelve! 

The books are written by high school English teacher and writer, Patrick Loughlin who also authored the Billy Slater Rugby League series of books. In the first book of the series Lucky Break, Loughlin propels readers straight into the thick of the action by introducing the central character, Will Albright as he faces a tense second innings captain’s knock in an inter-club cricket grand final. If you have no idea what that means then you probably won’t understand the rest of the book but it is why the target audience will love this series. There is more cricket terminology and iconography than you can poke a stump at and for any cricket loving tween it’s what will keep the pages turning.

We travel along with Will as he rides waves of self-doubt, navigates tricky relationships and is pushed to his limits in his quest to be picked for the Victorian T20 Youth Academy. Will must drive his abilities to the edge to get noticed by the selecting coaches including his hero, Glenn Maxwell. In parallel to the story there are opportunities to enjoy the sports action with a commentary similar to that of a cricket telecast. The story moves quickly and the tone emits a school yard vernacular which gives plenty of opportunity for laughs along the way.

For any sports loving younger reader there is much for them to identify with in the scenarios presented from the overnight cricket camp setting to team rivalries, and Glenn Maxwell’s cricket tips and glossary at the end of the book make this informative as well as entertaining.

The second book in the series, Academy All-Stars is being released simultaneously on December 1st and will no doubt be a welcome distraction during any rain affected play delays over the summer.

Jaquelyn Muller is an author and publisher of children’s picture books. Jaquelyn is an author champion for the Let’s Read early childhood literacy program. She conducts literacy and publishing workshops for children from kinder to upper primary.  Jaquelyn was opening bat for her girls’ high school cricket team and is now bringing up two cricket mad daughters of her own. jmullerbooks.com

 

Burning the Bails – The Story of the Ashes

Burning the Bails – The Story of the Ashes by Krista Bell, illustrated by Ainsley Walters (One Day Hill)
PB RRP $19.99
ISBN 978-0-9873139-8-0
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Have you ever wondered about the story behind the Ashes trophy? This delightful picture book is a fictionalised account of the events leading up to the burning of the bails after a social game of cricket between the visiting England team and some of the local lads in Sunbury.

Burning the Bails is told from the point of view of six year old Russell Clarke whose father was Sir William Clarke, president of the Melbourne Cricket Club in 1882 when these events took place. Having a young perspective makes this historic tale easily understandable and accessible to young children and older alike.

There are many words to each page, but it is written wonderfully and in keeping with the era, and really nice to read: ‘Everyone was keen and that afternoon the oval resounded with much merriment.’

The illustrations are beautiful. Each page is a painted scene, not always sticking to the illustration side of the page, but sometimes slipping over a little as if to take over the words. Some of these paintings would look as much at home hung in an exhibition. They fit beautifully with the historic tone of the story.

In the back is a very informative run-down of all the facts which the author has drawn from to create this book. There are also photographs from the Clarke family’s collections reproduced in both the front and back.

Books like this one are a great way for children to learn about historical events. The role of Russell Clarke, the narrator, would be the sort of thing most young boys dream of. Burning the Bails is for lovers of cricket, lovers of Australian History, and lovers of good picture books everywhere.