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Published on Leave a comment on The Unstoppable Flying Flanagan by Felice Arena

 

‘You are a stubborn, and extremely annoying young lady, but I really do believe that once you put your mind to something you are unstoppable.’

It’s 1942 in Melbourne. Life is changing. Men have gone to fight overseas; women have stepped into men’s jobs and twelve year old Maggie Flanagan dreams of playing football. But that’s against the rules.

When Maggie’s school is chosen to run a fundraising event for the troops, Maggie doesn’t want to bake or sew with the other girls and only boys can participate in the billycart derby. Why do boys have all the fun? Maggie is teased when she suggests an all-girl charity football match, but she's not going to give up.

“Could you even imagine? Sheilas playing footy!”

Surely she can’t be the only girl in Melbourne who secretly wishes they could play football. On her quest to find players, Maggie discovers school nurse Nancy, Marian the milk woman, Ivy who drives the ice truck, Miss Kelly and others who share her football dream. Word spreads, support comes from unexpected people and Maggie’s prayers to Mary are answered with enough players to field two teams, the Mighty Mis-fits and the Fighting Belles. But will people want to pay to watch two all-girl teams play footy?

The Unstoppable Flying Flanagan celebrates football, friendship and being yourself. It is a story heartwarmingly woven together with characters finding the courage to follow their own paths and supporting each other along the way. Maggie and Gerald’s friendship is a delight and as you eagerly turn the pages you will find yourself cheering on an unexpected winner at the billycart derby, watching The Wizard of Oz at the Astor while munching on a threepence bag of lollies, tapping your feet to the jitterbug at the Capitol Theatre, and barracking for the Mighty Mis-fits and Fighting Belles at Elsternwick Park.

Read the beginning of The Unstoppable Flying Flanagan  here

Felice Arena has written another inspiring historical fiction story filled with heart and humour, engaging characters and a level of detail that brings the story to life and immerses us in Melbourne, 1942.

Maggie would love that women now play football in the AFLW.

A-women.

Happy reading!

 

 

Published on Leave a comment on Little Legends: Ozzy Rules! by Nicole Hayes and Adrian Beck

We might not be able to go to AFL games at the moment, but we can still have fun reading books about footy.

Get your hands on a copy of Ozzy Rules! the first book in the new Little Legends series by Aussie Rules fanatics, Nicole Hayes and Adrian Beck and illustrator James Hart.

Ten-year-old twins Oz and Ellie live and breathe AFL footy and play for the Fresca Bay Falcons where they are team legends. Oz is a key on-baller and Ellie is their superstar full-forward. They can't wait to introduce their cousin Sanjay to Aussie Rules. In his first attempt at playing footy, Sanjay unexpectedly reveals he's a natural and becomes the Falcons' hot new recruit. Now Oz has some serious competition on the field and isn't sure about sharing the spotlight. Can Oz put his competitive spirit aside for the good of the team and his friendship with Sanjay?

AFL has a language and skills all of its own and there are plenty of long bombs, dribble kicks, kick-to-kick, screamers, hangers, look-away-handpasses and speccys woven into the story. Coach Daisy and the team mascot Frankie might even sound like your like footy coach yelling out motivation like  "Team work makes the dream work!" or "Give your all or lose the ball!" 

If you need some handball tips, Oz reveals that the secret to being able to handball is pancake and ice-cream! Yes, really! Can you work out why?

There's lots of humour and footy action in Ozzy Rules! and it gets pretty tense in the first game of the season when the Fresca Bay Falcons play the Deep Valley Devils...

 

At the back of the book you can win The Ultimate Footy Fan Pack. You will need to buy a copy of the book (keep your receipt) and say why you you would like to win. The competition closes on the 31st of August. Enter the competition HERE

Watch out for the second book in the series Taking Sides coming out in June.

Happy reading and Go Roos!

Published on Leave a comment on The Champion Charlies series by Adrian Beck

Charles was the best player in the boys’ football team.
Charlotte was the best player in the girls’ side.
But this season they’re both playing in the SAME mixed team
Is there room for TWO Champion Charlies in the ONE side?

Adrian Beck has combined his cheeky brand of humour with his love of football (soccer) to create a fun sport series that celebrates the world game of football.

The Mix-Up is the first book in The Champion Charlies series.

Charlotte Alessi and Charles ‘CJ’ Jackson are talented football players at the Jets Football Club. Charlotte is ultra organised, has a no-nonsense ponytail and is smart. CJ is a risk-taking daredevil who doesn't like to follow rules and is not always smart which we quickly learn when he attempts a kamikaze rescue mission of a football stuck in a tree in the opening chapter. These two total opposites will need to find a way to work together in a mixed football team if they want to continue playing their beloved football.

CJ and Charlotte both have qualities that would make them a good team captain. CJ desperately wants to be the Jets' captain and gets himself into all sorts of trouble as he tries to win over teammates and puts his friendship with his mate Benji at risk. CJ and Charlotte finally overcome their rivalry at a Matilda's game when they hear striker, Sam Kerr explain the key to the Matildas' success “We just pull together, try to use everyone’s skills and face every challenge as a team.” 

There's lots of football action in the final chapters as the Jets try to bond as a team to beat their arch rivals, the Hillside Hammersmiths. Watch for a clever tweak to the Jets' tactics (courtesy of The Dancing Dads) in the second half. Which team will win and who will be named the new captain of the Jets?

One of my favourite characters is Mr Hyants, otherwise known as High Pants. He is named as the new coach even though he has never coached before. After reading a sports blog about inspirational music, High Pants (who always wanted to be a pop star) coaches the team by singing karaoke from the sidelines with songs to motivate them. Imagine hearing ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ when you're doing goal kicking practice or ‘Shake it Off!’ when you fall over! It's a very unique way of coaching!  

Top Five Reasons to read the The Mix-Up

It's fun

You can read about sport

There are fun facts about football

You'll know how to do the 4-2-2 formation (I do now!)

You might want a karaoke coach 

 

Try the first chapter of The Mix-Up!  HERE

The second book Boot It is also available and the next two books in the series will be published in September.

Writing workshop with Adrian Beck at The Little Bookroom
Tuesday, July 10th

This workshop is for 7-12 year-olds during the school holidays. Each ticket includes a copy of the book The Champion Charlies: The Mix-Up which will be available to collect at the workshop.
You can book your place HERE  I guarantee it will be fun writing with Adrian!

Happy reading and playing soccer!

Teacher notes

 

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