Book Review: The Backyard Games by Alister Nicholson

In The Backyard Games you can join in with the neighbourhood kids as they organise their own Olympic Games with lots of friendly competition, cheering and medals for all. 

 illustrated by Tom Jellett

Publisher: Allen & Unwin Children

Publication date: 29th October 2024

Genre: Children's Picture Book

Pages: 32

RRP: AU$19.99

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

The Backyard Games is a fun rhyming book written by Alister Nicholson and illustrated by Tom Jellett in fabulous full-colour double page spreads.

 

"What a glorious day for the Backyard Games! 

Who will be champions, household names?

We've planned and practiced; we've built our venue.

Now, a great sporting feast is on the menu."

The children pick the country they will represent and the games begin. There is competition, fun, cheering and a few mishaps but most of all there is laughter and working together as they celebrate the ceremony and fun of the games.

As the light begins to fade medals are given and everyone's a winner in The Backyard Games.

 

This is such a fun book and perfect for the upcoming school holidays. The Backyard Games is the perfect inspiration to gather the kids outside and make your own Olympic games day. 

 

My rating 5 / 5 🚲🏏🛹🏹🎾

Recommended age: 4 - 7 years 

 

 

 

Book Review: Breaking Pointe by Chenée Marrapodi

 Breaking Pointe

by

Chenée Marrapodi

Publisher: Fremantle Press

Publication date: 2nd July 2024

Genre: Tween 10 - 14 years

Pages: 288

RRP: AU$17.99 (paperback) 

Source: courtesy of the publisher

 

Review: Breaking Pointe

Breaking Pointe is an inspiring story about friendship, dancing and holding onto your dream.

 

Breaking Pointe is the second book by Chenee Marrapodi featuring the students of the Perth Ballet Academy. The first book is titled One Wrong Turn.

 

Valentina is worried that her parents can't afford the dance fees and she may have to give up her dream.

 

Amelia is not coping, she is tired and can't seem to focus. When she collapses and is rushed to hospital a Type 1 diabetes diagnosis shatters her world. Will she have to give up dancing?

 

Marrapodi includes themes of cultural differences, the pressure of elite dancing and the complexity of friendships when they are in competition against each other.

 

I loved that Chenee Marrapodi portrays the type1 diagnosis so accurately. From the point of view of Amelia who felt like it was a life ending diagnosis to the point of view of her parents who fretted, panicked and over reacted. Having an adult child with T1 I could relate to it all.

 

Breaking Pointe is an invaluable resource, not only for children who have been diagnosed with T1 but also their friends and teachers.

 

Breaking Pointe is a story that teaches empathy and understanding about cultural differences and living with a chronic condition.  

 

Breaking Pointe will be particularly enjoyed by girls and boys who love to dance. 

My rating 4 / 5 🩰🩰🩰🩰

 

 

Book Review: Hockey Wars 15: Graduation by Sam lawrence & Ben Jackson

 Hockey Wars 15: Graduation

by

Sam Lawrence & Ben Jackson

illustrated by Tanya Zeinalova

 

Publisher: Indie Publishing Group

Publication day: 2nd June 2024 

Series: Hockey Wars #15

Genre: Tween Fiction

Pages: 142

Source: Courtesy of the authors 

 

Review: Hockey Wars 15 Graduation

 It was a delight to follow this wholesome group of young teens as they celebrated the end of Middle School (grade 8 in the USA) and their academic and sporting achievements, cheering each other on and planning towards their futures.

 

I like that the group of girls and boys have been just friends enjoying hanging out together but now about to enter High School (turning 14) they are beginning to pair up experiencing the first thoughts of a relationship. Sweet, wholesome and good fun!.

 

Young readers will love all the fanfare of getting ready for graduation and will relate to the worries about losing friendships when they go to different high schools.

 

This edition mainly focuses on the graduation and the characters' burgeoning relationships but there are still plenty of sport filled moments with a golf day and a friendly hockey match.

 

Tanya Zeinalova's illustrations are an added delight and I loved trying to pick which illustration was which character.

 

My rating 4 /5 🎓🎓🎓🎓

Recommended age 10 -14 years

Book Review: Hockey Wars 12: Euro Tournament by Sam Lawrence & Ben Jackson

 Hockey Wars 12: Euro Tournament

by

Sam Lawrence & Ben Jackson

Publisher: Indie Publishing Group

Publication date: 2nd April 2023

Genre: Middle Grade

Series: Hockey Wars #12

Pages: 115

Format read: eBook

Source: Courtesy of the author

 

Review: Hockey Wars 12: Euro Tournament

Hockey Wars  #12: Euro Tournament see the girls ice hockey team preparing for a tour to Sweden. The boys team will be playing in Canada next year.

Both teams have fun with fundraising events to help pay for their trip.

This was another fun story in the hockey wars series. The boys and girls all get along well and encourage and support each other. There is some light fun ribbing included but it's all about the kids having fun together.

The full page black & white illustrations are a wonderful visual inclusion. Illustrated middle grade books are a good buffer between first chapter books and full on novels.

This is a fun story with movie and pizza nights, a fundraising car wash and going on an overseas trip as a team.

There are themes of having fun, doing your best, forgiving mistakes, good sportsmanship and losing gracefully.

With ice hockey books becoming very popular in the young adult genre it is nice for middle graders 8 -12 years to have age appropriate novels too.

Recommended age 8+

My rating 5 / 5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the authors

Ben Jackson was born in Tasmania, Australia, and is a successful indie author that has been writing for over four years. Ben is married to Sam Lawrence, and together they specialize in self-publishing children's books.

They have been married for several years and have traveled together between Australia and Canada. Ben is also a freelance writer that specializes in writing website content for businesses and a wide variety of different articles.

They have published a series of children's books called My Little Fart and Hockey Wars, as well as If I Was A Caterpillar and several other non-fiction books. 

 

Book Review: Hockey Wars by Sam Lawrence & Ben Jackson

 Hockey Wars

by

Sam Lawrence & Ben Jackson

Publisher: Indie Publishing Group 

 

Publication date: 12th September 2018

 

Genre: Middle Grade

 

Series: Hockey Wars #1 

 

Pages: 128

 

Format read: Paperback

 

Source: Courtesy of Author Services Australia 

 

My review of Hockey Wars

 

Hockey Wars is an enjoyable Middle-Grade read focusing on friendship and sportsmanship that is sure to leave the reader smiling.

 

Millie and Cameron have been life-long friends, attending the same school and playing on the same hockey team, but when Millie decides to start an all-girls team a rift begins to form in the friendship starting a rivalry between the boys and the girls.

 

I liked this fun story about a feud between the girls team, the Hurricanes, and the boys team, the Lightning, over who gets to use the practice pond after school.

In this first book we are introduced to the main characters, eight boys and eight girls in 4th Grade at Dakota Elementary School. It was good getting to know each characters' quirks and how they felt about the feud.

 

The story was fast paced and I was eager to find out how, or if, Cameron and Millie would become friends again.

 

Ice hockey is not a huge sport in Australia with many of our rinks closing over the years however the themes of co-ed sports and girls versus boys are relatable to any sport.

Being in the stands at ice hockey games for many years I understood and had a laugh at the hockey puns on the girls t-shirts.

 

Hockey Wars has relatable themes of competitiveness, friendship, first crushes, teamwork and having the courage to say you're sorry.

 

Recommended age 8+

 

My rating 5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Purchase the book on Amazon

 

 

About the authors 

 

Ben Jackson was born in Tasmania, Australia, and is a successful indie author that has been writing for over four years. Ben is married to Sam Lawrence, and together they specialize in self-publishing children's books.

They have been married for several years and have traveled together between Australia and Canada. Ben is also a freelance writer that specializes in writing website content for businesses and a wide variety of different articles.

They have published a series of children's books called My Little Fart and Hockey Wars, as well as If I Was A Caterpillar and several other non-fiction books.