Maxx Rumble Cricket Series, by Michael Wagner

“How is THAT, umpire?” screamed Happy. “That’s gotta be out! Oh, come on, ump! Be reasonable. He was SOOOOO out! What are you doing to me, ump?”
“You haven’t even bowled the ball yet, Happy,” said umpire Freddy.

Maxx Rumble loves sport and he and his team mates have been training hard for the new cricket season. But Maxx’s team, the Stone Valley Saints are, well, saints compared to some of their opponents. It seems some people will stop at nothing to win a game of cricket.

In Rattled!, the captain of the Princely Pigdogs whinges constantly, then manages to completely rattle Maxx when it’s his turn to bat. In Sledged , the star of the Sproilt Bats, Thelma Thatcher uses all her skills to put people off. In fact, in each of the eight books of the series, the opposition team uses every tactic available to outwit Maxx’s Saints.

Each book is a quick read, self-contained and full of laughs. The comic illustrations by Terry Denton on every page add to the fun. Read alone or as a series, these are plenty of fun for sports-mad youngsters.

Sledged!, Rattled! , Cheated!, Bugged!, Hammered!, Whacked!, Spooked!, and Tricked! all by Michael Wagner, illustrated by Terry Denton
Black Dog Books, 2004 and 2005

Our Don Bradman, by Peter Allen

When Victor receives a diary for his twelfth birthday, his Grandma tells him he can write about anything – even Don Bradman. Although he does write about lots of other things, the Don figures prominently in his writing over the next year, especially after he gets to know the Australian cricketer personally.

Our Don Bradman is part of the My Story series from Scholastic, each using the diary format to tell a child’s story in a particular period in history. This one is based on true events and not only shares the events of Bradman’s cricket career but also of other major events in Sydney and around the world in 1932.

1932 was the year in which the infamous Bodyline cricket scandal played out during England’s visit to Australia. It was also the year that the Sydney Harbour Bridge was opened and was an Olympic year. Australia was also in the grips of the depression. All these events and many more are related in the first person account of young Victor McDonald whose family relocates to Sydney because of the depression. But it is cricket – and Don Bradman – which sits at the centre of the story, making it likely to appeal to young cricket fans who will enjoy not only learning about the great Sir Donald Bradman but also following Victor’s story of trying to be a great cricketer himself, despite owning no shoes or a proper cricket bat.

Our Don Bradman is a quality book for private reading and for school library and classroom collections.

Our Don Bradman: The Diary of Victor McDonald, by Peter Allen
Scholastic, 2004

When's My Turn? by Hayley Smithers

Every day when Dad gets home from work, he takes his son to the park to play cricket. And that should be a good thing. Except that every day Dad gets to bat and his son gets to bowl and field.

After a whole week of not getting a turn of batting, the young narrator decides enough is enough. If Dad won’t give him a turn, he won’t go to the park any more.

When’s It My Turn is a delightful new picture book from Koala Books. The concepts of turn taking and father/son bonding are explored in a humorous way, with the first person narration giving a child’s eye view. The bright and comic illustrations of John Yayeh are a perfect complement to to the text of Hayley Smithers.

Great for sharing, When’s My Turn is also suitable for beginning readers, with repetitive text making it easily accessible.

Good fun.

When’s My Turn, by Hayley Smithers, illustrated by John Yahyeh
Koala, 2003