Burning the Bails: The Story of the Ashes, by Krista Bell & Ainsley Walters

When the ashes were ready, Russell put his hand in his pocket and pulled out one of his mother’s empty perfume bottles. It was porcelain and had two tiny handles.
‘How wonderful!’ laughed Miss Morphy. ‘It looks exactly like a miniature urn. Well done, Russell.’
‘This is perfect, darling,’ exclaimed his mother. ‘A real urn for our Rupertswood “Ashes”.’

When the touring English cricket team visits his family home in Rupertswood, Russell Clarke is delighted. He loves cricket and longs to be part of the fun. So when his mother and her companion decide to burn the bails from a match and present it to the English captain, Russell joins in by finding the perfect vessel for the ashes.

Burning the Bails is a fictionalised account of the true story behind the Ashes, the trophy for the cricket test series between Australia and England. While Russell’s involvement is imagined, the story is based on fact, and will give young cricket fans an insight into the origin and significance of the Ashes.

With the story supported by photographs, pages of historical facts, and the illustrative work of Ainsley Walters, and with the Ashes series currently being played in Australia, this is a wonderful offering for young cricketers.

 

Burning The Bails

Burning the Bails: The Story of the Ashes, by Krista Bell, illustrated by Ainsley Walters
One Day Hill, 2013
ISBN 978098731398

Available from good bookstores or
online.

Black Fella White Fella, by Neil Murray

Blackfella, whitefella
It doesn’t matter what your colour
As long as you a true fella
As long as you a real fella

Blackfella Whitefella

Neil Murray was living in Papunya in 1982 when he wrote the lyrics that would become Blackfella Whitefella. His fellow Warumpi Band bandmates loved it and subsequently recorded it.

Now Blackfella Whitefella has a new life as a picture book text, with the lyrics illustrated by schoolchildren from around Australia in a variety of styles and media.

With a percentage of the profits going to Ian Thorpe’s “Fountain for Youth” project and with the song and illustrations promoting a wodnerful message of harmony, this is an excellent book which belongs in every school and home.

Blackfella Whitefella, by Neil Murray
One Day Hill, 2012
ISBN 9780980794892

Available from good bookstores or online.

Kick it to Me, by Neridah McMullin & Peter Hudson

When cricket season ends, Tom is desolate. What will he do with himself with no cricket to play? Luckily, his friend Jirra, from the Djab Wurrung tribe, has an idea.

It shoots off to the right and racing after it, they’re jostling and laughing and pushing each other trying to be the first to pick up the ball.

When cricket season ends, Tom is desolate. What will he do with himself with no cricket to play? Luckily, his friend Jirra, from the Djab Wurrung tribe, has an idea. Jirra will teach him to play a fun game that he and his friends love to play – Marn-grook. Soon, Tom is happy again as he plays the game of kicking and catching with Jirra and his friends.

Kick it to Me offers the story of the origins of Australian Rules football. Tom Wills, the boy in the story, was a key figure in the development of the sport now known as Australian Rules football, drawing on the game he learned from his Aboriginal friends as a child. The fictionalised story of Tom’s childhood is complemented by back of book notes, as well as a foreword by Collingwood President and television personality Eddie McGuire.

In hard cover picture book format with illustrations by Peter Hudson, this story of the origins of our national sport has been released just in time for the new footy season.

Kick it to Me

Kick it to Me, by Neridah McMullin & Peter Hudson
One Day Hill, 2011
ISBN 9780980794861

This book is available in good bookstores, or online from Fishpond.