Pride and Penalties by Chris Higgins

I found this one took a while to get going. I’m not sure if it’s just because I’m not a sporty person so the storyline didn’t entice me very much. Or possibly because it just kept reminding me of Billy Elliot (although the book is aware of the similarities and mentions it a lot). But by the end I was really moved by it, although I thought the ending could have been better as it felt a little rushed.

My Recommendation

This is aimed at children/preteens but I’d say it resonates with an older audience too. As with a lot of children’s books, it deals with some major issues that are nuanced enough to include, or exclude, certain levels of understanding depending on the age of the person reading. It’s very cleverly done really.

Not For Everyone

Whilst it does deal with large issues in a very clever way, it is still a story of a 13 year old girl. There are minor issues with her life that are quite grating to an older reader as they don’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. The book also offers a very tidy ending despite some of the hints in the book about what kind of man the father is.

To The Author

It takes a lot to be able to give meaning to a range of audiences and this book, as with all your others I have read, does just that.

If You’ve Never Read The Book And Want To Say You Have

It goes to show that women are as good as men at a lot of things and you should always follow what makes you happiest.

Academic Prompts

Representation of teachers in children’s literature

How child narrators perceive issues in the adult world

Women in sport/a mans world