Trickshot Harri: the Cheetah World Beater by Adam Jackson & Adrian Lloyd. Illus. by Jake A Minton

Following on from Luna Roo: The Kangaroo Baller, the creative team behind the Animal World Cup series have added a second lively narrative, adding fresh energy with a new competition to this engaging collection.

Harri is a talented soccer player who feels that he can win the match for the team. In his first season he took the team from mid-table battlers into the top two. When his team, the Jungle FCs are up against the unbeatable Safari Stars, Harri plays a world class first half scoring four goals. It is during the half-time break that Harri’s dad reminds him that there is…’no I in TEAM.’ However, Harri has other ideas and laughs off his father’s advice.

When the second half begins, Harri has two opposition players on him and he is trapped. As the Safari Stars kick three goals in a row, Harri changes his game to defence and the whole team takes on the opposition. Will Harri find that as a team they can work well together and achieve the win?

This is a great story about teamwork and valuing each member’s role in the game. The use of bolded words, text that conveys movement, and large expressive character images adds a fast pace to the storyline. The rhyming text is a standout and will provide an enjoyable read aloud experience for young readers.

Themes: Soccer, Australian Animals, Competition, Teamwork, Humour, Rhyme, Sport.

Kathryn Beilby