The Grannie Season
A really enjoyable book with a difference. The storyline is based on a simple event but there is depth and colour in the character portraits. Timothy, a quiet thoughtful boy, who lacks any ostentation, earns a place in his Australian primary school's cricket team. For a special match he, with his fellow players, is allowed to include a relation in the team. Tim is looking forward to playing with his dad, till mum is taken off to hospital and grannie decides to stand in. The clever way in which grannie has been introduced makes us feel Tim's sense of anti-climax; but the old adage of not judging by appearances proves very apt. I recommend The Grannie Season -- there are shades of a Jan Mark-style humour and perception, which make it well worth buying.