Cannily, cannily by Simon French

Walker Books, 2012.
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Eleven-year-old Trevor and his carefree parents are always on the move. With only a kombi van as their actual home, they travel from one place to the next, applying for minor jobs along the way. For Trevor, it means attending around six schools a year. He is quite used to making new friends and fitting into new places, but when they come to a small countryside town, it suddenly turns difficult for Trevor to fit in at school once again. He joins a school football team, but will it bring him any luck from being an outsider? And what will Mr Fuller, the coach and also his class teacher, think of him when truth will be revealed and everyone will realize that Trevor never played football in his life?
Commended, Book of the Year, Children's Book Council of Australia Awards, 1982.
Cannily, Cannily is a brilliantly written novel. The style of writing was flowing from the start to the end of the book, which made it easy to read. I loved the way Simon French described the characters, where each one of them had a different personality. Many styles of writing can be so-called 'alive', and this novel is no exception from this type of writing.
In my opinion children who love football, as this story is based on this sport, will especially enjoy Cannily, Cannily. It is a fabulous story about an eleven-year-old boy who tried hard to make friends at his new school with other kids by joining the local football team, also known as Club Under Twelves.
This novel is perfect for some relaxed reading, as it isn't that serious as some books can get. It also gives the readers an excellent example of what a life is like when travelling from one town to another on four wheels without having a proper home.
Cannily, Cannily is a perfect novel for primary school children, because most of the characters in this book are roughly their age. Many people of different ages will enjoy it though, as it's the kind of book people would read for pleasure. In my opinion, it is a wonderful novel.
I recommend this book.
Nika Aroutiounian (Student)