Little Ash: Big break! by Ash Barty and Jasmin McGaughery. Illus. by Jade Goodwin

The series Little Ash is a wonderful collaboration between three Indigenous women who are all passionate about bringing quality literature to younger readers.  The series, which has 10 titles in total, covers a wide variety of subjects including school, sport, family, friendships, sportsmanship, and decision-making.

A family beach picnic is featured in Book 9 and is called Big Break because Little Ash’s big sister has broken her wrist.  One of the traditions on this family day is a game of beach tennis and the winners get to choose which dessert is bought from the local shop.  Ash is desperate to win but then realises that she can make the day brighter for her injured sister even though it may mean she misses out on her favourite ice-cream. The story has some lovely exchanges between family members and will resonate with young readers who may remember family gatherings and recollect about different family members. The black and white illustrations are well-placed to assist young readers to understand the text. The chapters are short and there are some highlighted words to draw attention to the action or prompt readers to explore the meanings of unfamiliar words. A well-crafted, interesting series that will be popular in school libraries for emerging independent readers, even if they are not sports lovers.

Themes: Family, Tennis, Picnics.

Gabrielle Anderson