Red vs Blue by James Tedesco. Illus. by Heath McKenzie

James Tedesco is a popular Rugby League footballer who plays for the Sydney Roosters. The Roosters' website describes Tedesco as “one of the best players on the planet”. He grew up in the Menangle/Camden area of NSW and his writing is based on his own footy-playing childhood. His main character is himself, nicknamed ‘Teddy’.

Red vs Blue is Tedesco’s second book (following Hat-Trick Teddy which was published in April 2021) and does follow on from where the story left off in the first instalment but can be easily understood as a stand-alone.

Red vs Blue details the birth of a second Under 12s team for the Camden Rams. With two teams in the same age division a showdown between them is inevitable and both teams are desperate to win. But first the new Camden Blues need more players, so the boys get to work on a recruiting strategy. Their strategic thinking on how to target the skills they need is impressive.

The resulting team is a mixture of kids from diverse backgrounds and with various body types and skill levels, but with 12 out of 13 being boys. The language around the consideration of a girl starts “we can’t have girls on our team!” and “she couldn’t play our standard of footy”. It’s disheartening that (unlike any of the new male recruits) she must prove herself to the team, but to their credit the boys then freely admit they were wrong and welcome her whole-heartedly.

There’s a side-story about a blossoming romance involving a girl who owns a goat, with the goat appearing as a fun little flip-the-pages picture, jumping page numbers. The showdown between Camden Red vs Blue is saved till the end and is detailed play by play (as for several other games during the story).

For young rugby fans this book will be a delight – the chapters are short, the illustrations are cartoony, and there are tips at the end of each chapter on how to succeed at footy as well as in everyday life.

Themes: Teamwork, Integrity, Resilience, Rugby League Football.

Kylie Grant