The A to Z of who I could be by Chloe Dalton. Illus. by Kim Siew

cover image Allen & Unwin, 2023. ISBN: 9781761180422. (Age: 5-10) Highly recommended.

The A to Z of who I could be is written by athlete Chloe Dalton, who in 2020 founded the (female) athlete project - Australia’s fastest-growing women’s sports platform. This informative and interesting book introduces 26 Australian athletes who have excelled in their chosen sport.

In alphabetical order the champion athletes are:

Ash Barty – tennis player
Belle Brockhoff – snowboarder
Taliqua Clancy – beach volleyball
Danni Di Toro – Paralympian tennis & table tennis player
Ellie Cole – Paralympian swimmer
Caitlin Foord – soccer player
Georgia Godwin – artistic gymnast
Tayla Harris – AFLW
Isis Holt – Paralympian sprinter
Jessi Miley-Dyer – surfing
Steph Kershaw – hockey
Lydia Lassila – aerial skier
Anna Meares – track cyclist

Nova Peris – hockey & sprinting
Bendere Oboya – sprinter
Ellyse Perry – cricket
Alicia (Quirk) Lucas – rugby 7s
Madison de Rozario – Paralympian wheelchair racer
Sharni (Layton) Norder – netball
Ariarne Titmus – swimming
Tamika Upton – rugby
Darcy Vescio – AFLW
Melissa Wu – diving
Jessica FoX – canoe slalom
Yvette Higgins – water polo
Zali Stegall – alpine skier

This is a highly accessible book for young readers. Across each double page spread is a snapshot of the athlete’s accomplishments accompanied by an action illustration. The creative use of bold colour for each individual athlete adds to the appeal for readers. The insertion of a timeline from 1996 to the present day is a wonderful addition. In the final pages there is information about the (female) athlete project plus further information about the author and illustrator.

With the end of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the amazing response from a world-wide audience for women’s sport, this new release The A to Z of who I could be is a fabulous resource for a school or public library.

Themes: Female Athletes, Sport, Olympians, Paralympians, World Champions.

Kathryn Beilby