In Winnipeg, Harry was a cricket star. With few West Indians in the community and few people who played the sport, he always stood out from the crowd. But when he moves to Toronto's Little Jamaica to stay with his grandfather, Harry is suddenly just another West Indian kid who loves cricket. There are even girls who are more talented than him.
Harry is determined to make the cricket team at his new school, but he'll really have to step up his game. To prove his commitment to the sport, he volunteers to coach Kanga cricket -- cricket for beginners, akin to little league baseball. At first, all he wants to do is impress the coach. But soon, Harry realizes that being a part of a bigger community can be more rewarding than standing out on your own.
[Fry reading level - 3.4
GABRIELLE PRENDERGAST teaches screenwriting and creative writing and has written for television, print, and online. She lives in Vancouver, BC, with her cricket-mad husband and daughter.
"Wicket Season is a fast-paced read, with believable, likeable characters, a plot with just the right amount of tension, a realistic setting and a satisfying lesson learned."
"This novel will have a ready-made market with the many cultures who are familiar with cricket, and will broaden the experience of those who are not."
Rated G - Good, even great at times, generally useful!
"The concepts of community, multiculturalism, immigration, and racism are interwoven into this sports tale. The originality of cricket as a vehicle for Prendergasts tale is also a refreshing change."