Backyard Footy (Carl Merrison, illus by Samantha Campbell, Lothian)
Kicking the footy around in your backyard is fun, but playing with mates is even better! Jaru/Kija author Carl Merrison and illustrator Samantha Campbell score big with their lively, cumulative tale for pre-primary-aged children, Backyard Footy. Jy kicks the footy to himself, until it spills over the fence into Kitara’s backyard, much to the delight of both: ‘Marking practice is fun but kick-to-kick is better.’ Two mates playing footy soon turns into king of the pack as friends accumulate with every turn of the page, each introducing different footy skills, shouting, ‘Kick it to me!’ With each jump over the fence, they go for goals, contested marks and giant handball torps, they take speckies and kick bananas, until there are eight—plus more—mates tackling on the oval. Set behind a flying yellow footy, textured digital artistry in deep earthy tones showcases the energetic fence-jumping romp and sports action from varying perspectives, together with different outback landscapes and a community of diverse Indigenous characters. Backyard Footy hits the mark with its complete joy for the game and, even better, for its spirit of mateship. The repetitive rhythm and building action in this picture book are sure to encourage many readings, and outdoor play, for young children.
Read Romi Sharp’s interview with Carl Merrison about Backyard Footy here.
Books+Publishing reviewer: Romi Sharp is a picture book writer and digital marketer for children’s authors and publishers. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.
