Meet . . . Don Bradman by Coral Vass

Ill. By Brad Howe. Penguin Random House, 2016. ISBN 9781925324891
(Age: 6+) Recommended. Cricket. Meet . . . Don Bradman is the latest in the popular Meet . . . series and showcases the famous cricketer in a meaningful way that will delight children and provide extra information about his life and times. Coral Vass has written an engaging book that brings Don Bradman to life. The book starts off with his early life when he loved to practise cricket using a golf ball and a cricket stump for a bat. After watching Australia play England in the Ashes he was determined to one day play on the Sydney Cricket Ground. At the age of 14, he left school but was too young to join the local cricket team. Instead he played tennis successfully, but cricket was his first love and when he was 16 he joined the cricket club, making 234 not in less than three hours. He then went on to become a very successful cricketer, thrilling the crowds and giving heart to Australia during the Great Depression.
Brad Howe's often comical illustrations have great appeal, as he shows Don Bradman emerging from a very young boy to the older great cricketer, at the same time giving a good impression of the life of the times, with drawings of the type of clothes that were worn, food that was eaten and lifestyle of the people.
An historical timeline at the rear of the book details Bradman's career and is a great way to culminate the book and give the reader the opportunity to go over his life, reflecting on what he achieved.
This is an enlightening and entertaining read that is sure to have great popular appeal.
Pat Pledger