Nice girls don't play footy by Kathy Helidoniotis
Omnibus, 2019. ISBN: 9781742769226.
(Ages: 12+) Highly recommended. Themes: Sport, Family. Set in
suburban Sydney, Devi, the star pupil in her mother's Bollywood
dance studio is invited to attend a high school with an elite sports
program. It's at school she discovers she has a natural aptitude for
AFL. The paradoxes don't stop there - her background is only half
Indian. If she wins the upcoming BollyOz competition that will put
her mother's studio on the map, she will be the first mixed race
champion and it will be good for business.
Knowing her family's opposition to the idea of a girl playing footy,
the normally devoutly religious Devi, begins to weave a web of
deception embroiling her best friend, in order to explore her
newfound passion. Grasshopper, her coach, aids Devi with a footy kit
and nurtures her potential stardom. The mighty Wallaroos include
some colourful characters in Splinter and Princess but Devi yearns
to earn her own footy nickname.
With Grasshopper's support Devi's opportunities increase. But
selfishly following her dream becomes an obsession and Josie feels
exploited. When she is invited to try out for the Greater Western
Sydney Giants Academy Youth Girl's Program, it is time to tell her
parents and Aji (grandmother) the truth.
Sound familiar? The parallels with the book of the hit film 'Bend it
like Beckham' are strong. Helidoniotis' first person narration helps
us to empathise with Devi's family-sport-dance love triangle.
This is an easy read, endearing for the colloquialisms, AFL theory
and the meaty modern dilemmas shared by modern girls who may be
raised in traditional families. The teacher's
notes demonstrate the potential of analysing Helidoniotis'
narrative and character development through class discussion.
Deb Robins