AustLit

'Find out where it all began for Ellyse Perry, Australia's most prominent sportswoman!

'Meet Ellyse Perry, age twelve. All she wants to do is play sport. Cricket, soccer, touch footy, athletics – you name it! But now that she's in high school, just playing sport and having fun doesn't seem so easy. For starters, her new school uniform is too big (as usual) and then there's a mix up with her electives and she has to do debating of all things! To top it off, mean Ms Parkes won't let her on the school cricket team because she thinks Ellyse is too small. Could life be more unfair? Luckily there's still club cricket with the Hoppers! They're a sure bet to make the grand final and Ellyse can't wait to get out onto the pitch with her mate Jamie.

'Can Ellyse handle the challenges of high school and still find time for all her sporting pursuits?' (Publication summary)

'When cricket season is over, there's only one thing to do . . . play soccer!

'Soccer season is here and Ellyse is desperate to pull on her boots and start dribbling and defending. Unlike club cricket where she is the only girl on the team, her best friends Charlie and Jazz also play soccer and it's so much fun! But on the day of their first training session, the girls tell Ellyse they don't want to play soccer this year – there are too many other things to do now they're in Year Seven. Ellyse is disappointed but has an idea to try to get a girls team together at school! However, things don't go to plan at school or at training: Ellyse is targeted by one of her own Hawks teammates and this scares off the girls from joining the school team.

'Will Ellyse find a way to deal with the bully and convince her schoolmates to join in the soccer action?' (Publication summary)

'Things are touch and go when Ellyse decides to add another sport to her schedule!

'Ellyse can't wait to start touch footy again with her new team - touchdowns are the best! But with homework piling up and training every night of the week, is it all getting too much too handle? As much as she doesn't want to, it looks like Ellyse is going to have to make some tough decisions.

'There's also the drama at school with her best friends, Jazz and Charlie. One minute things are great, and the next their friendship is falling apart. Maybe getting selected for the regional touch footy team will help take her mind off things.

'Will everything sort itself out or is Ellyse going to have to learn to step up and face things head on?' (Publication summary)

'Ellyse is bursting with excitement – she's been invited to try out for a new youth soccer academy along with her friends Hu and Jamie. Could this be the start of something big? Fingers crossed!

'But that's not the only thing. Cricket season has started up again and there's both school and club competitions to play. Certain that she can do it all, Ellyse won't slow down. That is, until she finds herself in danger of disappointing everyone around her. Man, growing up sucks sometimes!

'Will Ellyse finally have to choose between cricket and soccer?' (Publication summary)