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 is a UK-born Canadian/Australian who lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, with her husband and daughter. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia. Gabrielle is the author of the verse novels Capricious and Audacious, which was shortlisted for a CLA Award, and The Frail Days in the Orca Limelights and the middle-grade novel Pandas on the Eastside. For More information, visit www.angelhorn.com.

Gabrielle Prendergast's profile page

• Commended, Best Books for Kids & Teens -- Canadian Children's Book Centre

"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."

Canadian Children's Book News

"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!

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"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."

CM: Canadian Review of Materials