Playing Up

Meet Little Davey Warner. He lives in Sandhill Flats with his mum and dad and his brother Steve – and his stinky dog Max. Davey and his schoolmates –even Max – are MAD for cricket. All they want to do is play … but there's always something getting in their way.

In this second book in the series, Davey wishes he could be as good a cricketer as his older brother Steve, who's always telling him to practise more. And there's nothing else that Davey and his mates like to do more – the classroom is as good as the playground, right? Mr Mudge, the Year 6 teacher and absolute grump, doesn't think so, especially after being donked on the head by the ball, and confiscates Davey's precious bat, 'Kaboom'.

What's Davey going to do without his precious bat? It's like a part of his body. And of course a selector has turned up at club training, and Davey's HOPELESS without his bat. He's really happy for his mate, Sunil, though, who the selector taps on the shoulder.

Davey's feeling pretty down – that is, until Steve asks him to play up and fill in on his team for a big match. Davey's ecstatic, but then realises that without Kaboom, he'll let his brother down. He's GOT to get Kaboom back … but how? And why does Mo Clouter think he can find it? In the meantime, Davey will keep practising, but will he be good enough to be play with his brother?