THE COLOURFUL WORLD OF POPPY STARR OLSEN BY POPPY STARR OLSEN AND JESS BLACK

The Colourful World of Poppy Starr Olsen is a great collaboration between the skateboard champion and writer Jess Black. Readers are invited into Poppy’s busy life. Along with her family and friends Poppy has a lot going on. When she hears about a skateboard competition at her local Bondi Beach skate park, she is excited and tries to enter. While going through the forms she has to fill in, she realises there is no place to enter as a girl – it’s only open to boys! Then, the comp itself is threatened by the local member of council who believes all skate parks are dangerous and lead to vandalism. Poppy, with the help of her family and the fantastic support of her friends decides to tackle these set-backs one by one.

 The book is sprinkled with interesting facts about the history of skateboarding and the terminology of both skating and surfing. The layout flows well and is interspersed with fun pictures drawn by Poppy. Its chatty style makes it easy to read and the short chapters broken into sections add to the friendly vibe. Jess Black has written over 40 children’s books and is the co-author to many more. Her style is perfect for this type of story based on a real personality.

This novel is a wonderfully positive glimpse into a famous Australian’s life, just before her career takes off. Poppy’s actions and thoughts through the book, showcase what dedication and effecting change can do to help create possibilities for all. The themes of friendship, family, advocacy, determination and the rewards of practising the thing you love, all are explored here.

 For Ages: 9-11 years

Number of Pages: 240

Published: August 2022 Puffin Books

Themes: Family, friendship, advocacy and determination