Various, Super Sporty Girls, Penguin Random House Australia, April 2020, 40 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781760896058
Super Sporty Girls is a picture book in the trend of other recent publications about amazing Australians or wonderful women in the world. It profiles famous Australian sportswomen such as tennis star Ashleigh Barty and the Matilda’s Sam Kerr, as well as women from less well publicised sports such as golfer Hannah Green and BMX rider Caroline Buchanan.
This bright and animated picture book encourages girls to imagine the many different forms of activity they could get involved in – and not just for the physicality. It champions the fact that these women and their sports can teach us to practise other skills, such as perseverance (hurdling), teamwork (hockey), courage (AFLW) and inner strength (surfing).
This book would be an ideal addition to any home or school library. As a young girl, I often felt like sport and physical activity was beyond me – I was (and still am!) uncoordinated and rather intimidated by “sporty” kids. This books shows not only the breadth of activity available to girls, but also the many positive benefits of participating. Teachers could use this as a jumping off point for an inquiry into inspirational Australians.
Reviewed by Madeleine Crofts
