One girl's fight for the right to play footy and support her country.
Set in Melbourne in 1942, Maggie Flanagan is missing her older brother who is off fighting for his country. Practising her footy and supporting her beloved St Kilda Football Club are the most important things to 12 year old Maggie until the day the nuns at her school suggest a fundraising event to help support the troops. Maggie has the daring idea to stage an all female footy match which does not go down well at all. Girls should run bake sales and have a sewing stall, they definitely should not be doing something so unladylike as to play footy! Well, Maggie has different ideas...
Felice Arena has set his story in an era where women and girls are starting to see greater opportunities presented to them. The war has seen many of the men leave so jobs and traditionally male roles are opening up to women. This is a fascinating snapshot of an era when gender roles were being questioned and determined girls like Maggie were changing the world, one footy match at a time.
Recommended for ages 8 - 12
Reviewed by Jenny