Ruck in the Muck - Softcover

The hero of this story lives in the countryside, far away from the excitement and glamour of the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, (which we must now learn to call by another name) and he and his brother Samson have no playing fields nearby, only 'fields full of squelches' and cow muck, surrounded by rusty barbed wire and dilapidated farm vehicles. However, once their game of rugby begins, though, imagination transports them to the centre of Cardiff and they 'battle hard as nails', Samson valiantly representing England. There is no holding back in this game which is as full of incident as the real thing, with bloody noses and some tackling which might occasion a red card if the ref were not a tolerant blackbird. However, all ends well and although Wales are triumphant, the boys leave the field 'in union'. The story is attractively told in rhyme and as the game begins, the rhythm speeds, effectively conveying the build-up of excitement. Some rugby terms, such as 'jink' and 'dummy', fit seamlessly into the narrative so that the commentary feels authentic. The illustrations by Adrian Reynolds add to the book's appeal; the countryside is sketched in pale colours with the focus where it should be on the faces of the children and their emotional involvement in the game. I liked the way, at the climax of the match and the winning try, the book has to be turned sideways so that the height of the kick appears far greater. Finally,the game over, the rhythm resumes the more leisurely pace of the opening pages and the players go home for tea. This is a well written, exciting story for pre-readers or those who are beginning independent reading and it deserves to be popular. Wendy Crockett -- Welsh Books Council

In this exciting and vividly illustrated story, a field of thistles and muck becomes an international stadium for a tense match between two brothers. The crowd is waiting. Are you ready?