Just So Stories

Penguin Australia

July 2023

• ISBN: 9781761340611
• Imprint: Puffin
• RRP: $19.99

I’d be pretty certain that when Uzzy was growing up and dreaming of being a Test cricketer, he didn’t ever imagine he’d be the subject of either a song or a children’s book, but here he is – one of our most inspirational players in a long time, and a role model for so many youngsters.

Our first Pakistani-born Australian and Muslim to wear the baggy green, Usman Khawaja won over not just the cricket fans but Australia at large with a triumphant come-back worth of Nellie Melba.

His determination and passion for the great game as a boy saw him rise to the ranks of test cricket but after being dropped from the team, and with a second child on the way, Uzzy thought his cricketing career was behind him. A career of both lows and highs went into a hiatus but came back with a resounding whack of the willow in 2022, when Uzzy made twin centuries in the 4th Ashes Test. What a player!

And legend of music, poet of the people, Paul Kelly was moved to put Khawaja’s story to music in a YouTube clip that went rocketing in stats. Now Kelly’s lyrics lauding this new giant of the Australian cricketing landscape are shared in this beautiful picture book, which little people will not only love for its story and fantastic, realistic illustrations but for love of the sport as well.

While the official release date is still a couple of weeks off, how could I resist putting this post up today as we once again applaud Uzzys achievements in the current Ashes, and more particularly his ‘grace under fire’ in the face of the particularly unprofessional unsportsmanlike and nasty verbal spray from England’s Ollie Robinson. And what a fabulous example of resilience, goal-setting and self-belief Uzzy is for our littles.

Well played Kwahaja! Let’s see what we can do hey?

Highly recommended for your little readers from Prep upwards but I’m also certain that your older cricket fans will enjoy it as well.