The Colourful World of Poppy Starr Olsen

by Jess Black
Published by Penguin Random House
ISBN 9780143778837

A true story of Australia's creative Olympic skateboarder for readers in the 9 - 12 year age group.

Twelve year old Poppy Starr Olsen admits she's a bit of dreamer, actually she dreams a lot. She loves her creative side just as much as she loves swimming and skateboarding. She also loves her family and her mum who is called Thomas, that's not her real name, but Thomas is the name she answers to.

Poppy is quite a daredevil, when she tells her parents she wants to go cliff jumping, her mum becomes quite startled when she realises that Poppy actually means jumping off the cliffs in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

Poppy's younger sister pipes up that's what cliff jumping means. Encouraged by her father, she jumps into the sea and loves it.

It is adventurous, light hearted and fun, as we meet her family which includes her pet dog Clancy. Poppy finds out that she isn't allowed to enter the skate boarding competition, but then suddenly there's a change of mind and she is allowed to enter. Just as that's settled there's a hitch. The competition can't go ahead. Not one to let that stop her, Poppy finds a way to make it happen while still keeping up with her school work, home work and her art.

As if that wasn't enough to keep a girl busy, Poppy Starr Olsen is also concerned about the environment. When the family move to Bondi she realises there's more to the sea than the sparkling water, with a whole world of wonder below the surface and she is keen to do whatever she can to preserve it's beauty.

At the end of each chapter she's included fun facts such as who invented to the skateboard.

This is a well-written exuberant book, you can almost feel her energy bouncing off the pages.

It would make good everyday reading, especially for the holidays and may inspire young readers.

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