A junior fiction series written in partnership with Netball AustraliaMeet Maddy and her friends from the Gems!Maddy can’t wait to play her first game of netball with her new team. She’s been training hard and is eager to try out her skills. But Maddy’s excitement soon turns to nerves when she realises that things might not go exactly as she imagined. What position will coach Janet put her in? What if she gets asked to sit on the bench? Suddenly, the netball...

A junior fiction series written in partnership with Netball AustraliaIs being a Gem enough for determined Lily?Lily comes from a family of great netballers and dreams of playing for the Diamonds one day. She loves being on court and jumping for every intercept. But Lily’s worried that she might never be tall enough to make it as a professional player. How can she get people to look past her height? To add to Lily’s troubles, something mysterious is going on...

A junior fiction series written in partnership with Netball AustraliaWill Maia ever fit in with the Gems?Maia’s just moved to Australia from New Zealand and is finding it tough. She misses her cousins, her netball team and the way everything used to be so familiar. Even her school projects are reminding her that she doesn’t belong. When Maia’s mum signs her up to play for the Marrang Gems, things start to look up. That is, until Maia realises that even the ...

A junior fiction series written in partnership with Netball AustraliaCan shy Phoebe find her place in the Gems?Phoebe loves to shoot goals, and she’s great at it too. She dreams of being a famous netballer and playing in front of thousands. The problem is that she’s nervous all the time, even around her teammates – and there are only seven of them! Why can’t she make friends as easily as Lily and Sienna? Things don’t get any easier when her overenthusiastic...

Why does Prani feel she has disappointed the Gems?Prani is the comedian of the Gems. She never takes anything too seriously, even netball, and loves having fun with her teammates. But when Coach Janet enters the Gems in a netball tournament and asks them to use set plays, everything changes. Now that there are more rules on the court, Prani can’t move like she used to and begins to feel that she is letting the rest of the team down.Will Prani be able to fin...

Will Sahar become the newest member of the Gems?Sahar has only recently arrived in Australia but she's already found friends in Sienna, Lily and Maia. And when she sees them practising their netball moves, something inside Sahar sparks. Having never played netball before though, she doesn’t believe she could be the player the Gems need – that is, until she gets out on court! However, it looks like some creative thinking will be needed in order for her to join the te...

Rachel tightened her ponytail as she took up the position of Wing Attack. She knew what Mr E said was true, but this was her chance to impress the talent scouts. Rachel's big dream - her only dream - was that one day she would play netball for Australia. Rachel loves netball. She plays the game, reads about it and tapes all the big matches. She's willing to do anything to realise her ambition to play in the rep team. Just when she has the chance to be noticed, everything goes wrong. Now sh...

Regional Screening Day is one step on the way to their dream. If they don't impress the selectors tomorrow, that could be it. At fifteen, their chance to play elite netball could be gone. For Rachel and Sophie, playing representative netball is a dream that consumes almost all of their time. And when a chance to try out for the Zone Squad arrives, the girls can hardly believe that they are on the brink of realising their dream. Yet when tragedy strikes Sophie's family, Rachel realises that...

A junior fiction series written in partnership with Netball AustraliaCan Jade learn how to bond with the Gems?Jade has big plans to be a successful netballer in her favourite position, Goal Attack. She comes from a super competitive sports-mad family and wants to show everyone, her family included, that she’s got what it takes. But so far, Jade’s single-minded attitude has only succeeded in putting the rest of the Gems offside. Can Jade find a way to open u...

A junior fiction series written in partnership with Netball AustraliaDoes Sienna still have time to play for the Gems?Sienna is crazy about netball, especially playing Goal Keeper. But Sienna’s other passion is horse-riding, and when her Uncle loans her a beautiful palomino to ride at Pony Club, Sienna is ecstatic. That is, until she realises that between netball and horse-riding she barely has a spare minute. Soon, Sienna is exhausted and both her schoolwo...

Marcus is a Maths whiz who is not good at sport. His dad is a self-help author who thinks Marcus can achieve anything he sets his mind to...with hilarious results. In illustrated diary format, Marcus's gentle, satiric humour and comic drawings will have readers laughing out loud while learning a surprising amount about rugby.

In the days of Roch’s childhood, winters in the village of Ste. Justine were long. Life centered around school, church, and the hockey rink, and every boy’s hero was Montreal Canadiens hockey legend Maurice Richard. Everyone wore Richard’s number 9. They laced their skates like Richard. They even wore their hair like Richard. When Roch outgrows his cherished Canadiens sweater, his mother writes away for a new one. Much to Roch’s horror, he is sent the blue and white sweater of the rival To...