bookgazing (
bookgazing) wrote2009-10-01 03:32 pm
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Move Over Mighty Ducks
Justine Larbalestier posted an interesting interview last week where she talked to Doret of the Happy Nappy Bookseller about teen girls who are into sports and what’s available for them to read. I just wanted to give them a big old yay for highlighting this issue and for handing out recommendations for books with sporting female heroines. I may not be a sporty girl myself (long story short last year I was lifting weights and getting really fit, feeling powerful, then this year it went by the side as my work moved further away from a gym, hoping to get back to working out next year because I love the adrenaline rush), although I do like to watch sport as long as it isn’t football (sorry rest of the UK) but give me a movie about sports, or a book and I will be happy for the rest of the day and many days after.
Sports films are just as addictive as dance movies (off to see Fame tomorrow by the way) for me and have several similarities I think, although I don’t tend bring that up so much when I talk to guys about them. I like the bad ones best (Mighty Ducks, Bad News Bears, True Blue, Alleycats, Rocky, Wimbledon) I have seen that Disney film about the boxer who joins a competitive skipping team several times and I still haven’t seen Chariots of Fire, which I’m sure means I am off to a special very snobbish movie hell. These films are cheesily inspirational, but they also have lots to say about team work, about diligence and about individual passion.
Recently I’ve developed this taste into an interest in sports fiction. ‘Because I am Furniture’ really reminded me what I like about books featuring sporty girls (they’re natural, they form friendships when they play team sports, they’re hard working and they’re quite happy to sweat) and for me one of the best parts of the second ‘Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants’ books was the way Bridget regains her fitness, as a way of shaking off all the bad feelings she’s harbouring. I want more good stuff featuring girls, boys, women, men, who place an interest in sport at the centre of their lives but decent fiction on this subject can be so hard to find. So thanks Doret for helping me find more of these novels and for reviewing books about girls involved in diverse sports.
Now all we need is a speedway novel, with so many young riders riding to a high standard and issues of class being so high in the sport and the allocation of areas where it can run it seems perfect YA territory. Anyone want to have a go? Our very own young rider Tai Woffinden, destined to ride in the playoff final this year, would make a great character model (yes that’s right Wolves are going to the final, it’s very possible we might win the league this year!).
Sports films are just as addictive as dance movies (off to see Fame tomorrow by the way) for me and have several similarities I think, although I don’t tend bring that up so much when I talk to guys about them. I like the bad ones best (Mighty Ducks, Bad News Bears, True Blue, Alleycats, Rocky, Wimbledon) I have seen that Disney film about the boxer who joins a competitive skipping team several times and I still haven’t seen Chariots of Fire, which I’m sure means I am off to a special very snobbish movie hell. These films are cheesily inspirational, but they also have lots to say about team work, about diligence and about individual passion.
Recently I’ve developed this taste into an interest in sports fiction. ‘Because I am Furniture’ really reminded me what I like about books featuring sporty girls (they’re natural, they form friendships when they play team sports, they’re hard working and they’re quite happy to sweat) and for me one of the best parts of the second ‘Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants’ books was the way Bridget regains her fitness, as a way of shaking off all the bad feelings she’s harbouring. I want more good stuff featuring girls, boys, women, men, who place an interest in sport at the centre of their lives but decent fiction on this subject can be so hard to find. So thanks Doret for helping me find more of these novels and for reviewing books about girls involved in diverse sports.
Now all we need is a speedway novel, with so many young riders riding to a high standard and issues of class being so high in the sport and the allocation of areas where it can run it seems perfect YA territory. Anyone want to have a go? Our very own young rider Tai Woffinden, destined to ride in the playoff final this year, would make a great character model (yes that’s right Wolves are going to the final, it’s very possible we might win the league this year!).