Little Ash: Lost Luck by Jasmin McGaughey and illustrated by Jade Goodwin

Title: Little Ash: Lost Luck

Author: Jasmin McGaughey and illustrated by Jade Goodwin

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: HarperCollins Australia

Published: 3^rd November 2022

Format: Paperback

Pages: 64

Price: $9.99

Synopsis: Australian tennis superstar Ash Barty teams up with Jasmin McGaughey and Jade Goodwin to bring young readers this fun and exciting new illustrated series about school, sport, friendship and family.

Ash has a fun hockey game coming up, but on the day of the match she wakes up on the wrong side of bed. Everything seems too hard, and Ash just can’t seem to look on the bright side. Will she let her miserable mood ruin her day?

~*~

Ash is going to play hockey with James – as she is filling in for someone who is away, but when Ash wakes up, everything seems to be going wrong, from the weather, to missing hockey gear, to the wrong breakfast and a muddy field. Ash feels like she has lost all her luck – can she find it and play the best game she can play with James?

The sixth book in the Little Ash series focuses on sport again – a hockey game, and the idea that you need luck and everything to go right to play a good game or to have a good day if you’re not into sports. This series continues to celebrate diversity and friendship, and family within a broad spectrum of sports. I loved that in this one, everyone tries to help Ash and reassure her that it will all be okay – and they all have different ways to help her throughout the day as she builds up to playing her big game.

However, one of the most important things about the Little Ash series is that whilst it has sports within it, it is one of those series that could have a wider appeal. Yes, kids who love sport and play sport will likely gravitate towards this series – each book has Ash in sports gear and with sports equipment on the cover – as it relates to the story, and the large tennis ball with the series title also indicates the sports-focus. Yet as I previously said, kids who aren’t into sports might enjoy this book too for the family, friendship, and lessons about being brave and being able to talk about what is worrying you and finding solutions to your problems.

The solutions Ash, her family, and friends use in each book aren’t unique to sports and can be used to solve many problems and worries. This is one of the things I have loved about this series, because it has something for everyone. I hope that fans of the series love this addition, and that other readers enjoy it as well.