Last Girl In: Kerry-Ann Fights to Stay in the Game, by Cheryl Diane Parkinson

“A true celebration of British Caribbean culture, friendship and family. ..characters like Kerry-Ann are so powerful in promoting change.” The Reading Zone Book Reviews

• Selected for the Reading Agency’s Summer Reading Challenge 2023

• Longlisted for the Branford Boase Award 2024

Kerry-Ann loves cricket – of course she does – her Jamaican grandpa taught her to play as soon as she could hold a bat! Whenever she can, Kerry-Ann heads to the local club for a match with her friends.

But now some of the club’s elite cricketers want to keep the ground for themselves – and keep out Kerry-Ann and her team. So Kerry-Ann devises a daring plan to beat the bullies, and she's about to gain inspiration from a very unexpected place.

In this time-slip tale with a touch of magic, Kerry-Ann finds out about the obstacles that her grandparents faced when they first arrived in England as part of the Windrush generation... and how she must follow in their footsteps to fight for fair play, and continue enjoying the game she and her grandpa both love.

Reading Resources - Windrush Cricket

Click the link above or take a look at our Teacher Resources page for reading notes that encompass Windrush Cricket - the important role that cricket played both in Caribbean and in the UK, in battling prejudice, for the Windrush generation.

Editorial Reviews

“Gorgeous inter-generational relationships & brilliant to see girls playing cricket, with a bit of uncomfortable UK history to get the reader thinking.” Caroline Fielding – Children’s librarian, CILIP YLG London Committee and TeenLibrarian Review Site

“This story really is a true celebration of British Caribbean culture, friendship and family. The love of cricket and its deep roots within Jamaican heritage are woven into this story beautifully. It highlights the gender issues of sport that once existed and allows the reader to understand why characters like Kerry-Ann are so powerful in promoting change... it promotes a passion for women in sport." The Reading Zone Book Reviews

I loved the use of language and the important aspects of history that I’ve been educated on…a really powerful portrayal of the horrific racism seen at the time and the bravery of those marching. The Primary Book Box – review site for children’s books

"I have never played cricket before so I thought that I wouldn’t like it, but when I read the first page I couldn’t wait to find out what happens and kept turning the pages to see. I was glued to the book and stayed up late to finish it...This book taught me to stand up for what is right and what is wrong." Books Up North - book reviews for children, by children.

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