Hi everyone, I planned this post several weeks ago and in the beginning I was intending on giving you a few short reviews in one post. Since then, I’ve had to think really hard about my choices and decided on giving you just one book instead. To be honest, the majority of sports-themed teen reads I found had very few scenes on the field and more indoors, so I had to abandon that strategy and look further. In the end, the title I decided to review came to me by way of one of my colleagues in the library I work for. (Thanks Kathy 🙂) I hope you all enjoy the title I’m sharing with you this week.
Title: Slice of heaven
Author: Des O’Leary
Genre: Fiction – Contemporary NZ
Publication details: Makaro Press; Wellington, 2018
ISBN: 9780995109247 (Paperback)
What this book is about: Life for Sione and his mates at Manawahe East High in South Auckland is pretty sweet – a slice of heaven. But one day when they’re in after-school detention there’s an emergency. Another school has turned up for a softball game but the Manawahe Junior Boys team has gone awol. Sione, TJ, Hieu, Jordan and the rest are hurriedly pulled out of detention and onto the field to form a replacement team, with Leilani, TJ’s younger sister, in charge of the equipment. The problem is none of them can play and they really want to learn… at least not at first. Slice of heaven is a novel about a bunch of young people surprised at sport, that is pitch perfect, funny and packed with life as it’s lived in South Auckland.
My review: I hadn’t laughed and cried so much since I read Wonder all those years ago!! The hilarious and descriptive writing in this debut novel describes life in a typical high school from South Auckland. Our young hero, Sione, and his young friends accidentally become the school’s softball team and learn not just the basics of the game, but also how to navigate their way through the type of life that exists in that part of Auckland, especially for young teens. I can tell you that many people who reside there live surrounded by gang violence and economic hardship. Sports of all kinds is the life-blood of teens here in Auckland and I loved how O’Leary captured the essence of it all in the pages, even if Sione and his friends were not keen on softball to begin with. Filled with dialogue that tickles your funny bone and all the teen dramas you find in any given high school, Slice of heaven is definitely worth getting stuck into. Some strong themes of violence, bullying and racism amidst those of friendship and the meaning of being in a diverse family are present so it’s advisable for slightly older readers. I like how O’Leary intertwines the scenes of their lives at home with what they get up to at school, giving a well-balanced panoramic view. An engaging and captivating read that paints a wholesome picture of life in South Auckland!!
My rating: 4 ⭐
Additional notes: This title was nominated for the New Zealand Children and Young Adult Book Award for Best First Book in 2019.
Quote I liked:
“…Our children have been friends a long time. They share the same culture. Their world is not the same as the world we grew up in. Sometimes they make mistakes, but most of the time, we can be proud of them. …You seem to get the important things right, Sione.”
Dad to Mr. Sala’ilua and Sione
Miss Mahee's Library of Reads 