Specky Magee and the Spirit of the Game follows the adventures of a young fourteen year old boy named Specky, who is a very talented and skilled footballer. Specky’s friend, Brian Edwards, invites him to spend a weekend with his family who live in Rivergum, which is situated along the Murray River.

There he plays Grassroots Football for the first time and against adults. But much more is riding on this one special match that Rivergum is in that could either make them well-off, or it could foreclose them entirely.

The main themes from this book included racism against the poor, the line between rich and poor and patience. The main message of the book is take your time, and to never get to cocky.

Overall, this is a very enjoyable and thrilling book, which has great appeal to its audience; young teenagers and children. The content of the book is very realistic and when you read it, it will make you feel like you are actually there. It’s very hard to put the book down once you start reading it. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Australian Rules, Outback Australia or anyone who would like to read about Underdog stories.
5 stars ( )