Freddie Meets Freddie - Chris Cowdrey
Blue Cow
Books ISBN: 0955322502 Buy
it Now
We all need heroes,
it doesn't matter what age you are, we all need one. They
shapes our lives; guide us along an invisible path without,
more often than not, ever meeting them.....
 I
was going to start this review with something else
but I am shocked, deeply
shocked ! We now know the truth surrounding Glenn McGrath's
injury during practice at Edgbaston last summer - according
to Chris Cowdrey it was Freddie, number 75!
I can see it now, relations between England and Australia
will be strained, it'll be Bodyline all over again if
Flintoff caused the injury! Hold the presses ...I
know what you are thinking but you're wrong! Freddie
turns out to be a cute, loveable and adventurous shiny
cricket ball owned by schoolboy Billy, Chris Cowdrey's
first book in a series of animated adventures.
The book is aimed at children aged 7 to 13 but in all
honesty adults will enjoy this too - it certainly put
a smile on my face when I settled down to
read it. The colourful journey begins on the front
cover where we meet Freddie number 75 bounding down celebrating
a wicket, thumbs up and sporting a broad smile
from seam to seam!
Chris Cowdrey, eldest son of the great Colin Cowdrey
(Lord Cowdrey of Tonbridge CBE) came up with the idea
for the adventures of ball number 75 or Freddie as he
has been christened. Completing the book, rather attractively
I may add are illustrations by Tony Brooks. Chris
was given a red leather cricket ball by his father when
he was at Wellesley school, his first real cricket ball.
It was branded with the number 75, just like Freddie
was, so that he wouldn't lose it. Unfortunately
real life imitates art or is it the other way around
and Chris lost his ball when it was hit into
the trees a year later - he felt exactly how Billy felt,
sadness.
We now have the idea behind Freddie's first adventure
and what an adventure it is. Billy's ball travels to
Buckingham Palace to catch a glimpse of the Queen where
he is unceremoniously dumped into a rubbish bin resting
there for the night after a very long and tiring
day. The following morning he is swept up
by a team of dustmen and after a brief journey finds
himself at Lord's, the home of cricket and scene of
many a classic match. A kind soul picks him up
and takes him inside the hallowed gates so he can join
the other Australian practice balls. he bumps into
Mike Kasprowicz on the field during practice and
the Aussie paceman calls Freddie a skunk! Freddie
vows to make Kasper pay for this! Buy
it Now
The book then follows last year's Ashes series but with one
big twist, but I'm not going to spoil it for you,
you'll just have to read the book! The book has truly
captured what a cricket ball would mean to a young child
growing up and how much he or she would cherish. To
a sports mad kid, it's like your first bike or your
favourite toy - it goes everywhere with you, even bed!
I touched briefly on the fact that the illustrations
were by Tony Brooks and have to say he has done a sterling
job here. The cricket ball has been given an array of
emotions, facial features and a great deal of fun. My
favourite image from the book is that of Freddie settling
down for the night in his five star accommodation, the
covers at Lord's ahead of the first Test! Armed with
a toothbrush and a wink he dreamt of Billy and how much
he missed his friend. It's not until Edgbaston, dubbed
the Greatest Test of All Time, that he meets his hero
Freddie Flintoff and together they team up to beat the
Aussies.
 Freddie
meets Freddie is a fun, colourful and energetic
book that will prove fun for all the family.
Proceeds of the book will go towards a charitable cause
called Chance to Shine for which Chris Cowdrey is an
Ambassador. Chance to Shine is the cricket foundation's
campaign to regenerate cricket in State Schools. www.chancetoshine.org
If you would like to order the book
and get a signed copy then just log in to Chris
Cowdrey's website and order. Otherwise
just order through Amazon Here
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