Stupendous Sports Series by Robin Bennett
Stupendous Sports is a popular series for sports loving readers. A mix of fact, fiction and funny, these books are ideal for summer reading. Check out the blog from author Robin Bennett about his series.
Stupendous Sports Series
by Robin Bennett
When I was about fifteen and first tried my hand at writing something other than descriptions for teachers of frosty mornings or school holidays, one of my writing goals was to write books I wished were around when I was younger. I wanted to write books for anyone who didn’t like reading.
Because that was pretty me up the age of eleven.
And more than anything else I have penned, I think that the Stupendous Sports Series fits the bill. Terrible to admit, but stories about elves, ponies, unhappy children didn’t do much for me – or at least I didn’t get the point initially because you could get the same, even better, by watching TV or going to the cinema. It was less effort and all over in a couple of hours, which meant I could go back outside, chase a ball about and make as much noise as I wanted.
But an accessible book about something I was really interested in I would have very much liked. Conrad Smith, ex-All Black and co-writer of Rampaging Rugby, the first of the Stupendous Sports series, came at it from a slightly different angle. Growing up in New Zealand he said he was very interested in reading and also loved sport but found very few books that ‘did’ both or weren’t just lists or a bit preachy.
Going a bit deeper, I wanted the books to reflect the spirit of each sport: so not too fact-filled and not to take themselves too seriously because, after all, sport and reading have one thing in common – they should be fun.
Matt Cherry, who has spent a good part of his life he’s not getting back illustrating the series has enhanced what I have been trying to achieve immeasurably – and I am greatlygrateful. He has that knack or drawing pictures that tell a story and, whilst they are funny, they laugh with the subjects, not at them.
Once the series was commissioned by Firefly, we discussed formats. For a while, it looked like we were going for something large – an A4 annual-type thing. Bigger is normally better in my view but I remembered reading (and loving) Down with Skool by Geoffrey Willans not least for the fact it was small enough to stuff in my pocket, the better to take out and dip into either on my own or by reading the best bits with friends.
Above all, Stupendous Sports is a team read!