Tennis Shoes

By Noel Streatfeild

Published Jan 2010

Nicky’s eye was glued to the ball. She returned it perfectly. There was a roar of applause and a great deal of whispering. From that first crack of applause she was lit up. She remembered all she had been taught. She felt quick and light: not herself at all.

There was no doubt about it – the red-headed Heath children had tennis in their blood. Their grandfather and father before them had been top players, and the twins were champion material.

Then Nicky – cheeky rebellious Nicky – starts to practice. In secret. But talented at tennis as she is, the ambitious Nicky first has battles to win with herself – on and off the tennis court.

A sharp and funny story by an enormously popular children’s author – and Noel Streatfeild’s favourite book.