BUTTER FINGER

Riccardo is the smallest boy in his class at school in the West Indies, and he loves the game of cricket. He’s a walking cricket encyclopedia and can rattle off the averages of every West Indian test match player in history, the names of all the cricket grounds in the world, and just about anything else having to do with the game. But Riccardo also loves poetry and music, especially calypso. When he’s cut from the team after missing an important catch, Riccardo is despondent. He wanders the island, taking refuge in his poems. One day he meets the eccentric Count Crayfish, renowned for his triumphs in the island’s Calypso Competition. Together, they hatch a plan that allows Riccardo to help the team in a most unexpected way. Calypsos contributed by the acclaimed poet John Agard lend an authentic rhythm to this appealing story, which rings true for young readers from all backgrounds.