A Game of Keeps

Ashley is a young girl who lives with her mum and her pet guinea pig Froggie. Ashley wants to grow up to be a dancer or actress and she desperately wants her mum to buy her a puppy.

What Ashley wants most, however, is for her mum and dad to get back together. Ashley loves her mum and dad, but it is hard when her dad is away so much travelling with his band and her mum goes out with her friends, leaving Ashley at home alone. Will Ashley ever have the family that she longs for?

A Game of Keeps is a thoughtful junior/middle fiction novel by award-winning Australian author Dianne Bates. This story shows how modern families can be made up of neighbours, friends, and others willing to help and support people through challenging situations.

Read with a parent or in the classroom, A Game of Keeps offers ample conversation starters about family dynamics, friendship and community.
A Game of Keeps is a touching story that reminds readers that things don’t need to be perfect for us to find happiness and a sense of belonging.