AustLit

'A car accident at three years of age resulted in a spinal injury that put him in a wheelchair. So any dreams that Ian Simpson might have had of being a stand-up comedian were not going to be fully realised - at least not the 'stand-up' part. But this Paralympian and history teacher has never believed in taking himself seriously, and in his new memoir, Rolling with the Punches, Ian writes of the different perspective on life that his view from a wheelchair has given him. In the first extract below he tells of his life in hospital as a three-year-old a few weeks after the accident, and in the second extract he recounts his childhood attempts to get involved in sport, despite the obstacles.' (Publication abstract)

'Meet four very different girls who all have one thing in common – they love to dance!

'Eleanor Irvin is ten years old, and dancing is her everything. Tap, ballet, lyrical, and ballroom – she's tried it all. But her favourite style, by far, is jazz.

'When Miss Caroline, the owner of Silver Shoes Dance Studio, announces she will be selecting dancers to perform in the upcoming Jazz Groove Dance Competition, Ellie is over the moon! There's only one problem, she's not so good at auditions. Actually, there might be a few problems – Ellie's dance enemy, Jasmine, seems determined to ruin her chances and the new girl, Ashley, is really talented. Will Ellie be able to overcome her nerves and hold on to the spotlight?' (Publication summary)