Issy & Poppy kids adventure story

It was a morning of pale December sunshine in Monte Lope Álvarez, in rural Andalucía. This Issy & Poppy kids adventure story begins with the greyhounds stretching out in the courtyard, soaking up the light like lazy geckoes on a wall. Up on the roof terrace, Dad balanced a mug of tea, a packet of Garibaldis, and his book How To Be Right.

Issy flicked her ears. “Did you hear Dad talking to his school mate, Royston, about cricket?” she asked. It was just another curious moment in this Issy & Poppy kids adventure story, full of discoveries, giggles, and the promise of mischief.

🐾 Greyhound Gossip

Poppy tilted her head. “Royston? That sounds like a town in Hertfordshire. And crickets… we have those noisy things here at night.”

Issy replied, “Blimey, you know a town in England? Hertfordshire? No, cricket is an English game. When you’re in, you’re out, and when you’re out, you’re in. Or something like that.”

Poppy: “I heard it on LBC radio.”

🏏 Dad’s Story

Dad chuckled from the terrace.
“Girls, let me tell you about a match I went to. England vs Australia, Old Trafford, 1981. Ian Botham — who played for England — scored 118 runs. Dennis Lillee — the great Australian fast bowler — caught the ball on the boundary, but his momentum carried him over the line. Six runs for Beefy Botham!”

Issy tilted her head. “1981… that’s the last century!”

The greyhounds wagged their tails. “¡Madre mía!” said Poppy. “That’s like catching a ball and still losing it.”

🇫🇷 Fast Forward

Dad’s eyes twinkled.
“Years later, in 2003, at my restaurant in rural France, in the Limousin Perigord natural park, guess who walked in? Dennis Lillee himself! We reminisced about that match. He was a perfect gentleman, chatting with everyone.”

Issy and Poppy’s jaws dropped. “¡Qué historia!” said Issy.

🎶 A Song for the Occasion

Dad played an imaginary guitar and sang:
🎵 I don’t like cricket… I love it! 🎶

The greyhounds joined in with a howl. Dad strummed harder, adding verses:

🎶
I don’t like wickets… I bowl it!
I don’t like batting… I smash it!
I don’t like fielding… I catch it!
I don’t like Aussies… I cheer it!
I don’t like Beefy… I fear it!
🎶

Issy barked: “That’s catchy!”
Poppy wagged: “Catchy like Lillee’s catch… except he stepped over the line!”

🚐 Antonio Arrives

Just then, Antonio Tuerca, the village mechanic, appeared with a grin.
“Señor, the part for Florie the campervan has arrived. I’ll fix it later today.”

He scratched his head. “But tell me… ¿Qué es este cricket?”

Issy and Poppy exchanged a look. “Another mystery to investigate!” they barked together — perfect for this Issy & Poppy kids adventure story.

👻 Jasper Cartwheels In

Before Dad could explain, a blur cartwheeled across the courtyard. It was Jasper the bonkers rabbit, wearing his floral bathing cap.

Jasper: “Cricket? Easy! LBW means Lively Bonkers Wabbit! And a wicket is for balancing carrots!”

Issy and Poppy collapsed in giggles. Dad sighed.

🏟 The Village Cricket Plan

Antonio laughed. “Maybe Paco at el centro de salud could organise a cricket match on the five‑a‑side football pitch. He’s already the football coach for the village kids.”

Issy’s tail wagged. “¡Fantástico! Cricket on the football pitch!”

Poppy tilted her head. “But wait… Antonio Chispa could make a wicket. What’s a wicket?”

Dad explained:
“A wicket is three sticks in the ground, with two little bits of wood on top. The bowler tries to knock them down, the batter tries to protect them.”

Jasper hopped onto an imaginary wicket, balancing carrots on top. “See? Perfect for rabbits!” he declared, before tumbling over in another cartwheel.

📰 Match Report: Cricket Comes to Monte Lope Álvarez

By Issy & Poppy, Courtyard Correspondents

Venue: Five‑a‑side football pitch, tarmac surface, pale December sunshine

Ball: One bright yellow tennis ball (bounces unpredictably on tarmac)

Bat: Crafted by Antonio Tuerca from a sturdy olive branch

Wickets: Built by Antonio Chispa from scrap wood, carrots optional (thanks to Jasper)

Umpire: Jasper the bonkers rabbit, floral bathing cap, signals with cartwheels

First Innings
Dad bowls the opening ball. Paco whistles like a football referee. The tennis ball skids, ricochets off Jasper’s cap. Jasper: “Six runs to me!”

Commentary Box

Issy: “Blimey, that was faster than Botham!”

Poppy: “And Lillee’s in the field… except he’s Australian and not here!”

Mid‑Match Chaos

Jasper balances carrots on the wicket, knocks them over with his ears

Antonio Tuerca swings the olive‑branch bat, splinters fly, but the ball dribbles two metres

Paco shouts “¡Vamos niños!” as the village kids chase the ball like footballers

Issy howls: “That’s not cricket, that’s chaos!”

Final Overs

Jasper cartwheels across the pitch, declaring LBW means Lively Bonkers Wabbit

The tennis ball bounces into Florie the campervan’s wheel arch

Match abandoned due to laughter

Result

Winner: Jasper, self‑proclaimed “Champion of Carrot Cricket”

Losers: Everyone else, but only in runs — in fun, the whole village won

📖 Spanish–English Glossary

¡Madre mía! – Oh my goodness!

Qué historia – What a story

¿Qué es este cricket? – What is this cricket?

Señor – Mister / Sir

El centro de salud – The health centre

Fantástico – Fantastic

¡Vamos niños! – Come on kids!

Blimey – British exclamation of surprise (funny, mild, safe for kids)

Village Characters

• Antonio Tuerca – Village mechanic, always fixing something for Florie the campervan (tuerca = nut/bolt)
• Antonio Chispa – Owns the solar near Casa Adora, home to his dogs Chipi and Lika (chispa = spark)

This Issy & Poppy kids adventure story is part of the Issy & Poppy: Kids Edition collection — bilingual adventures with Issy and Poppy in Andalucía. You can explore the whole collection in the Kids Edition Hub.
Esta historia forma parte de la colección Issy & Poppy: Kids Edition — aventuras bilingües con Issy y Poppy en Andalucía. Descubre toda la colección en el Kids Edition Hub.

Footnote: AI images, my stories — The Flexible Chef.