STORYTIME WITH STEPHANIE

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Hockey but Make it Super Heroes!

If you live in Canada, chances are you have read a book about hockey. Perhaps it was fiction, perhaps it was non-fiction but given Canadian’s passion for the sport, there are a wealth of books on the market featuring our national pastime. So how do you make your hockey book stand out? Kevin Sylvester has the magic formula in his new series Hockey Super Six. In the fist book, The Puck Drops Here we meet the Super Six and learn their origin story. There are monsters, an evil villian and even some schoolyard bullies to round out the action in this ridiculous and engaging early middle grade book.

Fans of The Bad Guys will LOVE this story. The book is peppered with illustrations, comic breaks, large text fonts and mayhem. Just like David Walliams does with his books, Kevin has created a really accessible and engaging story, especially for any reluctant readers. He also throws in some excellent really big words to help readers expand their vocabulary. Hockey Super Six will appeal to seven year olds and 14 year olds alike. It’s an excellent book to help readers gain confidence while accessing an engaging and hilarious story.

If you are a fan of Kevin’s work or have been following him on social media you will know he is a huge sports fan. I LOVED all the sports puns and plays on words in the story. There are the Buffalo Jaybers and a robot named Ron Dell, shaped like a hockey puck, get it??

Another thing this book does right is representation. There are many people playing the game of hockey in many different ways in Canada. Kevin included a diverse group of friends as the Super Six, including disabled character who uses a sledge while playing hockey. Celebrating the different ways we play this game is so important for young readers to see. 

Looking forward to getting my hands on book two On Thin Ice!