Tag: hockey

Posted in Middle Grade, Non-Fiction, Non-fiction, Tween Reads

Sports Illustrated Kids has the info kids need for back-to-school sports trivia

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Sports Illustrated Kids is getting ready for the fall sports with the release of two need-to-have books for backpacks and bookshelves.

The Football Handbook, by Gary Gramling, (Aug. 2017, Time Inc. Books, $19.99, ISBN: 978-1-6330-007-6) is the perfect size for a sports fan’s backpack, and loaded with facts, stats, and football history. It’s essential reading for beginners and dedicated fans alike, with full-color photos, activities (so that’s how the guys in school folded those little paper footballs, all those years ago…), obscure facts, and need-to-know skills like how to draft a fantasy football team: the pizza is essential; my husband concurs. The “He Reminds Me Of…” section is a nice walk down Memory Lane for us folks of a certain age, with juxtaposed pictures, stats, and a bio on a “current guy” whose style matches that of an “old guy” gridiron great.

The National Hockey League (NHL) turns 100 this year, and Hockey: From Then to WOW! (Sept. 2017, Time Inc. Books, $19.99, ISBN: 978-1-68330-011-3) by the writers at Sports Illustrated Kids is part love letter, part time capsule, to the sport. The hockey rink endpapers set the vibe for you from the second you crack open the book, and an illustrated timeline of how hockey rules have evolved over the last century. (Can you believe that helmets weren’t mandatory until 1979?) Stunning photos of equipment and arenas show the progression of the sport and of sports technology. Legendary players, infamous fighters, and colorful characters all have a spotlight here, as do the best coaches. There are stats, sure – and then there are stats: the fan stuff. From the best playoff beards, fan fashion, and trading cards, to stuff thrown onto the rink and hockey games for fans, from air hockey tables to the latest in gaming, it’s all here.

Put these on your shelves where sports fans gather, and watch the circs fly. Great for middle graders and middle schoolers alike.

Posted in Early Reader, Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction, Preschool Reads

Gear Up! Sports Illustrated Kids Talks Hockey!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

si_hockeyMy First Book of Hockey: Mostly Everything Explained About the Game (A Rookie Book), by the Editors of Sports Illustrated for Kids (Sept. 2016, Sports Illustrated), $11.95, ISBN: 978-1618931771

Recommended for ages 4-8

Sports Illustrated Kids’ Rookie Books series are great for burgeoning sports fans, big or small. Hey, I’m honest: whenever I’ve needed to learn something from the bare bones, I’ve gone to the children’s section. It’s how I learned to crochet more than a basic single stitch, it’s how I’m relearning all the high school Spanish I forgot, and it’s how I learned exactly what goes on during a hockey game.

An illustrated, cartoony “rookie” appears on the endpapers and throughout the book, acting as our guide. through Hockey 101. He gears up in the beginning, putting on all of his protective hockey equipment, and shows up on every spread, offering fun side commentary over the action photos.  There are photos of real NHL players from several teams (don’t ask me who they are, please, I just learned what a slap shot is), with comic book word bubbles, big, fun fonts, and simple explanations to give readers a good starting point on understanding and enjoying hockey. Digital numbers add to the sports feel as the book, divided into three “periods” like a hockey game, breaks down what happens during each period.

There are great photos – think Sports Illustrated photography, after all – a glossary of terms, and a friendly introduction to the sport. Other books in the Rookie series include My First Book of Baseball and My First Book of Football. If they ever decide to release a My First Book of Soccer, I can guarantee it will circulate like wildfire in my library!

If you have sports fans in your community, these are a must-have. I’ll be adding a few of these to my shelves, and suggesting that my colleagues, who have field hockey teams in their communities, add My First Book of Hockey to theirs.