Home Ice by Lorna Schultz Nicholson

The Canadian Olympic hockey team dominates hockey discussion in this country (well, at least outside of Toronto), and that is going to into overdrive with 2010 Winter Olympics coming to Vancouver in February 2010.

Publishers and authors are all over this, knowing Team Canada and Olympic titles will be hot sellers this Christmas season. HB Fenn and veteran author Lorna Schultz Nicholson are offering a solid title for kids and young adult hockey fans with Home Ice: Canada's 2010 Men's Olympic Hockey Team Guide.

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Officially licensed by Hockey Canada complete with a foreword by Steve Yzerman and an introduction by Bob Nicholson, the book features profiles of all 46 NHL players invited to Team Canada's Olympic orientation camp back in August 2009. 23 of those players will comprise Canada's Olympic team. The other 23 will be after-thoughts, making this title a bit unnecessary. A book of this quality featuring only the 23 players who do make the team would make for a nice keep-sake. With Canada not naming the actual Olympic team until December 31st, publishing deadlines makes that almost impossible.No doubt there will be spectacular magazine releases and tons of television and online coverage to commemorate the team well before the Olympics.

Perhaps why this book is aimed more at the juvenile market. Schultz-Nicholson is a veteran youth writer, offering excellent biographies. The team at HB Fenn put together a beautiful book with glossy pages and color action photography throughout, as well as statistical compendiums for kids to devour.

Perhaps the most interesting inclusion in the player profiles is a black box of fast facts for each player, where we can learn fascinating facts about them. Did you know that Sidney Crosby's favorite band is Great Big Sea, or that Vincent Lecavalier's favorite tv show is Dexter or that Jason Spezza appeared in a Minute Maid commercial at the age of 5?

If you're looking for some Team Canada/2010 Olympic material for a youth on your Christmas shopping list, this would be good title. For an older and more sophisticated fan, you may want to consider Canada's Olympic Hockey History, 1920-2010