One Hockey Night by David Ward with Brian Deines

Backed by Northwind Press, author David Ward and illustrator Brian Deines bring us a story of how two kids new to the neighborhood make all the friends they could ever want thanks to their father's grand Christmas gift - a back yard hockey rink!

The book is titled One Hockey Night. Their previous release, The Hockey Tree, was a real gem of a story so my expectations were high with their new project.

I was not disappointed.

The story is a heartwarming story of hockey and holidays. The story is very well written. Even the earliest of readers (the book is aimed at readers aged 4 to 8) can feel the emotions in this easy to read text. Many kids will certainly relate to having to move away from their friends and home. But the grand surprise at the end of the story will make any reader smile and feel good. And the illustrations nicely compliment the book.

The best part is there really are two main characters here - the hockey loving son Owen, but also the goaltending star daughter, Hollie. This book is perfect for either a boy or a girl.

Buy The Book - Amazon.ca - Chapters -Amazon.com
Also available in French

Here's the specs:

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: North Winds Press (Sep 1 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0545989957
• ISBN-13: 978-0545989954

Here's more from the publisher, North Winds Press, a division of Scholastic:

Owen and Holly have just moved to Nova Scotia from Saskatchewan and everything is different. There are still boxes to unpack, and playing hockey in their new driveway just isn't the same as skating around the frozen lake back home. Neighbours come around to help their mom and dad, but with Christmas only a few days away, Holly and Owen really miss the friends they left behind. Little do they know that this year, a special surprise awaits them. On Christmas Eve, their father reveals what could very well be the best gift ever - a brand new backyard ice rink, filled with a whole community of new friends! With breathtaking artwork and a poignant story filled with holiday spirit, this wondrous new picture book will warm the hearts of all who read it.

About the Author - David Ward counts C.S. Lewis, Lloyd Alexander, his students and their story-filled lives as huge inspirations to his storytelling. He is also the author of the Mask fantasy trilogy. Raised in Quebec and Vancouver, he currently lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife and children. His website is www.davidward.ca. Brian Deines is an acclaimed Canadian children's book illustrator who has been nominated for the Governor General, Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz and Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon awards for his work. Brian lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Buy The Book - Amazon.ca - Chapters - Amazon.com
Also available in French

If you are interested in this title, I'd also recommend:

• The Hockey Tree also by David Ward and Brian Deines