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.

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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.

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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

The Hockey Tree by David Ward

Heavyweight children's author Robert Munsch is the favorite to win top children's hockey book billing in 2008, but there is some notable competition.

I especially like The Hockey Tree by David Ward with illustrations by Brian Deines. It is published by Scholastic.

It's a great story about a family outing playing hockey on a frozen pond.

With Humboldt Lake finally frozen over, Owen and his sister Holly can’t wait to get down to the lake for a day of hockey. They race back and forth with their dad, passing and shooting, enjoying the great Canadian game.

But then they lose their puck into an ice fisherman's hole! Owen and Holly are dejected that their day of hockey has come to an early end. But the game isn’t over yet. Dad has a plan. But they have to find the perfect hockey tree.

I won't spoil the plan, because I thought it was a real ingenious idea. Perhaps the folks out on the frozen plains of Saskatchewan know all about such hockey trees, but for this west coaster I had never heard of such a brilliant idea.

And while the story is simple and nostalgic, Brian Dienes soft illustrations really create the perfect atmosphere for the book. Readers of all ages will appreciate Dienes' work.

This 32 page book is actually the paperback release of the 2006 original book. It is a highly acclaimed title, winning such accolades as Resource Links Best Of The Year 2006, Shining Willow Award 2007 and OLA Best Bets 2007. It was also nominated for the Chocolate Lily Award in 2008.

If you have a youngster in your life, The Hockey Tree would be a great addition to his or her library. The book is listed as aimed at 4 to 8 year-olds.

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