Amazing Stories: Maurice Richard

One of the newest additions to the popular James Lorimer and Company Amazing Stories series is Maurice Richard: The Most Amazing Hockey Player Ever. It is written by Chris Robinson, who, among many projects, previously wrote Stole This From A Hockey Card about Doug Harvey.

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The Amazing Stories series, attractively priced at $9.95, is a set of true and Canadian stories from the past. These mass market paperbacks are aimed at younger readers, yet I do not find the writing to be too young to insult an older reader by any means.

In fact, this is a solid introduction to the great story of one of hockey's all time greats, regardless of age.  While there are no shortage of literary offerings on Rocket Richard. And this one offers nothing new. But this book nicely covers the basics, and very possibly will encourage the reader to dig deeper and look at other books on the subject.

All in all, this is a solid stocking stuffer idea for the budding hockey history buff on your shopping list.

Queens of the Ice by Carly Adams

Another new book in James Lorimer and Company's fine RecordBook Series is Queens of the Ice: They were fast, they were fierce, they were teenage girls by Carly Adams.

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Here's more from the publisher: In 1931, a group of ten teenage girls from Preston (present-day Cambridge), Ontario, enlisted the help of the top women's sport journalists of the era, and the Preston Rivulettes hockey team was born. Within a decade the team became so good that no other team would dare to play against them. Yet the struggles these young women faced are ones that women can still relate to today, including criticism for aggressive play and fighting, lack of financial and fan support, the right to govern their own sports organizations, and ice time that went to boys' and men's teams first.

Here's the specs:

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
• Paperback: 136 pages
• Publisher: Lorimer (September 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1552777200
• ISBN-13: 978-1552777206
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 0.4 inches

Jordin Tootoo: First Inuit To Play In NHL

Another new book in Lorimer's popular young adult Recordbooks series is Jordin Tootoo: The highs and lows in the journey of the first Inuit to play in the NHL. This book is written by Melanie Florence, a proud Cree and full time journalist and now children's writer based in Toronto.

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Here's the specs:

• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher: Lorimer (Sep 13 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1552775313
• ISBN-13: 978-1552775318

Here's more from the publisher, Lorimer:

Hockey is a relatively new sport in Canada's North. It wasn't until 2003 that Jordin Kudluk "Thunder" Tootoo became the first Inuk to play in an NHL game. Although hockey is a rough sport to begin with, Jordin Tootoo is known for having to "fight his way through." Jordin has had more than his fair share of fights -- both on and off the ice. He's had to overcome the social problems that are associated with the North, fight his way through the discrimination and culture shock he encountered after leaving Rankin Inlet and moving to Alberta to play in the Juniors, and see his way through the grief of losing his NHL-bound older brother and hero, Terence Tootoo, to suicide in 2002. This new biography explores the struggles and accomplishments of the most recognized role model for young Aboriginal and Inuit people today.

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