Does Hockey Love Kids?

Dave Jenkinson is a professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba and the author of the “Portraits” section of Emergency Librarian.

Tony, a Grade 5 student, wants to quit hockey because the game is no
longer fun. Parents and coaches are placing too much emphasis on
winning. Then Tony receives a reply to his letter to Hockey Night in
Canada commentator Don Cherry. In response to Tony’s question, “Did
your Dad criticize you, Don Cherry, when you were a young hockey
player?,” Cherry relates an incident that occurred during his Junior B
days. Following a bad game, Cherry’s father, instead of criticizing
him, pointed out some of his good plays. Throughout his coaching career,
Cherry adopted his father’s positive approach. When Tony shares
Cherry’s letter with his parents, they promise to try to make hockey
fun again for Tony.

Christopher Meuse, a special education/resource teacher and certified
hockey coach, concentrates too much on his message and not enough on
telling a good story. Jeannine Meuse’s black-and-white illustrations
capture neither the characters’ emotions nor hockey’s exciting
action. Not recommended.