Wild League on Ice

Steve Pitt is a Toronto-based freelance writer and an award-winning journalist. He has written many young adult and children's books, including Day of the Flying Fox: The True Story of World War II Pilot Charley Fox.

“The town was alive with excitement and cheer! The Wild League was
having its championship here. / The Nice villagers worked incredibly
hard, to make this the best Wild League tourney by far! / The Pi-Rats,
the Eagles, the Wolves, the Red Bears, the Canooks, the Wabbits, (a team
full of hares) / arrived amid cheering and fanfare and song, at a
welcoming bash that would last all day long! // A mean old ice-dragon
nearby in his lair, awoke and observed this all with a stare. / I’ll
put an end to their games and their fun! / Maybe then, I’ll be able to
get some sleep done!”

At first glance, this story seems to be the Return of the Grinch,
Canadian-style. The quality of this narrative, however, lifts it well
above a mere Dr. Seuss parody. The illustrations, by author/illustrator
Jim Brewster, are wonderful. The animal characters dash, swirl, creep,
and soar across every page. Even the background layouts draw the
reader’s eyes. Young readers will enjoy the story of a bunch of
hockey-playing animals who discover that their unique skills can save a
village from a crushing ice storm. For those who suspect there is a
crabby Ice Dragon in their neighborhood, two pages of Red Cross
emergency tips are included at the back of the book. Highly recommended.