Pink Power.

Janet Collins is a freelance writer in Sechelt, British Columbia.

Hockey may be “Canada’s sport,” but—thanks in part to the biases of TV broadcasts—in most people’s minds it is also an exclusively male game. As a member of the 1990 Team Canada women’s squad, author Lorna Schultz Nicholson knows otherwise. Canadian chicks with sticks also have a story worth telling.

Pink Power follows the trials and tribulations of the 1990 women’s world hockey championship. From team tryouts to the jersey controversy and devastating injuries, Nicholson provides more than a blue-line seat view—she gives a true insider’s version of events that led up to the team’s ultimate victory.

Young readers will find the text easy to read. A handful of photos helps build the connection between reader and subject. Inclusion of a glossary will help readers unfamiliar with international hockey wade through some of the technical jargon. After reading about the team’s highs and lows, having an epilogue that tells what happened to each of the players after the winning game is a nice touch. Interestingly, hockey is not mentioned in all of the follow-up profiles; does that mean some members never put on skates again after the winning game?

In addition to being a great story about a pivotal point in Canadian sports history, Pink Power may also inspire young readers to take up hockey themselves, if they haven’t already. And it will doubtless serve to motivate all readers to follow their own dreams. Recommended.