An absorbing window into recent history.
A young boy living in Soviet-era Czechoslovakia finds his loyalty tested when he must choose between his father and the game he loves.
Set in 1963, the novel follows 10-year-old Lukas and his poor but happy and close-knit family. Lukas loves reading contraband hockey publications and dreaming of the NHL. When Lukas’ family gives him and his brothers ice skates and hockey sticks, the boys eagerly learn how to play hockey at the nearby outdoor rink. Lukas’ and older brother Denys’ skills on the ice are quickly noticed, and they’re recruited by a local youth league. Life under the watchful eye of the secret police is stressful, even more so when Lukas discovers that his father is hiding something. Then the worst happens—Lukas’ dad is arrested for crimes against the state. Under pressure by the secret police to throw a hockey game, Lukas and Denys make a difficult decision that affects everyone around them. Rosner strikes just the right balance, weaving in historical context in manageable tidbits that never feel dense or overwhelming. She maintains suspense through strategic pacing as Lukas encounters peril. Though this is a work of fiction, an author’s note reveals an interesting historical parallel.
An absorbing window into recent history. (historical note, map of Europe in 1963, glossary, discussion questions) (Historical fiction. 8-13)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2024
ISBN: 9781773067377
Page Count: 200
Publisher: Groundwood
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An emotional, much-needed historical graphic novel.
Sandy and his family, Japanese Canadians, experience hatred and incarceration during World War II.
Sandy Saito loves baseball, and the Vancouver Asahi ballplayers are his heroes. But when they lose in the 1941 semifinals, Sandy’s dad calls it a bad omen. Sure enough, in December 1941, Japan bombs Pearl Harbor in the U.S. The Canadian government begins to ban Japanese people from certain areas, moving them to “dormitories” and setting a curfew. Sandy wants to spend time with his father, but as a doctor, his dad is busy, often sneaking out past curfew to work. One night Papa is taken to “where he [is] needed most,” and the family is forced into an internment camp. Life at the camp isn’t easy, and even with some of the Asahi players playing ball there, it just isn’t the same. Trying to understand and find joy again, Sandy struggles with his new reality and relationship with his father. Based on the true experiences of Japanese Canadians and the Vancouver Asahi team, this graphic novel is a glimpse of how their lives were affected by WWII. The end is a bit abrupt, but it’s still an inspiring and sweet look at how baseball helped them through hardship. The illustrations are all in a sepia tone, giving it an antique look and conveying the emotions and struggles. None of the illustrations of their experiences are overly graphic, making it a good introduction to this upsetting topic for middle-grade readers.
An emotional, much-needed historical graphic novel. (afterword, further resources) (Graphic historical fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Oct. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5253-0334-0
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: June 28, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A page-turner for soccer-mad readers, whether fans or players.
Challenges on and off the field await a 12-year-old Ohio boy who’s unexpectedly invited to attend an exclusive soccer camp in England.
Leo K. Doyle may be a star forward on his YMCA league team, but after accepting a surprising invitation from a roving scout to attend a month of highly competitive tryouts for a Premier League youth development program, he finds himself far from home and, at best, in the middle of the pack. At the London Dragons camp, Leo, who’s cued as biracial, with a white dad and brown-skinned mom, makes friends with fellow players from around the world. He also wins an anti-American bully’s grudging respect and even helps his 19-year-old coach with a sweet gesture of apology for his girlfriend. But from the outset, the focus is on “the Beautiful Game.” Without letting up on the breathless pace for a moment, Layton packs Leo’s narrative with clear descriptions of skills and techniques both basic and advanced, sapient coaching, game strategies, and intangibles (such as team chemistry) that ultimately come together to set Leo apart from his bigger, faster, stronger rivals. Following a series of hard-fought elimination matches culminating in a high-stakes final in the big stadium under the eyes of the godlike professional team, Leo flies home in time for a dizzying final twist that sets up the sequel to this first entry in Layton’s popular British series.
A page-turner for soccer-mad readers, whether fans or players. (Fiction. 8-13)Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9781464267109
Page Count: 306
Publisher: Sourcebooks Young Readers
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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