Taking the Ice
Author: Lorna Schultz Nicholson
Publisher: Scholastic Canada
Can Aiden learn to stand his ground on his new home ice?
Meet Aiden Mallory. He’s trying to find his bearings while coping with the loss of his father — an NHL player who died in a car accident — and moving back to his dad’s hometown of Prairie Field, where he is STILL a big deal.
Aiden loves hockey, but his feelings about moving and his dad’s death cause him to struggle at tryouts. Then the minor hockey association announces a brand-new U13 tournament: the Luke Mallory Memorial. As Aiden tries to find his place on his new team, and among his new teammates, he will do anything he can to live up to his dad’s legacy. But what happens when Aiden’s determination to play well puts everything else at risk?
From Lorna Schultz Nicholson comes a powerful portrayal of a boy’s experiences with anxiety as it relates to sports and friendship and grief.
There are novels that include some ice hockey action, and then there are true ice-hockey novels with nonstop, satisfying hockey action, characters and storyline. Author Lorna Schultz Nicholson, a former hockey player and coach herself, serves up the latter.
Sixth-grader Aiden is not just reeling from having lost his hockey-legend father. He is struggling to adapt to a new town and team, put up with a bullying teammate and live up to his father’s reputation. This novel isn’t about how he plays so much as how he rises above these challenges by finding his inner coach and learning to generate positive energy.
Unfortunately, the novel is a slow starter, and Aiden is so steeped in self-defeating thoughts, negativity and insecurities that it’s initially difficult to like him, let alone empathize with his situation. He’s super hard on himself.
Of course, that cloud eventually lifts and he slowly but surely makes friends and breaks through the pessimism. Soon it’s difficult to put the novel down, whether you understand all the hockey jargon and moves or not.
The team members are ethnically diverse and include two sparky, hardcore hockey girls. There’s also a loveable janitor slightly mentally challenged, and a hockey grandpa who is charmingly forgetful.
There are poignant scenes where Aiden tries talking to his dad at gravesite or in his mind, and comes away with the comfort and confidence he needs. High or low, the emotions feel very authentic.
His stomach started turning over and over, like a rolling wave. Water pooled behind his eyes. Was his one friend already not his friend? He shook his head and sat up straight. He had to think about practice and nothing else. Ever since his dad died, he had trouble controlling his emotions. He’d be okay, then bam, something would happen, and he’d be blubbering. So what if Jory wasn’t his friend? He let his shoulders relax and tried to breathe deeply, just like the doctors had said, and it seemed to help. At least the tears didn’t come out to embarrass him this time.And the writing often sings.
Aiden didn’t know how old Ned was but thought his wrinkled face looked like an old baseball glove that was comfortable and well worn, especially when he smiled.But apart from the characters (whom one really comes to care about), and the clever twist near the end, the hockey action is rich, real and constant, a true treat for those who love ice hockey.
- P.W.Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV2kLGPWYyY2tZtvw1RD6_A
YAdudebooks.ca author profile of Lorna Schultz Nicholson: https://yadudebooks.ca/lorna-schultz-nicholson/