Sam the Zamboni Man
PreSchool-Grade 2?Matt's grandfather drives the Zamboni at a huge hockey stadium. When Matt is invited to visit him in the city, the boy is treated to a front-row seat at his first hockey game. He enjoys the action and waves proudly when his grandpa clears the ice during the break. After the game, his grandpa laces up some skates and, in the darkened stadium, shows the boy how he used to play hockey when he was young. The following night is even more special, as his grandpa sneaks them into the empty stadium, turns on all the lights, and lets Matt steer the Zamboni. This warm and gentle story may attract young hockey fans, but the relationship between the boy and his grandpa is more central. Neither character emerges as a distinct personality, though the shared love of the sport clearly connects the two. Harvey Stevenson's watercolor illustrations reflect the action well, subtly moving from scenes of calm conversation to the more lively action on the ice. Several views show young Matt from behind. Like the text, this technique moves the focus from the boy as a character to the sights and sounds he experiences. The result is a pleasant but unexciting book that gains appeal from its unusual subject matter.?Steven Engelfried, West Linn Public Library, ORCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.