Willie O'Ree: The Story of the First Black Player in the NHL (Lorimer Recordbooks)
More an isolated precursor than a true Jackie Robinson–style barrier breaker, Canadian Willie O’Ree played for the Boston Bruins in just 45 games between 1957 and 1961 (he had a fairly long career with pro and semi-pro teams in other leagues) and so will probably be unknown even to confirmed hockey fans. Nonetheless, because he was good enough on the ice not only to overcome racial prejudice but to conceal the fact that he had been blinded in one eye by a puck, his story is unusually compelling. In later years, he took charge of the NHL’s diversity programs and training. Mortillaro includes almost no game action in her admiring tribute, but she does paint clear pictures of the sport’s history and significance, especially in Canada, as well as the racial hostility that O’Ree braved through much of his playing career. There is no statistical table, and the black-and-white photos are both rare and murky, but the generous resource list at the end will be helpful to readers who want to know more about this undeservedly obscure player. Grades 4-6. --John Peters