Gretzky's Game (Hockey Heroes Series)
Gr. 1-3. Ryan worries that his small stature will keep him from making a select hockey team, the Oil Kings. His dad, however, encourages him to use his speed and intelligence, reminding him that Edmonton Oilers superstar Wayne Gretzky makes up for his lack of size with speed and hockey savvy. The remainder of this picture book parallels Ryan's season on his junior team with the Edmonton Oilers' Stanley Cup-winning season. Banning's realistic, colorful illustrations add a lot to the story, especially in the paintings that evoke the world of backyard hockey rinks. The text features some words or phrases in a larger font; there's no particular reason why this needed to be done, but the bold, large-type words are not off-putting. A final page gives further details on Gretzky's hockey career. For young, hard-core hockey fans.Todd MorningCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved