Hockey in the Wild (Life in the Wild)

by Nicholas Oldland (Author) Nicholas Oldland (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

The lovable Life in the Wild trio can't wait to get out on the ice to play hockey. Except, well, they're going to have to!

It's wintertime, and the bear, the moose and the beaver can't wait for hockey season to start. They're so eager, in fact, they head out onto the ice before it's thick enough, and they all fall through. Twice. While they wait for the lake to freeze, they try to take their minds off hockey. There's competitive napping. Karaoke. Lots of comfort food. Until, at last, the day arrives when the ice is ready. But, after all that time not being active, are they ready?

Part of the bestselling Life in the Wild picture book series from Nicholas Oldland, this funny romp is, at its heart, a love letter to the sport of hockey and the joys of playing in the wild outdoors. Oldland's distinctive dry humor shines here, making this a fun read-aloud. But the hilarious visual story --- including the character's facial expressions and numerous asides --- mean children, even nonreaders, will also want to spend time with the pages on their own.

Children who love hockey will appreciate the friends' devotion to the game and the difficulty of waiting for conditions to be just right, but every child who has had to wait for something (that is, every child) will relate to the situation. In this, the book offers some character education lessons on patience and perseverance. Separately, there are connections to healthy outdoor activity and winter safety.

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Kirkus

... the tale of persistence, friendship, and devotion to sport with its understated humor and anthropomorphic north woods critters will charm readers ...

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2--The beaver, bear, and moose are back for another adventure. When the beaver tries to go for a swim one chilly day, he discovers that the lake froze over and excitedly informs the bear and the moose of this fact. Donning hockey skates, the friends rush out onto the ice but quickly realize it won't support their weight. Even life jackets fail to keep them from plunging into the frigid water, so the disappointed trio goes home to wait for even colder weather. To pass the time, they sing karaoke, cook "lots of comfort food," and nap, but when true winter arrives they hit another snag--they have grown too out of shape to play hockey. After an intense five-day dieting and fitness session, the team finally gets out on the ice and to enjoy the long-awaited game. Oldland's digital illustrations, with their earnestly expressive protagonists, bring humor to the otherwise straightforward, plain-spoken plot, although some of the points can lend themselves to a discussion about patience, perseverance, and healthy eating habits. VERDICT An enjoyable winter story featuring a sport not often depicted in picture books, this is for young hockey fans or anyone who enjoys anthropomorphic animal antics.--Yelena Voysey, formerly at Pickering Educational Lib., Boston Univ.

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

 
Nicholas Oldland
Nicholas Oldland enjoyed success as a commercial artist before taking up the role of creative director at Hatley and Little Blue House, popular apparel companies he runs with his brothers. He is the author-illustrator of the Life in the Wild series and Dinosaur Countdown. Nicholas lives in Toronto, Ontario, with his family.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781525302411
Lexile Measure
570
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Kids Can Press
Publication date
September 01, 2020
Series
Life in the Wild
BISAC categories
JUV039060 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Friendship
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV032110 - Juvenile Fiction | Sports & Recreation | Hockey
Library of Congress categories
Friendship
Forest animals
Hockey
Hockey stories

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