Kate's Really Good at Hockey tackles the single-mindedness that we can all get when doing what we love. Through the vibrant illustrations and realistic dialogue, Kate's story is revealed to be much more than just about hockey. As a 13-year-old girl, Kate takes a big trip to a summer hockey camp in Colorado where she stays with a grandmother that she doesn't know very well. Through trials with girls and coaches at camp to not knowing quite what she wants to say to her mother over the phone, Kate learns that secrets can sometimes be too much. This is a wonderful story of the relationship between mothers and daughters and granddaughters, hockey, friendship, and what things are truly important in life. Knowledge of hockey is not necessary to enjoy this heartwarming tale.

I loved this book. It's a great story about not giving up in the face of adversity. Mixed in is a story of family love and how secrets can hurt. Sometimes you just have to reach a little further and push a little harder to achieve your goal and get closer to the ones you love.

Kate's Really Good at Hockey is a middle grade graphic novel about 12-year old Kate. She gets accepted to an elite ice hockey camp for girls. When her mother tells Kate that she'll be staying at her grandmother's house while she attends camp, Kate gets upset because she doesn't know her grandmother that well and feels like they have nothing in common. Kate runs into trouble at hockey camp when one of the other girls isn't nice to her and plays dirty, yet the coach won't find fault with the "mean girl". Kate gets frustrated...

This was a cute book perfect for middle grade kids who are interested in sports. It is definitely about much more than just hockey. It also has a good message about sticking with something you love and finding connections with friends and family. In the end it is a heartwarming story and I recommend it to young graphic novel fans.

This graphic novel blew me away. I loved that the main character in this book is a girl who plays a sport (hockey) that is typically for boys. Kate is really good at hockey, and she is invited to participate in a special hockey camp. While at camp, she stays with her grandma and discovers information about her family. She also faces some other challenges from the other coaches and players. In the end, Kate learns valuable life lessons both on and off the ice.

I loved this graphic novel!

Surprise! Kate is really good at hockey and when she is selected to go to girl's hockey camp in Denver all of her dreams come true but once she gets there she realizes her Grandma isn't interested in hockey and therefore isn't very supportive. Worse, she is bullied by other players and feels so discouraged she wants to run back to all that is safe and familiar.

Will she have the courage to stand her ground and face adversity? This book is about hockey on the surface but it's really about grit, determination, family, and perseverance.

Thank you to Christina M. Frey and Howard Shapiro, Animal Media Group LLC and NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great end for the Hockey books by Howard Shapiro,.Been honest, the first one was is my fav, but this isn't a good one, is just that wasn't exactly my cup of tea.

I loved that this focused a lot on self discipline and hard work. I also really enjoyed the family dynamic between her mother. I found it refreshing to see a mother be so invested in her daughters hobby and dreams. I really found Katie and her grandmas storyline the most important. I wish that dynamic was more focused on in other children's books. All around I would highly suggest this book for all children!

"Kate is really good at hockey" by Christina M. Frey and Howard Shapiro is a graphic novel/comic about a girl (Kate) who gets an opportunity to go to a summer hockey camp which is the first step on her to-do list to be a great hockey player. But nothing goes according to the plan. Her mother has forced her to live with her grandmother who she has nothing in common with and who doesn't care about her. Two girls at the camp don't like Kate and break every rule possible just so they can win. Both girls are couch's favorite, so they get away with everything. The problems increase when she finds out a family secret.
The book goes through Kate's life as she tries hard to get motivated when nothing is going as she wanted.
I loved the expressions on the characters. The artist drew them amazingly. The comic tell about how women sacrificed and fought for their rights in the past and are continuously doing so. This book is for middle grade children who like sports. Comic lovers should get it too.

I haven't read many graphic novels, but I have enjoyed the ones I've tried. #KatesReallyGoodAtHockey is no different. Kate is a relatable character that is trying to navigate family, friendships, and hockey. The story is told through flashbacks where Kate is explaining her summer at hockey camp to her friends at school in the fall. Along with difficult team members, Kate has to deal with family secrets. I think my students would enjoy this book. #NetGalley

All Kate really wanted was to spend her summer holidays in the super awesome elite hockey camp she got accepted, stay at the dorms, meet some more girls that are into hockey like her and make friends, and of course: Play hockey!

Part of that plan changed when her mom tell's her she's not staying at the dorms, but at her grandma's house, a grandmother who she really feels no connection as everytime she tries to start a conversation it falls short. Hockey is a no go, she never replies, school is also a no go she wants to focus on hockey this days! Also books? She's not into sci-fi like her grandma.

As the weeks pass along with the hockey camp, Kate works herself off on the ice while dealing with the bullies, the stoic couch who appears to like the bully way more, and secrets after secrets from her mother and grandmother. What's a girl to do?!

It was a really cute story, easy and fast to read, that was really heart-warming as Kate and her grandma slowly bond over the weeks! Very colorful with a nice art. And a nice message to the kids who pick up the novel!

I'm a big fan of Shapiro's, and this book is no exception to his good, fun stories. I love that this one had a female lead in a sport that is still lacking in female representation. The artwork was fun and bright.

"Kate is really good at hockey" by Christina M. Frey and Howard Shapiro is a graphic novel/comic about a girl (Kate) who gets an opportunity to go to a summer hockey camp which is the first step on her to-do list to be a great hockey player. But nothing goes according to the plan. Her mother has forced her to live with her grandmother who she has nothing in common with and who doesn't care about her. Two girls at the camp don't like Kate and break every rule possible just so they can win. Both girls are couch's favorite, so they get away with everything. The problems increase when she finds out a family secret.
The book goes through Kate's life as she tries hard to get motivated when nothing is going as she wanted.
I loved the expressions on the characters. The artist drew them amazingly. The comic tell about how women sacrificed and fought for their rights in the past and are continuously doing so. This book is for middle grade children who like sports. Comic lovers should get it too.
I received an ARC from netgalley in exchange of a review.

I read this graphic novel on my Kindle in black and white. The illustrations by Jade Gonzalez were well done and carried the story forward. The title by Christina M. Frey and Howard Shapiro says it all. Kate is so good at hockey that her mother sends her to stay with her grandmother in Denver to attend a high level hockey camp with other young female hockey players from all over the world. Unfortunately, Kate does not know her moms mother that well and grandma doesn't seem all that interested in hockey.

Kate works through a variety of situations and relationships both good and bad at camp. During this time she also learns some surprises about her grandma.

The book was an easy middle grade read. I assume that in any upcoming sequels we will learn more about Kate's father and brother who get a slight mention this time around.

Kate’s whole life is hockey, and she learns a lot about hockey, life, family, and friendship during hockey camp over the summer. I love that this story is about FEMALE hockey players and even touches on the discrimination in the sport. This is a great graphic novel for middle school age readers because of all the life lessons it has to offer, and the art is really great also.

Thank you NetGalley and Animal Media Group LLC for providing me with a copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.

I was expecting just a cute story about a girl that plays hockey, and I was pleasantly surprised to have the story develop into so much more. Kate IS really good at hockey, but in the beginning there is a lot about the game and her family that she doesn’t know yet.
Kate spends time with her grandmother while at a hockey camp away from home and learns some family secrets that change her way of thinking and helps her grow. The relationship between the three generations of women and how it changes throughout the story was the real story for me in this graphic novel. I would highly recommend it!❤️
Thank you to Animal Media Group and NetGalley for the chance to review this story in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are my own.

I loved this book!

This story doesn’t shy away from the hard parts about sports. Kate has a difficult coach at camp who criticizes her game. Sometimes tough coaches and teachers are great because they push you to be your best, but other times it can be frustrating and make you want to quit. However, not every teacher is like that.

Kate has to go outside of her comfort zone when she stays with her grandmother instead of in the dorms with the other girls. Her mom insisted she stay with her grandmother, and it turned out to be a great situation.

This is a great book for young athletes.

When Kate gets accepted to a prestigious hockey camp it is the most exciting thing that's ever happened to her... until she learns that she'll be staying with her grandma rather than in the dorms. Kate doesn't feel like she has anything in common with her grandma and like her grandma isn't interested in her life. But Kate's about to learn that family can be full of surprises.

I thought this was a fun little read. Kate is a relatable protagonist and I was rooting for her even when she was screwing up. The only part I wasn't big on was that the set up of the book is her telling the story of her summer to all of her classmates. I think the story was strong enough to stand alone.

Firstly, this book automatically made me smile since it was set at my own alma mater.

Kate's life is hockey. When she's accepted into the elite hockey camp, it's a dream come true. Until she discovers that she's to stay with her grandmother instead of in the dorms with the rest of the girls. At camp, things get tough. Not only is the coach extremely hard on them...especially on Kate...but two girls from up north are determined to make her life difficult. Nothing is fair, but Kate doesn't seem to be able to do anything to stop it. Mix is the problems with her grandmother and coach, and the dream is morphing into a massive disappointment.

It's wonderful to see a middle grade book with girls and hockey, and one that hits the game with all that hardness the game holds. Young hockey fans are sure to enjoy that. The graphics/illustrations are extremely well done and keep the tension and emotions as grabbing as the text. It reads smoothly and brings the characters to life, making them easy to cheer for.

The author rolls in several tougher themes along the way. These slide right into the main story line, come with fairly practical solutions and mold in so as not to become overpowering, allowing the story to stay front and center. It has a feel-good ending, which wraps up the ends nicely.

A young-teen redhead loves hockey. Considering the previous works from this publisher, this is not a surprise.
After a get-together with all her friends before school—it appears they’re just back from summer break—there’s long and very clunky exposition as to how she spent her time away. The scene switches to her having a hard time at hockey camp while living with a grandmother who doesn’t seem to understand her. The main players are from those hockey hotbeds of Tennessee and Ecuador. And of course there’s bullies.
Mom says such Mom things. If you’re only gonna have a few things in common with Grandma, might as well make them ice cream and bacon.
There’s a lot of repetition, but I suppose this is for kids. Most of it is pretty standard storytelling, but luckily—or unluckily, in the case of the characters—there’s a couple of major twists.
3.5 pushed up to 4/5

Kate's spent all year waiting to attend an elite girl's hockey camp. But camp isn't as great as she thought it would be. She's staying with her grandma, the girls at camp bully her and the coaches do nothing to help!

Will Kate leave early and head back to Tennessee? Or can she fight through the adversity and grow stronger?

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this graphic novel nearly as much as I did. The illustrations are very, very good, and the storyline is more than just hockey—it's about family, friendship, rivalry, adversity, teamwork and good sportsmanship. Okay. the last two are about hockey, but are great lessons that can easily be applied to more than just one particular sport—or life in general.

There are some pretty heavy topics (cancer, aging parents, discrimination, sexism, communication, relationships, discrimination, growing up, teamwork, forgiveness) in this graphic novel, but packaged in a way that is easily digestible for middle grade readers without being too overwhelming.

And in case you're wondering—Kate really is good at hockey.

My only complaint is that this graphic novel was too short.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.