Only a fellow Canadian could have written such a fun hockey-loving book. Three familiar Canadian animals have to wait for hockey season to enjoy their frozen lake. But in the meantime there’s a lot to eat... Any hockey lover in the making will love this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Kids Can Press for this free ARC in return for my honest review.
Super book. Fun book. So wonderful to finally get a book that has no hidden meanings, no messages, or lessons to be taught. This is a book about having fun with 3 animals as they attempt to play their favorite sport - Hockey! Good illustrations and it is just refreshing to have a kids book that is not an attempt to teach kids something, only to have some fun. Remember to be young is to have fun in whatever you do, even reading!!

3 friends are ready to play ice hockey, but they have to wait for the lake to freeze over. Its an OK story, and will be loved by young hockey fans.

A cute book about three animal friends who can't wait to play hockey... except the weather isn't cooperating. I thought hibernation would factor into this book more than it did, but it's still a fun book great for hockey lovers!

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own and are unbiased.

5 hockey sticks/5
Hockey in the Wild is a story of 4 wildlife friends who love hockey! The characters, a beaver, moose, bear and cardinal are charming and engaging. My 10 year old, who loves playing hockey, enjoyed the story and stated that she liked how the beaver "never gave up" which is important for hockey. She also appreciated the characters overall passion for hockey on and off the ice including being patient for the ice to be ready and fitness training to prepare for the rigors of hockey. Most of all, remembering that hockey is about having fun with your friends! The illustrations and character renderings were inviting and the fun word play captured my kiddo's interest eliciting an organic read and laugh out loud experience. As a Mom and hockey parent I feel Hockey in the Wild scored, bar down!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for an electronic ARC in return for an honest review.

A passable story of three friends too eager to play ice hockey on a frozen pond, and forced to wait. It would be interesting to see at what age your child reacts to this with "but mummy, that bear would be hibernating by then!" - it certainly is loose with the biology of it all. But heck it has a moose, a bear and a beaver, all friends and all playing ice hockey, it has a beaver doing his stretches naked before he puts his swimming trunks on – it has their pet bird in goal for the hockey with no protective gear whatsoever – it's just bonkers. And a little bit throwaway as a certain kind of bonkers can be.

I Love These Guys

This is the seventh, or so, book in the "Life in the Wild" series. All of the books feature a nutzy Beaver, a mellow Bear, and a strong-silent type Moose. And a quiet little pink bird who keeps an eye on things.

The first books in the series had mild little messages about cooperation, and compromise, and teamwork, and the like. That was fine because the messages were just gentle little reminders. Here, though, it's hockey, hockey, hockey, all the way down. The lake is frozen, but it isn't frozen over hard enough to play on, so we have to wait, and eat and nap, and wait, and wait some more, and then get into shape, in order to play hockey!

"That's it?", you say. Well, first off, that's enough. Second, well, it's hockey. Interestingly, while some of the books are strong on snappy patter, this one shines in the art. The characters are all at peak charm. They are funny as they break through the ice, they are engaging as they slob around eating junk food and waiting for deep winter, and they are especially appealing when actually playing hockey. Indeed, the page on which they are all shown decked out in swimmies and floaties and water vests, (in case the thin ice breaks), is worth it right there.

So, it's visually clever, the story is dry but mellow; it's charming, upbeat and energetic. I felt better after reading through it. I love these guys.

(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)