The Goalie Mask (Hockey Heroes Series) (Paperback)

by Mike Leonetti (Author), Shayne Letain (Illustrator) "It was a crisp Saturday morning in October and Grandpa was driving me to hockey practice..." (more)
Key Phrases: Jacques Plante, New York, Madison Square Garden

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 2-4 - A young goalie learns about the origins of wearing a face mask while playing hockey and gains confidence in his own skills in the process. After the coach tells Marc to stay in the net during games instead of attempting to handle the puck outside of the crease, Marc's grandfather gives him playing tips and encouragement. He also tells the boy and his friends about a game played at Madison Square Garden in 1959, when Jacques Plante, a famous goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens, was hit in the face with a puck and refused to return unless allowed to wear the special mask he had designed. Through practice and perseverance, Marc develops the skills and assertiveness to approach the coach with a plan to come out of the net and pass the puck to an open player, just like Plante. The illustrations are colorful and action-packed. Black and gray tones are used when Grandpa reminisces about 1959. A brief biography describes Plante's illustrious career. A good choice for hockey fans. - Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Description

Marc is a goalkeeper who thinks he's pretty good between the pipes, but the team's new coach doesn't agree. Marc is very upset, and his mom and dad are too busy with work and don't take any of this seriously. Then his grandfather, a former goalie himself, starts coaching Marc, using the story of the great Montreal Canadiens goalie Jacques Plante as a motivator. The hockey legend inspires Marc to new confidence, and he learns that older people can make a difference in younger lives, that perseverance pays off, and that it's okay to respectfully challenge authority.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Raincoast Books (December 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1551929295
• ISBN-13: 978-1551929293
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 9.4 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #710,958 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great bedtime story!, August 1, 2005

By	Thomas A Kentish "Bowler At Large" (Chicago, Illinois USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Goalie Mask (Hockey Heroes Series) (Hardcover)

I borrowed this book from the local library for my sports loving 2-year-old daughter, and since then she has asked me to read it every night. This is the first story I've read to her that has captured her attention for more than 15 minutes (it takes us about 20 minutes to get through the story). The illustrations are wonderful, especially for the younger set, because I can point to those things, like the different pieces of goalie equipment, that may be new to her vocabulary. What I found to be most amazing about The Goalie Mask is the way it captured her interest about the great Habs team from the late 50's, who would have thought that a two-year-old could be fascinated by the legend of Jacques Plante?!?!?!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for young hockey fans/players!, January 10, 2007

By	S. E. Anderson "hockey mom" (texas) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Goalie Mask (Hockey Heroes Series) (Hardcover)

We got this for our son for Christmas (he's a goalie age 8) & he loves it. Great book - wonderful illustrations. Highly recommend for your goalie or hockey lover.