Review
Good story - well suited for younger audience of 11 - 12 yr olds. Story has sufficient plot to maintain interest, and it offers some good 'life lessons'. The relationships between father & son, adolescent friends, youth player & adult coach, and amongst hockey teammates are well done. I think the story flows well from beginning to end. The story has an (age & stage) appropriate 'voice' for the thirteen year old protagonist, and his friends.
I like the way that the main characters develop - Tom matures and learns the fun of playing a team game. Tom learns to accept Billy and sympathizes with his family problems. And Billy accepts Tom and together they win. Coach Brantford recognizes that his approach and punishing Tom isn't helping the team, so he apologizes. Well done. --Dave McColl, Canada
Product Description
Hockey Player For Life is a story about a 13 year old can't miss hockey player who misses. The story deals with his rising up after falling down and the subsequent mistakes he makes. The main character, Tom, is his hockey team's best player and he gets invited to be on a all star team in Canada and he thinks this is the beginning of his march to the NHL. He's never really faced any adversity and he leaves his hometown team which ends up missing the playoffs without him.
He plays in 2 tournaments in Canada before being unceremoniously cut. He returns to his old team and must earn his teammates and his coach's respect back. He becomes good friends with the team s worst player and they share a great bond and the worst player teaches him what it means to be a hockey player for life!
About the Author
HOWARD SHAPIRO lives in Pittsburgh, PA with his wife and two sons. The Controller for the Pittsburgh-based graphic design firm, BD&E Inc., he has also written three children s books. The fourth, Hockey Player For Life, will be published in October, 2008. His first three books (Hanukkah Counts Too!, Destructo Boy & Spillerella...We Are Who We Are! and Hockey Days), combined, have sold over 3,500 copies to date. He has received positive reviews in The Jewish Monthly Magazine, The Canadian Jewish News, Pittsburgh Magazine and the Hockey News. His book, Hockey Days, was the only book featured in the December 2007 Sporting News Annual Gift Guide as a Best Buy Gift for Children. He has been published in the National Business Employment Weekly and his short story, Waterfall (White Knuckle Happy), was featured in the Literary Fragments Espresso Cafe, A Short Story Collection. For more information, please log on to howardshapiro(dot)net
