Kid Konnection: Hockey Then to Wow!

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week I'm going to share with you another great book from Sports Illustrated Kids.

Summary: Hockey: Then to WOW! shows readers how the cool sport has evolved from the early days of its 19th century origins to the game as it is today. Using NHL action photographs, illustrations, stories, and trivia, the book is a journey through time both for hockey fans and those new to the game. Kids will learn how basic equipment has changed from a ball to a puck and how the evolution of game strategy has transformed the sport, players, and equipment. Players throughout history are stacked up against each other in every position so fans can dream up the perfect fantasy team with Wayne Gretzky playing alongside Patrick Roy and Stan Mikita. A fun-filled section of the book explores everything fan culture-from the best ice rinks, to the iconic hockey sweater and the hockey haircut along with key aspects of the toughest sport around. -- Sports Illustrated Kids

Hockey has really taken off in our area in recent years. I grew up in the South and I didn't know any kids who played this sport, but it seems like it's gaining popularity every year here in Central PA. Why I enjoy watching the occasional Penn State hockey game, I don't know a heck of a lot about the sport past the basics. That's why I found SPORTS ILLUSTRATED KIDS HOCKEY THEN TO WOW! to be a great resource for me.

Of course, HOCKEY THEN TO WOW! isn't geared towards middle-aged adults, but it is a quick and fun look at the sport. It's actually aimed at kids ages nine to twelve, but I would say that kids of any age would enjoy aspects of this picture book. HOCKEY THEN TO WOW! is a terrific book that does a great job of introducing hockey to newbies.

HOCKEY THEN TO WOW! shows kids just how much hockey has changed since it was created in the early 19th century. It delves into the the rules, the equipment changes, the origins of the players, the passion of the fans, and more. This book is so interesting, not only because of what it teaches, but because it has amazing color photographs that almost pop off the page. (The creators of this book cut around the figures to give it this fun appearance!) The book also provides information in many unique ways including time lines, graphs, and charts. I love the overall look and feel of this book because it's both fun and educational!

Another great thing about HOCKEY THEN TO WOW! is that it has loads of hockey trivia. I found this part of the book to be especially interesting because I don't know much about the sport. Outside of knowing the major players and teams in hockey, I really know next to nothing. I liked seeing the various graphics about hockey player's record setting achievements, and I also appreciated learning the basic rules of the game. Kids like Booking Son who love sports history will definitely embrace the sections that provide statistics and records.

Overall, HOCKEY THEN TO WOW! is a great book to introduce hockey to kids (and some adults!). It is highly entertaining because of the way the information is presented, and it also has some fantastic full color photographs. Highly recommended!

Thanks to Blue Slip Media for providing a review copy of this book.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!