Safety Stars

Players who fought to make the hard-hitting game of professional hockey safer

by Sue Irwin

Courageous players have battled to make hockey safer -- here's how they did it

Professional hockey is a fast game, and a dangerous one. Skates slice like razors; a hard-shot puck can take out an eye; and the ice surface is as hard as rock, especially when skulls are slammed against it. Innovations in equipment make the game faster and more exciting -- and have to be countered by measures that keep it safe for players.

From hockey heroes like Jacques Plante, Mario Lemieux, and Sidney Crosby, to an avid 11-year-old player on a mission, there have been players who have campaigned to make hockey a safer game. They have done this often in the face of denials and opposition from league managers, sports writers, fans, and sometimes other players, too. But they've persisted and made the game safer for players of all ages.

This book tells the story of hockey's safety stars, the opposition they faced, and how they persisted and ultimately succeeded in their campaigns.

[Fry reading level - 4.4

About the Author

Sue Irwin
SUE IRWIN teaches in Hamilton, Ontario. Her writing has been published in a variety of children's publications and has won several awards. A lifetime hockey fan, Sue lives in the Niagara region with her husband, and spends her winter evenings cheering for her favourite hockey players.

Reviews

"[Safety Stars offers intriguing facts and back-story on a perennially important topic."
Publishers Weekly
"This accessibly written, straightforward text, interspersed with black-and-white photos and lively touches of hockey action, will likely draw in reluctant readers and hockey fans."
Shelle Rosenfeld, Booklist
"Safety Stars is a good examination of the important topic of safety in professional hockey. She dicusses the contributions of several hockey greats such as Jacques Plante, Mario Lemieux, and Sidney Crosby. Irwin also describes the determination of 11-year-old Chase McEachern, a devoted hockey fan who suffered from atrial fibrillation (AF), to place life-saving automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in all schools and hockey arenas."
Myra Junyk,, Resource Links

Awards

Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Books for Kids and Teens Selection
2015
Silver Birch Non-Fiction Award Nominee
2017
Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) Curriculum Development Award – 2015

Subjects (BISAC)

Subjects

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