Icebreaker. (Sports Stories). Steven Barwin. Toronto, ON: James Lorimer, 2010. 124 pp., pbk., $9.95. ISBN 978-1-55277-55-0. Grades 6-9 / Ages 11-14. Review by Wendy Williams. *** /4

excerpt:

He didn't want to be childish about it, but he remembered....about this practical joke. He couldn't resist the thought of Amy getting a surprise the next time she sat down. He placed three layers of clear wrap under the toilet seat, making sure to cover every inch.....

Those readers who enjoyed Hat Trick by Jacqueline Guest will also enjoy this story. Icebreaker explores the problems and challenges of step siblings and newly blended families that do not always blend harmoniously. Add to this mix the resentment felt by Greg, the protagonist, when his stepsister Amy dares to join his hockey team, and we have a strong story likely to appeal to young teens experiencing similar problems. The strong emotions and difficult adjustments faced by Greg and the new family are explored with the setting of hockey as strong symbol of the emotional warfare taking place. The story is resolved by a truce, or at least a rapprochement, which perhaps will give the whole family a chance to adjust and grow into a healthy unit.

Recommended.

Wendy Williams is a school librarian in Calgary, AB, who hears, on a daily basis, some of the problems and emotions faced by her junior high students.

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Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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