This Is the Rink Where Jack Plays

This is the Rink Where Jack Plays is an all-Canadian story written by an author who is evidently passionate about both her country and hockey. Two teams, made up of Canadian animals of all shapes and sizes (a beaver, bear, blue jay—you name it!), meet at a rink to play the good ol’ hockey game.

Team sports are a great way for children to learn valuable life lessons and skills, including sportsmanship and cooperation. This story describes and illustrates these concepts along with the rules of hockey in a fun way for children. Whether they’ve been to a rink or played hockey before, children will gain an understanding of the joy hockey brings to players and fans. The various assortment of animal characters is a great representation of the animal as well as the human diversity that exists within Canada.

This is the Rink Where Jack Plays follows the same word pattern as the well-known British nursery rhyme “This is the House that Jack Built.” The playfulness of the rhyming scheme makes the text more predictable and fun for a young audience. Grasso is the author of several other children’s books that combine sports with a lighthearted twist of humour. Her passion for Canadian sports comes from growing up attending hockey games in a small Ontario town.

Bright and bold two-page spreads by Chris Jones bring this picture book to life. He uses tones within each colour palette to express details such as shadows and reflections on objects and characters. Jones strategically selected bright colours for the items that he wanted to stand out, such as hockey jerseys and the Zamboni, while muting the colours of the background details. He is a skilled and experienced illustrator of children’s books, including another similar collaboration with author Stella Partheniou, Take Me Out to the Ice Rink. Jones, who also resides in Ontario, shares the same passion for Canadian winter sports as Partheniou.

Overall, This is the Rink Where Jack Plays is a great read as a light-hearted story or to teach valuable life lessons. From the appealing artwork to the poetic text, children will be asking to read or listen to this story again. This book would be a good addition to any home, classroom, or school library.