Great Too

In this sequel to the award-winning book Great, a young hockey player named Taylor learns more lessons from Coach Wally: practice makes perfect, and it’s important in sports and in life to keep a positive attitude. Previously, Coach Wally taught Taylor to try his best and be the best that he could be. Together, these lessons guide Taylor and his teammates in Great Too as they navigate playing hockey under the pressure of the biggest tournament in the country.

Great Too is a feel-good story with a happy ending when Taylor assists his teammate Wayne in scoring the game-winning goal in their final game. The pair use a “Perfect Play” strategy they had been working on repeatedly during practices. With inspirational life lessons from Coach Wally and reminders from his teammates, Taylor overcomes intense nerves and distractions during games. Whether readers are sports players or not, the positive life messages in this story are transferrable to any audience.

The style of illustrations and text throughout the book are consistent with the style of Great. Full-page illustrations use a palette primarily made up of red, white, and blue. The ice rinks are portrayed using perfectly imperfect line sketches to create a textured background. In the foreground of most illustrations is an array of characters in bold-coloured hockey jerseys and sports gear.

While Great Too is a fictional picture book, it includes a foreword from Wayne Gretzky and is authored by individuals who are connected to the Wayne Gretzky Foundation. This foundation provides less fortunate youth with the opportunity to experience the sport of hockey. Known as “The Great One”, Wayne Gretzky is a legendary Canadian hockey player. In addition to being known for his incredible hockey skills, he is also known for his incredible leadership and attitude. There are several quotes from Wayne Gretzky that have become famous, and some of these have been embedded in Great Too, with one example being included in the excerpt above. Although Wayne Gretzky didn’t author this book, the fact that he includes a foreword demonstrates his continuous positive influence and inspiration on a new generation of young hockey players and children.