It comes as no surprise that there are several high quality books out this year on the Montreal Canadiens. Hockey's greatest team is celebrating it's centennial, after all, and authors, publishers and book sellers are playing a big role in giving fans a taste of Montreal history to take home with them.

There are four main titles for you to consider, plus a DVD:

Habs Heroes: The Definitive List of the 100 Greatest Canadiens Ever
Ken Campbell/The Hockey News
THN senior writer Ken Campbell polled a panel of experts to come up with a definitve 1-through-100 ranking of the top Montreal Canadiens players of all time. Campbell then goes about writing brief biographies for this action packed book. There's plenty of colour photography to compliment the great writing. Published by The Hockey News/Transcontinental Books.

Honoured Canadiens
Andrew Podnieks
When the Montreal Canadiens and the Hockey Hall of Fame got together to work on this joint project, they instantly sought the services of hockey super author Andrew Podnieks. With Podnieks' great research and writing abilities, and the Hall's amazing and exclusive photography, this book looks at each of the 54 Montreal Canadiens players, coaches and builders who have been enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame. The design and layout are spectacular, with the imagery unmatchable. And Podnieks does a good job of covering each enshrinee with great detail. The only thing more noticeable than the striking cover is the shrink wrap around it that prevents you from peeking inside. Publisher HB Fenn authorized a sneak peek inside here at HockeyBookReviews.com

The Montreal Canadiens: 100 Years of Glory
D'Arcy Jenish
This book appears to be the early popular favorite, appearing on the Globe And Mail's best seller list earlier this season, one of only two hockey books to do so this fall. Jenish retraces Montreal's long history through the words of Montreal's sports writers over the years. He must have spent countless hours researching and compiling this work, but it pays off big time. He offers a unique, thorough, and honest history of the Canadiens, warts and all. It is not a history written through nostalgia-coloured glasses like every other Habs history title.

Patrick Roy: Winning, Nothing Else
Michel Roy
This Patrick Roy biography, written by his father Michel Roy, is the English release of the 2007 French mega hit Le Guerrier. Roy remains in the news despite retiring from NHL competition, so this book will be of great interest to many fans, and not just Montreal fans. The book is a little long-winded, but you get an honest look into one of hockey's leading personalities. Roy was at times mysterious and at other times down right controversial. This book looks into it all.

So which is the best?

1. The Montreal Canadiens: 100 Years of Glory by D'Arcy Jenish
2. Honoured Canadiens by Andrew Podnieks
3. Habs Heroes by Ken Campbell/The Hockey News
4. Patrick Roy: Winning, Nothing Else by Michel Roy

There is another book coming in January 15th, 2009. Wiley is reproducing the classic Lions in Winter by Chrys Goyens and Alan Turowetz. It's actually the third edition of this blast from the past.

Oh yes, about that DVD. It's called Montreal Canadiens Greatest Games. Here's the disk lineup:

1. 2/19/08 vs. Rangers (Habs come back from 5-0 down)
2. 11/23/03 vs. Oilers (Heritage Classic)
3. 3/11/96 vs. Stars (Last game at the Forum)
4. 6/9/93 vs. Kings (Habs win 23rd and last Stanley Cup)
5. 5/24/86 vs. Flames (Habs win 22nd Cup)
6. 4/20/84 vs. Nordiques (Adams Division Final, Game 6)
7. 5/10/79 vs. Bruins (Too many men on the ice. Semi-final Game 7)
8. 5/14/77 vs. Bruins (Habs win 2nd of Four Cups in a row)
9. 12/31/75 vs. Red Army (Tretiek puts on a show vs Habs on New Year's Eve)
10. 4/14/60 vs. Maple Leafs (Habs win 5th consecutive Stanley Cup)

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Originally published November 20, 2008 on on HockeyBookReviews.com

As we all know goalies used to play every game without a mask. That all changed by the 1970s as the new generation of goalies all donned facial protection. They wouldn’t even think of stopping pucks without their mask.

So that makes one particular incident in the playoffs of 1971 very interesting. A line brawl broke out in game two of the series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the New York Rangers. A long delay ensued because one of the Rangers forwards, Vic Hadfield, threw Toronto goalie Bernie Parent’s mask into the crowd of Madison Square Gardens.

New York fans are renowned for their antics, so you knew right away they were not going to give the mask back to the opposition’s goaltender. Toronto executive King Clancy, still as fiesty as he was when he played the game decades earlier, stormed into the hostile crowd after the mask. This got the police involved on the search but that mask was never to be seen again.

In those days it was too expensive to create and carry spare masks. With the game already out of hand, Parent took to the bench and let back up goalie Jacques Plante finish the game.

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I love children's hockey titles. Not only do these books introduce kids to the great sport of hockey, they also, and far more importantly, get kids hooked on reading. I consider it a great duty to pass on information about kid's hockey books because of this.

Reviewing kids hockey books is not easy though, because different stories are better for some kids than others. I really encourage all parents to thoroughly screen each title before buying, as no one knows their kid better.

I completely admit that I can often have trouble reviewing kids books because a) I'm not a kid and b) the kids that came into my life are teenagers, not little ones. There are no shortage of kid's titles to choose from in 2008, but I could never really suggest a book that would be perfect for every kid.

Until now.

I was recently introduced into a series of books called Brady Brady. The kid in me was instantly taken by the cartoonish illustrations and the brilliant use of colour. It is sure to catch anyone's eye. And better yet I was then wowed by the fun story telling complete with strong moral messages. Fun plus a good message is the necessary equation for any kid's title that I am going to endorse, and Brady Brady tops the list!

Aimed at boys and girls ages 4 through 8, Brady Brady is about a boy named Brady and his love of hockey. With his family, his friends, and his dog Hat Trick, Brady Brady goes on all sorts of adventures and learns great lessons on and off the ice.

Each 32-page book makes reading a fun experience, and promotes common themes such as sportsmanship, teamwork and fair play. That is the biggest reason why school boards across Canada and the United States recognize the series and include it in libraries and curriculum.

To top it all off all the books are extremely reasonably priced, with the jacket price at $7 Canadian! All titles are available at Amazon.ca and Chapters. You can also order copies individually or in multiples at www.BradyBrady.com. Of course, the books are available in any of Indigo/Chapters stores, as well as independent book sellers and select sporting goods stores.

The best selling Canadian children's series is written by Mary Shaw, who began writing when she was dismayed with the lack of engaging reading material for her son, Brady. Co-created with illustrator Chuck Temple, the two have created a growing Brady Brady empire, complete with their own publishing company, spinoff deals and, coming soon, animated media projects.

Brady Brady has also been recognized by big league hockey. The Toronto Maple Leafs, Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets have created customized Brady Brady programs to promote grassroots hockey in their communities. And several stars endorse the books, including Bobby Orr, Steve Yzerman, Scott Stevens, Haley Wickenheiser and Cassie Campbell. USA Hockey has also signed on with a licensing agreement.

Here's a complete listing of Brady Brady books. You can't go wrong with any one title, but you will soon be hooked and looking for more. My personal favorite has to be The Great Rink.

Brady Brady And the Great Rink

When Brady tries to build the greatest backyard rink ever, he finds out it’s harder than he thought. But his hard work is about to pay off in a way he never imagined!

Brady Brady And the Most Important Game

When Brady Brady and the Icehogs lose a big game to a rival team, they think it's the end of the world - until they realize what is really important on the ice.

Brady Brady and The MVP

Brady's friend, Kev, learns that it's not only the goal scorers who are valuable members of a team.

Brady Brady and the B Team

Chester's loyalty to the Icehogs is questioned when he misses games and is overheard talking about joining the B Team.

Brady Brady And the Puck on the Pond

Just when Brady thought he had all of the makings for a fun game of shinny on his great rink, his friends are invited to play on an even greater rink! Friendships are tested - will the Icehogs stay together?

Brady Brady: And the Super Skater

When the newest member of the Icehogs encounters some bad luck, Brady helps his teammate see that it will take more than "super-skating" to improve her game.

Brady Brady And the Runaway Goalie

When the Icehogs’ goalie goes missing before the big game, Brady Brady saves the day!

Brady Brady And the Twirlin' Torpedo

Tes is a great player who loves hockey almost as much as Brady. So, when she is teased for being a girl, Brady and the other Icehogs back her up with a picture-perfect plan!

Brady Brady And the Singing Tree

Brady comes to the rescue when his friend Elwood almost quits hockey because of his dad.

Brady Brady And the Big Mistake

Brady's friends are coming to play shinny, and everything has to be perfect - more than perfect. If only he had something he could impress them with. Then it hits. The great idea the turns out to be a big mistake!

Brady Brady And the Great Exchange

When his friend has growing pains, Brady decides to help, and in the end everyone is a winner.

All hockey titles are also available in French, courtesy of Scholastic Canada.

The Brady Brady franchise has also begun to branch out and tackle football with Brady Brady and the Cranky Kicker, and hit home runs with baseball with Brady Brady and the Ballpark Bark and Brady Brady and the Cleanup Hitters

If you're looking for a fun book with great moral lessons to help you pass on the joys of both sports and reading to your little boy or girl, look no further than the Brady Brady series.

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Originally published November 19, 2008 on on HockeyBookReviews.com

Are you looking for a quality gift for the hockey-loving boy or girl in your life? Look no further!

Just One Goal

by Robert Munsch and Michael Martchenko

Perhaps the world's most prolific children's author has dreamed up an amazing story about a little girl who loves hockey. She builds the community a rink on the frozen river, but her team never wins. She's determined to score her team a victory, even as the thawing rink presents great danger. It does not get better than this - Hockey and Robert Munsch!

This highly acclaimed book from 2006 makes it's paperback debut in 2008. The Hockey Tree is a great story about a father, son and daughter enjoying Canada's great game on a frozen lake. But they run into a problem when their puck falls into an ice fisherman's hole.Have no fear, dad has a plan to keep the hockey going, but he needs the kids to help him find the perfect tree - The Hockey Tree

It's a great story folks, but the illustrations really make this book perfect. Using soft tones illustrator Brian Deines perfectly captures the great Canadian dream of hockey in it's purest form.

The Hockey Tree

by David Ward, Illustrated by Brian Deines

This highly acclaimed book from 2006 makes it's paperback debut in 2008. The Hockey Tree is a great story about a father, son and daughter enjoying Canada's great game on a frozen lake. But they run into a problem when their puck falls into an ice fisherman's hole. Have no fear, dad has a plan to keep the hockey going, but he needs the kids to help him find the perfect tree - The Hockey Tree

It's a great story folks, but the illustrations really make this book perfect. Using soft tones illustrator Brian Deines perfectly captures the great Canadian dream of hockey in it's purest form.

Wendel and The Great One

by Mike Leonetti, Illustrated by Greg Banning

After misfiring in 2007, Mike Leonetti returns in 2008 with his annual children's hockey history title. In Wendel and The Great One he mixes hockey history with the story of a boy who is trying to figure out what it means to be a leader. He turns to his heroes, Wendel Clark and Wayne Gretzky, to discover how to be the best captain he can be.

It's a good book and it teaches great values.

Xtreme Hockey

by Stephen Cole

A flashy and colorful title aimed at 6-12 year olds. Inside this book, which features the thickest pages you'll ever find in a book, is a collection of amazing stories presented in flashy presentation reminiscent of those Ripley's Believe It Or Not titles.

There's some great pictures in here too. It's the kind of book you will enjoy flipping through with your children, especially if you are a trivia buff or passing along that trait to your children.

Peril at the World's Biggest Hockey Tournament

by Roy MacGregor

The long-awaited addition to a series that has sold one million copies.

The Screech Owls have come to Ottawa, the capital of Canada, to play in the world’s biggest minor league hockey tournament — more than 500 teams gathering from all over the world! Little does Nish realize, as he befriends the hilarious, daring mascot, that he is about to embark on the most terrifying adventure of his lifetime.

The Bell Capital Cup is a tournament that brings together 25,000 kids and more than 510 teams. Published to coincide with the next Cup over the 2007/2008 winter holiday, this new Screech Owls book is a grand re-entry for this outstanding series.

Hockey Trivia for Kids 2

by Eric Zweig

A spin off from 2006's Hockey Trivia for Kids, Eric Zweig offers another pocket book packed full of hockey stories, pictures and cartoons. If you have a seriously hockey infatuated youngster on your Christmas list, this book will keep them entertained and educated with fascinating factoids that will make them the hockey expert of their school!

Either of Zweig's juvenile trivia offerings would make for a perfect stocking stuffer.

Hockey Now

by Mike Leonetti

Veteran hockey author Mike Leonetti returns with the fifth edition of the popular Hockey Now! franchise.

A book for all hockey fans with richly illustrated two page biographies of 74 of the greatest players today. Beautiful layout and high quality production.

The fifth edition is fully updated. Profiles include Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin, Jarome Iginla, Vincent Lecavalier, Dion Phaneuf, Zdeno Chara, Roberto Luongo and Martin Brodeur.

Hockey Superstars 2008-2009

by Paul Romanuk

For 20 years now broadcaster Paul Romanuk and Scholastic have been churning out his Hockey Superstars series. It must be a big hit with the kids to have run this long. I know the books drew my attention 20 years ago when the series first started.

Romanuk has not really changed his successful formula. He profiles 15-20 of today's top NHLers with a color photograph and the briefest of biographies. He throws in the same usual interactive pages where you can keep track of the unfolding NHL season or learn the referee's hand signals.

This is a solid choice for someone aged 6 through 10. The books a little thin for a fan much older than that.

Slapshots: The Complete Series: Books #1-4

by Gordon Korman

Gordon Korman is another prolific children's author, penning dozens of books. Wikipedia lists over 60 titles.

One of his most popular series of books is the hockey-themed Slapshots. There are four titles in all, starting with Slapshots #1: The Stars from Mars and progressing through Slapshots #2: All-Mars All-Stars, Slapshots #3: The Face-Off Phoney, and Slapshots #4: Cup Crazy.

Instead of buying all the books individually, you can now buy all the books in one volume: Slapshots: The Complete Series: Books #1-4

The series is hardly breaking new ground. In fact, it is downright formulaic, a la the Bad News Bears. It's about a bunch of misfits put together trying to become a team. Korman does a nice job of creating interesting characters and his passion for hockey shines through brightly.

SpongeBob's Slap Shot

by David Lewman

SpongeBob amazes an ice-hockey scout with his skills while sweeping up the Krusty Krab, and he soon finds himself playing professional hockey! But when he realizes whose team he is playing for, and who he must play against, SpongeBob starts having second thoughts. Does he really have what it takes to be an ice-hockey superstar? Hockey enthusiasts and SpongeBob fans alike will delight in this full-color, sports-themed story, ideal for young readers between the ages of 4 and 8.

Inside Hockey!: The Legends, Facts, and Feats That Made the Game

by Keltie Thomas

Keltie Thomas is an experienced children's author, also authoring How Hockey Works. In this book Thomas introduces lots of hockey history to the newest generation of puck fans. Good job!

The Farm Team

by Linda Bailey

For fifty years the animals on Stolski's farm have played their hearts out for the Stolski Cup -- the dream of every hockey team all over the northland. And every year the Farm Team has lost to the nastiest, smelliest, snarlingest bunch of varmints ever to don skates -- the Bush League Bandits. As soon as the puck drops for this year's playoff game, the Bandits, playing as dirty as ever, take an early lead. A Bandit porcupine named Needles starts ramming Farm Team players, while the weasels slash and spear. But the Farm Team's goalie Big George blocks some tough shots, while Billy the goat and Vera the goose net three goals to tie things up. Then the Bandits bring in a bruiser of a substitute player so big and mean that these plucky underdogs could be in for a serious mauling. From the award-winning team of Linda Bailey and Bill Slavin and packed with on-ice action and laughs, this is the picture book hockey fans of every age have been waiting for.

HockeySticker Stories

by Sean Tiffany

We shoot We score! Hockey Sticker Stories on ice Kids will love learning all about hockey positions, rules, penalties, game food, and other fun hockey facts as they add stickers to every spread.








Originally published September 30, 2008 on on HockeyBookReviews.com

Hockey is said to be the most global sport amongst North America’s big sporting leagues. Players not only come from Canada and the United States, but from all over Europe and Russia as well.

But there have been a few players who were born in the most unlikely of countries. Here’s a complete list:

1. Brazil – Mike Greenlay, Robyn Regehr
2. Brunei – Craig Adams
3. Haiti – Claude Vilgrain
4. Indonesia – Richie Regehr
5. Jamaica – Graeme Townsend
6. Lebanon – Ed Hatoum
7. Nigeria – Rumun Ndur
8. Paraguay – Willi Plett
9. Republic of Korea – Jim Paek, Richard Park
10. South Africa – Olaf Kolzig
11. Taiwan – Rod Langway
12. United Republic of Tanzania – Chris Nielsen
13. Venezuela – Rick Chartraw, Don Spring

Most of these players were born in these countries while their parents worked abroad in various business, military or religious endeavors. Others immigrated to North America with their families at a very young age. All these players were introduced to the sport of hockey in North America.

So don’t worry! Your favorite Olympic team does not have to worry about the new power house from the Carribean or South America just yet.

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