Great hockey books for kids to get a reluctant boy reader excited about reading. Includes fiction, non-fiction series, and biographies for 3rd graders.
I’m continuing my search for books that my 3rd grade reluctant reader friend who likes funny will read. He’s a very sporty kid but his mom says his favorite sport is hockey and she hasn’t had luck finding any books on this sport.
There are plenty of baseball, and basketball books, and he plays those sports and more, but she thinks that if I can find hockey, he’ll read them happily. This is part of the reading strategies we’re coming up with.
I’m excited to get him reading so I searched and found these hockey chapter books including early chapter books, fiction, non-fiction, and biography.
For kids who like to learn about sports, try this one!
The Origins of Sports by Tom Velcovsky and Stepanka Sekaninova, illustrated by Matej Ilcik
This oversized book is filled with history and facts about a range of sports including hockey/skating, golf, football, tennis, basketball, swimming, skiing, and baseball. There are plenty of illustrations on each page spread to break up the text to make this very reader-friendly. Hand this to a sports fan. It’s perfect for flipping through! [nonfiction picture book anthology, ages 6 and up]
Hockey Books for Kids
Hockey Night in Kenya by Danson Mutinda and Eric Walters
Review by Ms. Yingling Reads:
“Friends Kitoo and Nigosi have had difficult lives in Kenya, but are now living at an orphanage where they are able to attend school regularly. Even though the food is usually githeri (corn and beans) rather than their favorite pilau, both boys are hopeful. Kitoo is a big reader, and Mrs. Kyatha at the school library gives him some damaged books for his own. One of these is about hockey. While Kenya doesn’t have a lot of ice, there is some ball hockey that is played. When the two boys travel to the city with Jackson to get supplies, they see some hockey being played, and Kitoo even finds damaged roller blades that he is allowed to take home, and the team even gives him some chipped wheels to help. Kitoo starts to practice hockey, and when he gets a chance to travel to Nairobi, he gets to give ice hockey a try. This is based on an event at Mr. Mutinda’s orphanage when Canadian hockey players visited. ” [chapter book, ages 6 and up]
Tales of a Sixth Grade Muppet by Kirk Scroggs
The book he picked from the last list is Tales of a Sixth Grade Muppet by Kirk Scroggs. His mom says it’s a read-together book but that it’s going well. After this, she’s going to try hockey books. We’ll keep you posted on what he likes.
What about you? Are you facing a pull-your-hair-out reluctant reader challenge? I’d love to help! Just tell me what books your child likes and any interests and I’d love to find you some books.
There were a few in the popular Matt Christopher sports series.
Cool as Ice, Matt Christopher Sports Series
Chris, who is small for his age, is picked to be on an all-star hockey team where he overcomes prejudice and develops strong friendships.
Ice Magic, Matt Christopher Sports Series
Wingman on Ice, Matt Christopher Sports Series
The Hockey Machine, Matt Christopher Sports Series
Penalty Shot, Matt Christopher Sports Series
Body Check, Matt Christopher Sports Series
And two biographies as well!
On the Ice with … Mario Lemieux, Matt Christopher Sports Series
On the Ice with … Wayne Gretzky, Matt Christopher Sports Series
Slapshot Series by Gordon Korman
Ice Time: The Story of Hockey by Michael McKinley
Hockey is breathtakingly fast and fascinating. Ice Time: The Story of Hockey (Temps de glace: Histoire du hockey) traces the sport from its hotly-contested origins to the present day’s first-ever lockout of players by the one remaining league.
It covers the sport’s surge in popularity after 1875 when it moved to inside rinks; the rise and fall, and rise again, of women’s hockey; the sagas of long-lost leagues, such as the Pacific Coast Hockey Association; and more recently the World Hockey Association.
Through its lavishly illustrated pages skate the players, the coaches, and the almost forgotten legends who are the reason why we love the game.
Screech Owls Hockey Adventures by Roy MacGregor
This is a series about a boys’ hockey team with a mystery twist. Here’s an example:
Power Play in Washington: The Screech Owls are in Washington, D.C., for the International Goodwill Peewee Championship – and Nish is about to become a “news flash” seen around the world! Literally. Because the craziest Owl ever has a brand-new plan: to streak the White House.
His way into the White House, he believes, is through the Screech Owls’ new friend, who not only plays center for the Washington Wall but just happens to be the son of the U.S. president!
It is a hockey tournament with a difference: secret-service agents, sniffer dogs, metal detectors, worldwide media attention – and the most cunning political assassination plan in modern history.
When the Owls head for a “normal” kids’ day out with their new friend, the president’s son, they have no idea they are about to get involved in a dangerous international power play, with murder the real game plan of their opponents. [ages 9 and up]
Sidney Crosby (Amazing Athletes) by Jeff Savage
Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby has been dominating the ice for most of his life. He learned to skate when he was three, and by age seven, his talent had captured the attention of newspaper reporters. In 2005, he was the number one pick in the NHL draft.
Since then he has broken multiple scoring records in the pro league. Called the best in the league by his peers and fans, Sidney knows there’s more to success than just skill. As captain of the Penguins, Sidney has to work hard and be a good leader.
Learn more about the incredible life of one of the NHL’s best players. [ages 7 and up]
The Chicken Doesn’t Skate by Gordon Korman
What do a scientist, a screenwriter, and a hockey team all have in common? A chicken!
Milo has a problem. He’s trying to do a project on the food chain, so he charts the growth of a baby chick and makes arrangements to serve his specimen to the judges at the science fair. But he’s baffled by the rest of his class. They name the chick Henrietta and sign up to take her home on weekends.
They claim that she’s a good luck charm, a friend, and even the new hockey team mascot! Milo just wants to win the science fair to impress his dad. But when the class finds out that Henrietta will be cooked and eaten for Milo’s project, everyone panics! [grades 4-6]
All Star Pride (Orca Sports) by Sigmund Brouwer
This looks more like YA to me but might be great for a few years from now if hockey is still his passion.
Next, I consulted library lists. This one is from Skokie.
Wolfbay Wings (series) by Bruce Brooks
A series with hockey action and surprise endings that will the reader hungry for the next book.
Frankenstein Doesn’t Slam Hockey Pucks (Bailey School Kids series) by Debbie Dadey
Paperback BBailey City is filled with some unusual grown-ups, but could the new hockey coach actually be Frankenstein?
Tough Loser by Barthe DeClements
Mike is a terrific hockey player on a horrible team, but if he can’t stop being a tough loser, he might just lose his place on the team.
Iceman by Chris Lynch
Eric is one of his team’s best players, fast and dangerous, but could he be too violent for hockey?
The Hockey Mystery (Boxcar Children series) by Gertrude Chandler Warner
When a famous hockey player comes to town to open his own rink, the Boxcar Children must discover who is trying to stop his plans!
World’s Strangest Hockey Stories by Bart Rockwell
This non-fiction book is filled with unusual and funny stories, from the time a fan threw a squid at the referee to the time the Montreal Canadiens left the Stanley Cup on the side of the road.
Nonfiction Hockey Books by Sports Illustrated
My First Book of Hockey
The illustrations combine photographs with speech bubbles and attention-grabbing graphic lettering. This is the perfect book for someone new to hockey … either a player or a player explaining their sport to a parent, friend, or younger sibling.
Although this book works for a child as young as 4, it’s also appealing for older kids who are new to the sport. [nonfiction picture book, ages 4 and up]
Hockey Then to Wow!
Hockey fans will enjoy the illustrations and photographs in this book chronicling the rise of hockey starting in the 19th century up to the present time. Notable players, stats, and teams are covered, showing the greatest moments of hockey thus far. The evolution of gear from goalie masks to skates is also fascinating.
This is a book for readers to flip around in and enjoy when they are not on the ice. [nonfiction picture book, ages 8 and up]
Sports Illustrated Hockey’s Greatest
For kids who like the Guinness Book of World Records AND play hockey, this is the perfect combination! It has the ultimate Top 10 rankings of every possible hockey-related category that a fan would want. The rankings are not arbitrary either!
Sports Illustrated polled its hockey experts to determine the best rivalry, best single-season team, and best game in history. [nonfiction, ages 6 and up]
Reader Recommendations
Thank you to my Twitter friend who suggested this one:
The Hockey Sweater by Roch Carrier
p.s. Related posts:
Sports Specific Book Lists for Kids
#OwnVoices Diversity Track and Field Books for Kids
Sports Books for Kids: Volleyball!
A Unit to Learn About the Tokyo Olympics
My Son Boxing: Then and Now & Boxing Picture Books
#OwnVoices Diversity Soccer Books for Kids
Top 10: Best Baseball Chapter Books
March Madness: Basketball Books for Girls and Boys, Ages 4 and Up
Poetry in Sports Books for Kids
Hockey Books for 3rd Grade
Martial Arts Match Up: Books with Martial Art
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Jason Reynolds’ Track Series and Best Series Award
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You have found all the books I would recommend for an ice hockey guy! 🙂
Other than that, I would recommend reading the book with the child. Maybe take turns reading out loud and then ask questions. Questions to clarify, make connections, visualize & predict. Then when you put the book down and come back to it another day, summarize before you begin to read again. These are the reading strategies that all good readers use and others must use to learn to be better readers. How do I know? I have been teaching this for about 18 years now. 🙂
Good Luck!
To Lisa,
Thank you so much! I will share your advice to the mom. I know that she does share reading with him but she has 4 kids and her husband travels a lot for work so sometimes it’s not feasible. Thank you so much for your reading advice! So helpful!!!
My husband has been talking about writing a book titled “Patrick’s Hat-trick” for years; will let you know when he gets around to it ; )
To Ann,
It would be a bit hit especially in the Northeast where the kids play hockey like crazy but the KidLit is not as extensive as baseball or other sports! Tell him to get moving on this next best seller!!!
Interesting! That Gordon Korman book is sure to be well done.
To Sarah,
I’ll post again on what books he liked. Gordon Korman … I need to read his books!
I do buy books less often than I did 5 years ago but I do still buy them. I purchase books about once a month or so; in the past I purchased on average 4 a month. I do buy on average one Kindle book a month and one Audible book a month and I read more online. I agree that there will continue to be a demand for regular books for aesthetic and convenience reasons, but the demand will remain less than in the past.
To Tracy96,
I buy way more books for my kids to keep them reading than for myself. One mom had a good rule of thumb; she’d buy only a book that her child checked out of the library 5 times.
Hello,
I saw your post regarding hockey book suggestions for a third grade boy who likes hockey. I am an elementary school librarian and the author of a Christmas story for middle grade readers in which the main character is a hockey player. It is entitled Calvin the Cookie Maker. I hope you will consider reviewing it and adding it to your list.
Thank you.
Author of A Horse Named Viking, White Pine: : My Year as a Lumberjack and a River Rat, and Calvin the Cookie Maker
Thanks so much Caroline! I’ll definitely add to the list!!!
As a hockey grandma..620 miles were put on our van last weekend! Three travel hockey players in two states at the same time. A friend took one, I took one and mom, then mom took that one to one part of Kentucky while we took the other one to a different part of Kentucky.. It was nuts!! That’s how we spent our time reading books and playing each other.
well these are excellent books. Great collection.
Wow! 620 miles in one weekend! I think hockey parents are the most dedicated of all sports parents!! Glad you like this book list! Hope your hockey players enjoy these books.