5 Children’s Hockey Books Named Face-Off
There aren’t a whole lot of children’ hockey books out there. How ironic that so many of them are named Face-Off! When I named my children’s hockey book Face-Off many years ago, it seemed like the perfect title. After all, it was a hockey term and it also represented the friction between twin brothers Brad and T.J. McKendrick. What a perfect metaphor for a fictional book about hockey and sibling rivalry! Well, the title isn’t as original as I thought. Several other authors of hockey books for kids had the same idea.
I’ve known about the late Matt Christopher’s Face-Off children’s hockey book for years. Our books would often get mistaken for one another in the 1990s. It was interesting to learn of some others.
Even though several books share the same title, that’s okay. There is plenty of room for other hockey books for kids, even if they’re named Face-Off. I thought it would be fun to compile them into a list. So here goes. Five children’s hockey books titled Face-Off! Click on the titles and book covers for retail links.
Check out 5 children's hockey books named Face-Off - different authors, same love of ice hockey. #hockey #hockeymom #Kidlit Click To Tweet
Meanwhile, the boys also grapple with problems at home, including divorcing parents and a troubled younger brother. The whole school is rooting for a big double-strength win…not knowing that their twin ice hockey stars are heating up the ice for a winner takes all face-off.
Face-Off by Jake Maddox – Kyle wants to be a great hockey player just like his older brother, but to do that, he must focus all of his energy on the game and not be distracted by a teammate’s injury.
Face-Off by Matt Christopher – A jealous teammate can lead to danger on the ice…. When it comes to skating, Scott Harrison can’t be beat. Still, he can’t believe it when he’s asked to play for the Golden Bears hockey team. But soon his excitement turns to doubt, then fear, when a resentful teammate ruins his confidence. Scott must confront his nemesis or give up his dream of playing hockey forever.
Face-Off: Top 10 Lists of Everything in Hockey (Sports Illustrated Kids Top 10 Lists) – The fourth book in the best-selling Sports Illustrated Kids Top 10 series, Face-Off: Top 10 Lists of Everything in Hockey, ranks the best players, shooters, slap shots, and toothless smiles in the NHL. With over 150 different players and teams ranked in more than 15 different categories, this fun look at the greatest aspects of the NHL will serve as the ultimate argument-ender (or debate-starter!) for young hockey fans.
Bonus Children’s Hockey Book
Face-Off at the Alamo (Screech Owls Book 23) by Roy MacGregor – This one isn’t called Face-Off, however it does have the phrase in the title! The Screech Owls have come to the southern city of San Antonio, Texas, a surprising hotbed of American ice hockey. They are here to compete in the San Antonio Peewee Invitational, and between games can explore the fascinating canals that twist and turn through a maze of shops and restaurants in the city’s downtown. The tournament has been set up to include guided tours of the Alamo, the world’s most famous fort, and for one night the championship team will even get to camp out in the historic site. The Screech Owls discover that the Alamo is America’s greatest symbol of courage and freedom, and when Travis and his friends uncover a plot to destroy it, they must call upon all the courage of the fort’s original defenders.
Conclusion And YouTube Video
I hope you’ve enjoyed this peek at children’s hockey books named Face-Off. Below, check out my short YouTube video highlighting these books. Have you read any of these fictional books about hockey? Do you have any other children’s hockey books to recommend? Please share in the comments.
Stacy Juba wrote her first young adult novel, Face-Off, when she was 16 years old because she couldn’t find any fiction books to read about ice hockey. It was published during her freshman year in college, and she hasn’t stopped writing since. She published the sequel, Offsides, 26 years later and was excited to continue the story of rival twin brothers Brad and T.J. McKendrick. Stacy is also the author of acclaimed mystery novels and the humorous Storybook Valley Theme Park chick lit novels for adults, as well as The Flag Keeper picture book about the U.S. Flag Code.
You can learn about her full catalog of books on www.stacyjuba.com. She is also a freelance editor and creator of online courses for writers. Learn about her editing service and classes on www.shortcutsforwriters.com.
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