Kate's Really Good at Hockey

(This book is not yet on Goodreads. I will add this review there and connect it when it appears there.)
Kate's Really Good at Hockey was much more than I expected it to be. I believe it helps address a big gap in publishing: stories about girls in sports. I frequently see requests from other librarians and teachers for books in this area.

Yet, the book goes beyond sports; it is a good story about persevering, includes some teen angst, keeping secrets, and will be enjoyed by students beyond those looking for a sports story. The illustrations are very colorful and easy to follow as well, and I think the fact that it is a graphic novel means that it will be picked up by boys and girls alike.

I do question the title, though; I'm not sure it's what I would have picked.

What starts out as just another book about a kid playing hockey evolves, over the course of the book to be about <em>girls</em> playing hockey, and how it is taken as a given that girls can do so. That back in the old days, women were not allowed to play.

There is the usual mean girl stuff, as well as sports competition, but the secondary story, about sexual discrimination is a kind of cool theme running through the story.

The illustrations are bright and colorful and full of expression.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4524" src="https://g2comm.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Screen-Shot-2018-09-06-at-11.47.26-PM.png" alt="kate lovevs hockey" />

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4523" src="https://g2comm.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Screen-Shot-2018-09-06-at-11.51.00-PM.png" alt="Kate loves hockey" />

I think this would be a good addition to any library, or home, or school, for the sports minded readers.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

I liked the graphic novel aspect of the story but I didn't think the story-within-a-story structure worked very well. I enjoyed the narration of the conflict at the hockey camp and the sub-story of Kate's grandmother's hockey days, but I wish it had been told in a more straightforward way.

I got an ARC of this book.

I got this book solely because of an interaction I had with one of the authors of the book. I was curious at what a book that he worked on would be like. I was not disappointed!

The book follows Kate telling the story about her new orange hat. I thought it was going to be a simple story about it being something she got after winning a big game or something along those lines. Instead it was an emotionally intense book about growing up and maturing. Kate's journey starts with her being accepting into a really prestigious hockey camp and her mom telling her that she will be staying with her grandmother instead of in the dorms with the other girls. This is only the first downfall of Kate's summer.

The next is one of the girls plays dirty and the coaches let her get away with it. Kate has to deal with living with a grandmother that she swears up and down doesn't like her and she has nothing in common with on top of dealing with another player that is a jerk for no real reason. Kate learns a lot at camp, some of which is hockey skills. The majority of what she learns is a lot about growing up. She learns that people have lived lives before she was born and that just because you are facing a difficult person or situation doesn't mean that you you will never move beyond it.

The story is heart warming and hit a lot of my buttons. I was raised by my grandmother who was the first female ship fitter (she build submarines by hand). She is a total trailblazer just like Kate's grandmother. Kate and I are both lucky to have learned from our grandmothers. This is an important story that gives lives to grandparents and will encourage young girls to actually get to know their grandparents and learn about how far women have come.

This is the sort of book that makes you feel good when you read it. It is mostly about hockey and relationships, Kate telling her friends the story of her hockey summer camp. It was a little hard at the beginning with the bullying but it gets better once Kate decided to not let it put her down, and concentrate on being better at hockey. She also learns a lot about her grandma (with who she thinks she has nothing in common) and her past and I love seeing these beautiful relationships. I also really, really loved the art, I found it very soft, very huggable (like the whole book).

Wonderful graphic novel that interweaves coming of age, family secrets, and the sexual biases inherent in ice jockey.

I enjoyed this graphic novel. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes graphic novels and hockey. I loved the lessons in the book.

This story follows Kate who was chosen by the North American Women's Ice Hockey Federation to attend a developmental camp in Denver for elite junior girls ages 10 to 13 from all over the world, and it is incredibly hard to get in. So she travels to Denver to attend the camp and stays with her grandmother while there. Throughout the story, Kate has to learn how to overcome obstacles on and off the ice: whether it's trying to learn how to connect with her grandmother, who she feels like has no interest in her or hockey; or teammates who pick on her for where she's from (Tennessee); or learning about a family member with an illness. And I don't want to spoil the story, but the topic of discrimination against female hockey players was also covered, and I absolutely loved it!

I loved this story because for one, it's much harder to find stories about female athletes, especially female hockey players! I have read so many books with male hockey players as the lead, but this is the first one I have come across with a female hockey player, and I am here for that.

And it has so many good messages throughout. "You don't have to be the best player on the ice, but you should be the best at outworking every other player there." That's a lesson that people of all ages could learn. And we learn that Kate has high aspirations for herself: she wants to be the first girl in the CAHL, and I love that she's not letting her gender from limiting her.

As for the illustrations, they are beautiful as well, and I love the diversity of characters that are shown, from skin color to size.

I enjoyed this graphic novel and think it is a great story for all ages with so many important themes and lessons to be learned throughout as well.

I received a digital copy of this graphic novel in return for my honest opinion.

Kate's Really Good At Hockey is a graphic novel that details the events of Kate's experiences just prior to and during her summer hockey camp. We follow Kate, her mom, her grandma, and teammates on a journey where she discovers herself through creating new friendships.

As an adult, I will admit that I knew something was up when Kate's mom insisted she stay with her grandma but I didn't foresee both of the reveals. Perhaps an elementary aged student (who I would think this is geared towards) would not be as quick to think something was up.

I like the dedication that Kate displays - even in the face of adversity - and would think she could be inspirational for young hockey players. I would recommend this book to children interested in hockey but I encourage parents to read it first as it deals with some complex issues.

SPOILER

SPOILER

SPOILER -- The grandma has cancer. This may be a topic of concern if family members have experienced it or died from it.

12 year old Kate loves hockey. She has a whole plan for how she is going to make it in the big leagues; even against some top male athletes. Kate's mom gave her an envelope one day. It was an invitation to a top summer camp for female hockey players. Kate is beyond ecstatic to be with so many others who are passionate like her. The only catch is that she has to stay with her grandmother; someone she barely knows and seems to care very little about her love of hockey. With competitive bullies and mean coaches, Kate isn't sure if she will crush summer camp or not.

This graphic novel is easy to read and full of important lessons for a young athlete. The novel panels are well organized and help the story flow nicely. As the story unfolds, there are some reveals that seem too orchestrated, but were overall conducive to the themes of family, love, pride, and dreams.

This would be a great graphic novel for fans of Roller Girl and/or hockey. Kate's participation in an elite hockey summer camp is just part of the story. There's lots here about friends, enemies, family, and perseverance.

If you didn't know before reading this, I am a huge hockey fan. Before I came into the book blogging community I had been a hockey blogger for a few years and was even looking into a career in sports journalism, but it just wasn't for me so I pivoted my career path. That being said, I still really love the sport of hockey, so whenever I can come across a new book about my favorite sport I jump on it.

This is actually my third graphic novel from Animal Media Group I've read that has been about hockey. There is even a mention of the character from one of the other ones, which I thought was a nice call back. I like that Kate's world is also in the same universe as The Hockey Saint & Hockey Karma. What drew me into about Kate's book the most is it's about girls in hockey and that is a thing I'm really interested in. I think with more interest in women's hockey, this is a great story for young girls that play the sport or for those just starting to get interested in it.

This graphic novel is really heavy on it being mostly about hockey since it's Kate telling the story of how her hockey camp went during the summer. I found all the stuff about the camp super interesting, and I honestly wanted to know more about the coaches. As two female coaches of the sport, I bet they have interesting stories. You come to find that the book isn't JUST about the sport as there is some family stuff going on. I found this to be a little too obvious, but I did absolutely love that Kate and her grandmother finally get to bond. It was really awesome to hear about her Grandmother's past in this story too.

The colors in this graphic novel were so vibrant! They were really saturated at points, but I just found them so much fun to look at. I think it really set the mood for this graphic novel. I really enjoyed the art in this one, it's not too complicated but awesome to look at as you go through the book. Animal Media Group is definitely a publisher of graphic novels that I really enjoy. Especially if they continue to give me interesting stories about my favorite sport.

The age for this seems a little younger, either middle grade or younger YA, so I think if you are looking for something for a younger audience this would be a good place to start. Also, if you have a young girl interested in the sport, this is a perfect book for them to read. I thought it was such a cute story!

*I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review

This was a fun story about family, major illness, girl power, and HOCKEY! I loved the pictures throughout the graphic novel and the story line was perfect for middle grade readers. Every girl has their thing that they are good at and need to learn how to work with others to achieve goals. This book showed that working towards your goals is a great thing and having people to back you up is even better. Friendship played a huge role in this book as did family relationships. It was great seeing Kate grow both in her life and in her hockey career.

This book was fabulous! It is a genre, girls hockey that I had never seen before! Also the graphic novel format for a girl’s sport is also new. This book would make an excellent addition to my classroom library. I have one student in mind who would love it!

Colorful, professional, and vibrant, this book works as a middle grades graphic novel from Animal Media — although adults can certainly enjoy it too.

There is enough plot and action to keep readers of all ages entertained, and this work is yet another fine example of a comic book/graphic novel published by this group.

Graphic novel appropriate for Elementary and Middle School.
Great drawings, very expressive. Love the getting to know Grandma angle, as many of my students have Grandparents far away.
Adolescent relevant.
Nice to see a girl being good in sports and the historical angle will be helpful for my students to understand how different sports used to be for girls.

Great book promoting strong girls working towards their goals. Great art with flowing text. Read this with my ten year old daughter. It was a hit!

Kate was finally accepted to go to an elite hockey camp in Denver over the summer. While she was looking forward to staying in the dorm, her mother decides that she should stay with her grandmother instead. Her grandmother had never shown an interest in hockey, so Kate is disappointed. There are girls who bully her and a coach that seems to let it happen, which makes her summer even worse. When Kate discovers secrets family members kept from her, she is upset and feels as though her summer is ruined.

Kate's Really Good at Hockey is a story about friendships, families and mother/daughter relationships. Kate is "almost thirteen" in the text of the story, which is a rough age to balance the need for independence as well as the parents' need to protect from harm. She wants so much to be independent and live out her dream of being a hockey player, which is the part of her that's growing up and creating goals. There's also the side of her that wants everything to be fair, which real life hardly ever is. The comic never once shies away from the reality of a sports camp, that it's a lot of hard work and practice; as much as the head coach seems like the bad guy, nothing she says is actually wrong. Kate's rivals are like every other catty girl that had ever been present in school, so readers will definitely be familiar with that kind of personality.

The art in this comic is very brightly colored, and the flashback sequences are more sepia-toned. It's a great way to separate the present day from the story that Kate's grandmother told. The secrets held by Kate's family members are ones that would be common in families, so it's another feature that readers will be able to relate to. Based on Kate's age, I would think that middle grade and junior high school readers are the target audience. My ten year old read this with me, and really liked Kate and her struggles. The sequences where she bonded with her grandmother really touched her, so the authors and artist really knocked it out of the park for that part of the story. These are approachable characters, and show how adversity can be worked through and triumphed over, and that it's never too late to rebuild relationships.

Kate's spent all year waiting to attend an elite girl's hockey camp. But camp isn't as great as she thought it would be. She's staying with her grandma, the girls at camp bully her and the coaches do nothing to help!

Will Kate leave early and head back to Tennessee? Or can she fight through the adversity and grow stronger?

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this graphic novel nearly as much as I did. The illustrations are very, very good, and the storyline is more than just hockey—it's about family, friendship, rivalry, adversity, teamwork and good sportsmanship. Okay. the last two are about hockey, but are great lessons that can easily be applied to more than just one particular sport—or life in general.

There are some pretty heavy topics (cancer, aging parents, discrimination, sexism, communication, relationships, discrimination, growing up, teamwork, forgiveness) in this graphic novel, but packaged in a way that is easily digestible for middle grade readers without being too overwhelming.

And in case you're wondering—Kate really is good at hockey.

My only complaint is that this graphic novel was too short.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Kate's really good at hockey. So good, in fact, that she was accepted into a special summer training camp! The summer is gearing up to be awesome! But tough coaches, bullies, and staying with her grandmother are just part of Kate's summer going downhill. But then there are surprises and secrets that are revealed.

The story is told in flashback format; the book opens with Kate walking into school on the first day, her friends commenting on her new orange and black hat. Her friends know Kate well enough to know that this new accessory has to do with hockey. So starts Kate's summary of her summer vacation with all of its ups and downs.

This is a story of courage, and determination, and a love for hockey and family. Kate and her grandmother really start to bond over the story, and--by proxy--Kate and her mother grow together as well. It's definitely a bit of a tear-jerker at times, but mostly you're rooting for Kate. The author has done an amazing job of making the reader feel exactly what Kate is feeling, everything from elation to anger to sadness. The art is fantastic, too. A soul-sister to Victoria Jameson's "Roller Girl, "Kate's Really Good at Hockey" will make a fine addition to any library, and will find its way into the hands of many girls regardless of whether they are an athlete or not, or a hockey lover or not.

A young-teen redhead loves hockey. Considering the previous works from this publisher, this is not a surprise.
After a get-together with all her friends before school—it appears they’re just back from summer break—there’s long and very clunky exposition as to how she spent her time away. The scene switches to her having a hard time at hockey camp while living with a grandmother who doesn’t seem to understand her. The main players are from those hockey hotbeds of Tennessee and Ecuador. And of course there’s bullies.
Mom says such Mom things. If you’re only gonna have a few things in common with Grandma, might as well make them ice cream and bacon.
There’s a lot of repetition, but I suppose this is for kids. Most of it is pretty standard storytelling, but luckily—or unluckily, in the case of the characters—there’s a couple of major twists.
3.5 pushed up to 4/5

Firstly, this book automatically made me smile since it was set at my own alma mater.

Kate's life is hockey. When she's accepted into the elite hockey camp, it's a dream come true. Until she discovers that she's to stay with her grandmother instead of in the dorms with the rest of the girls. At camp, things get tough. Not only is the coach extremely hard on them...especially on Kate...but two girls from up north are determined to make her life difficult. Nothing is fair, but Kate doesn't seem to be able to do anything to stop it. Mix is the problems with her grandmother and coach, and the dream is morphing into a massive disappointment.

It's wonderful to see a middle grade book with girls and hockey, and one that hits the game with all that hardness the game holds. Young hockey fans are sure to enjoy that. The graphics/illustrations are extremely well done and keep the tension and emotions as grabbing as the text. It reads smoothly and brings the characters to life, making them easy to cheer for.

The author rolls in several tougher themes along the way. These slide right into the main story line, come with fairly practical solutions and mold in so as not to become overpowering, allowing the story to stay front and center. It has a feel-good ending, which wraps up the ends nicely.

When Kate gets accepted to a prestigious hockey camp it is the most exciting thing that's ever happened to her... until she learns that she'll be staying with her grandma rather than in the dorms. Kate doesn't feel like she has anything in common with her grandma and like her grandma isn't interested in her life. But Kate's about to learn that family can be full of surprises.

I thought this was a fun little read. Kate is a relatable protagonist and I was rooting for her even when she was screwing up. The only part I wasn't big on was that the set up of the book is her telling the story of her summer to all of her classmates. I think the story was strong enough to stand alone.

I loved this book!

This story doesn’t shy away from the hard parts about sports. Kate has a difficult coach at camp who criticizes her game. Sometimes tough coaches and teachers are great because they push you to be your best, but other times it can be frustrating and make you want to quit. However, not every teacher is like that.

Kate has to go outside of her comfort zone when she stays with her grandmother instead of in the dorms with the other girls. Her mom insisted she stay with her grandmother, and it turned out to be a great situation.

This is a great book for young athletes.

I was expecting just a cute story about a girl that plays hockey, and I was pleasantly surprised to have the story develop into so much more. Kate IS really good at hockey, but in the beginning there is a lot about the game and her family that she doesn’t know yet.
Kate spends time with her grandmother while at a hockey camp away from home and learns some family secrets that change her way of thinking and helps her grow. The relationship between the three generations of women and how it changes throughout the story was the real story for me in this graphic novel. I would highly recommend it!❤️
Thank you to Animal Media Group and NetGalley for the chance to review this story in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are my own.

Kate’s whole life is hockey, and she learns a lot about hockey, life, family, and friendship during hockey camp over the summer. I love that this story is about FEMALE hockey players and even touches on the discrimination in the sport. This is a great graphic novel for middle school age readers because of all the life lessons it has to offer, and the art is really great also.

Thank you NetGalley and Animal Media Group LLC for providing me with a copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.

"Kate is really good at hockey" by Christina M. Frey and Howard Shapiro is a graphic novel/comic about a girl (Kate) who gets an opportunity to go to a summer hockey camp which is the first step on her to-do list to be a great hockey player. But nothing goes according to the plan. Her mother has forced her to live with her grandmother who she has nothing in common with and who doesn't care about her. Two girls at the camp don't like Kate and break every rule possible just so they can win. Both girls are couch's favorite, so they get away with everything. The problems increase when she finds out a family secret.
The book goes through Kate's life as she tries hard to get motivated when nothing is going as she wanted.
I loved the expressions on the characters. The artist drew them amazingly. The comic tell about how women sacrificed and fought for their rights in the past and are continuously doing so. This book is for middle grade children who like sports. Comic lovers should get it too.
I received an ARC from netgalley in exchange of a review.

I'm a big fan of Shapiro's, and this book is no exception to his good, fun stories. I love that this one had a female lead in a sport that is still lacking in female representation. The artwork was fun and bright.

All Kate really wanted was to spend her summer holidays in the super awesome elite hockey camp she got accepted, stay at the dorms, meet some more girls that are into hockey like her and make friends, and of course: Play hockey!

Part of that plan changed when her mom tell's her she's not staying at the dorms, but at her grandma's house, a grandmother who she really feels no connection as everytime she tries to start a conversation it falls short. Hockey is a no go, she never replies, school is also a no go she wants to focus on hockey this days! Also books? She's not into sci-fi like her grandma.

As the weeks pass along with the hockey camp, Kate works herself off on the ice while dealing with the bullies, the stoic couch who appears to like the bully way more, and secrets after secrets from her mother and grandmother. What's a girl to do?!

It was a really cute story, easy and fast to read, that was really heart-warming as Kate and her grandma slowly bond over the weeks! Very colorful with a nice art. And a nice message to the kids who pick up the novel!

Actual Rating: 3.5 stars!

This middle-reader graphic novel tells us the story of Kate, a thirteen-year-old hockey prodigy from Tennessee. She gets the opportunity of a lifetime when she’s accepted into an intensive girls’ hockey training camp— but it’s in Colorado, far from home, and she’ll have to stay with her grandmother, who she barely knows. When she gets to camp, it’s a nightmare! Some other girls are mean, the coach hates her, and she starts to think she won’t be able to keep up. But hockey is her dream, her whole life— so something has to give, right? She has to succeed; there’s no other option.

The novel is a story about the story— as in, it’s told in the format of Kate telling all her school friends about the exciting summer she had at camp. I actually really liked this, because it gave us the opportunity for narration and glimpses into Kate’s internal monologue without it seeming awkward or out-of-place. In a graphic novel, making us feel like we’re reading a first-person narration is really hard to do, because we’re looking at the characters and seeing their dialogue, not actually reading their thoughts. But because of the format of the story, this novel accomplishes that feat, and Kate’s narrative voice is distinctive and adorable.

I’ve read in the hockey graphic novel universe from Animal Media Group before, and this story has been my favorite so far. (There are actually a few cross-references to other stories in this same universe, including Kate’s immense admiration for a pro player who’s the main character of another graphic novel, Hockey Karma. Kate is determined and headstrong— sometimes to a fault, because she has her fair share of run-ins with other players at camp, coaches, and even her grandmother and mom. But she knows what she wants, and she’s really, really good at it.

There’s so much hockey in this book! I was so happy with the amount of on-ice action we see. We also see plenty of the locker room, coach’s office, and even just hockey talk. I really get the sense of how much she loves the sport because of how much on-page time we spend focusing on it. That’s exactly what the focus should have been, so I was super satisfied. The art style is also adorable. Kate has bright pink and red hair, and it’s the best.

Also, a shoutout to this novel for giving the hockey camp a diverse group of girls. There’s a hockey player from Ecuador, and she was my favorite character. It’s nice to see hockey represented without a completely white American or Canadian cast. Plus, just the fact that this was a story about girls’ hockey?? Practically unheard of. Major props. We need more girl power in sports fiction! (And in sports in real life, but that’s… another conversation for another day.)

Kate’s story is also punctuated with a few important lessons about mothers and daughters, honesty within families, and learning about the tough stuff of life. I won’t spoil anything, but I appreciate that we were able to see more broad and important aspects of Kate’s life that didn’t directly have to do with hockey. The story also deals with these things in a way that makes them accessible to a middle grade reader without making it so heavy that it drags the whole story down. Overall, this story is inspiring and cute— it provides a message of hope, and leaves you rooting for Kate and her future hockey adventures, with her family by her side.

Kate’s Really Good At Hockey is inspiring, chock-full of girl power, and heartwarming. Please buy this for the girl athlete or hockey-loving kid in your life!

I haven't read many graphic novels, but I have enjoyed the ones I've tried. #KatesReallyGoodAtHockey is no different. Kate is a relatable character that is trying to navigate family, friendships, and hockey. The story is told through flashbacks where Kate is explaining her summer at hockey camp to her friends at school in the fall. Along with difficult team members, Kate has to deal with family secrets. I think my students would enjoy this book. #NetGalley

"Kate is really good at hockey" by Christina M. Frey and Howard Shapiro is a graphic novel/comic about a girl (Kate) who gets an opportunity to go to a summer hockey camp which is the first step on her to-do list to be a great hockey player. But nothing goes according to the plan. Her mother has forced her to live with her grandmother who she has nothing in common with and who doesn't care about her. Two girls at the camp don't like Kate and break every rule possible just so they can win. Both girls are couch's favorite, so they get away with everything. The problems increase when she finds out a family secret.
The book goes through Kate's life as she tries hard to get motivated when nothing is going as she wanted.
I loved the expressions on the characters. The artist drew them amazingly. The comic tell about how women sacrificed and fought for their rights in the past and are continuously doing so. This book is for middle grade children who like sports. Comic lovers should get it too.

I loved that this focused a lot on self discipline and hard work. I also really enjoyed the family dynamic between her mother. I found it refreshing to see a mother be so invested in her daughters hobby and dreams. I really found Katie and her grandmas storyline the most important. I wish that dynamic was more focused on in other children's books. All around I would highly suggest this book for all children!

I allowed my daughter to read this to see if I could get her into something else. She said she enjoyed it. It was a fun read. Shes only 8.

I loved this graphic novel!

Surprise! Kate is really good at hockey and when she is selected to go to girl's hockey camp in Denver all of her dreams come true but once she gets there she realizes her Grandma isn't interested in hockey and therefore isn't very supportive. Worse, she is bullied by other players and feels so discouraged she wants to run back to all that is safe and familiar.

Will she have the courage to stand her ground and face adversity? This book is about hockey on the surface but it's really about grit, determination, family, and perseverance.

Thank you to Christina M. Frey and Howard Shapiro, Animal Media Group LLC and NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. It's a great story about not giving up in the face of adversity. Mixed in is a story of family love and how secrets can hurt. Sometimes you just have to reach a little further and push a little harder to achieve your goal and get closer to the ones you love.

This book certainly turned out to have a more complex story than I originally thought it would. Katie loves hockey and is accepted to a prestigious hockey camp. She is disappointed when her mother tells her she will be staying with her grandmother during camp, who she is not close with, instead of staying on the dorms. Katie goes through a lot of things at camp and ultimately learns that heroes come from the most unlikely places.

This graphic novel is short but manages to have some hard hitting emotions regardless. This is a story that could resonate with boys or girls, but will more likely lean towards girls. Katie ultimately finds out that not only i her grandmother a groundbreaking hockey legend, but also that she is currently dealing with breast cancer. While for older children struggling with the idea of death this book may not be helpful, it could be a good way to comfort a younger child when finding out that a loved one has cancer. The book even goes so far as to explain some changes like Grandma not having hair, and that she is going to move in with Katie and her family. Where this book truly shines is in showing the many ways one can overcome obstacles. Katie has to deal with bullies at camp, while her grandmother had to deal with gender discrimination, all told in the context of their respective hockey careers. The book does feature a diverse cast, including figures of authority, and also seems to focus on portraying people of all sizes.

The art in the book is really my only complaint and that is small. The grandmother character to me just comes off as intimidating and somewhat scary. Her lines are drawn rather harshly, and the closest thing I can think of is the evil stepmother from the Walt Disney animated Cinderella. I don;t know why, but something about that character in particular just seems off. Even in the end as her and Katie's relationship grows she still looks very intimidating. Part of that just seems to be the harshness of her features compared to all other characters in the book. It isn't enough to stop me from recommending the title, just something that kind of breaks up the artistic flow of the book.

Kate's Really Good at Hockey is a middle grade graphic novel about 12-year old Kate. She gets accepted to an elite ice hockey camp for girls. When her mother tells Kate that she'll be staying at her grandmother's house while she attends camp, Kate gets upset because she doesn't know her grandmother that well and feels like they have nothing in common. Kate runs into trouble at hockey camp when one of the other girls isn't nice to her and plays dirty, yet the coach won't find fault with the "mean girl". Kate gets frustrated...

This was a cute book perfect for middle grade kids who are interested in sports. It is definitely about much more than just hockey. It also has a good message about sticking with something you love and finding connections with friends and family. In the end it is a heartwarming story and I recommend it to young graphic novel fans.

This graphic novel blew me away. I loved that the main character in this book is a girl who plays a sport (hockey) that is typically for boys. Kate is really good at hockey, and she is invited to participate in a special hockey camp. While at camp, she stays with her grandma and discovers information about her family. She also faces some other challenges from the other coaches and players. In the end, Kate learns valuable life lessons both on and off the ice.

Kate's Really Good at Hockey tackles the single-mindedness that we can all get when doing what we love. Through the vibrant illustrations and realistic dialogue, Kate's story is revealed to be much more than just about hockey. As a 13-year-old girl, Kate takes a big trip to a summer hockey camp in Colorado where she stays with a grandmother that she doesn't know very well. Through trials with girls and coaches at camp to not knowing quite what she wants to say to her mother over the phone, Kate learns that secrets can sometimes be too much. This is a wonderful story of the relationship between mothers and daughters and granddaughters, hockey, friendship, and what things are truly important in life. Knowledge of hockey is not necessary to enjoy this heartwarming tale.

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kate's mom and grandmother don't tell her everything she feels she has a right to know but they are just being caring and protective of her. When she has the opportunity to go to Hockey camp during the summer, she learns more than just about hockey. She learns that she has more in common with her grandmother than she previously thought. Her coaches aren't the only ones she can learn from!

This graphic novel shares more than hockey with its' readers.

Graphic novel, sports, hockey camp, action, girl-power, family secrets... and more. Definitely a winner! I think this is the first time I came across a graphic novel that uses the story within a story format as a set-up and I thought it worked well here. While there is lots of action on and off the ice for the reader to look forward to, I wish the title would do this more justice.

Kate's Really Good At Hockey is about a young girl who lives and breathes hockey, and hopes to get into an elite hockey summer camp for girls. When Kate's dreams come true and she's accepted to the camp she is wildly excited, except for the fact that she has to stay with her grandma, who lives close to the camp. Unfortunately for Kate things at camp don't go to plan. She is bullied, the coach hates her and nothing goes right really. Then she gets a pep talk from grandma, who's hiding secrets.

I enjoyed this graphic novel, and it really should be read by aspiring young sportspeople everywhere, both girls and boys. It's about sticking to your guns when the going gets tough, and being focused on achieving your dreams. The story is immensely readable and the illustrations wonderfully colourful. I have no hesitation in recommending it to all teens who have dreams and goal.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have two young hockey players and both loved this book. It was great for the young readers to see all the challenges and fun that come with hockey. I love that it is written from a girls perspective as I live in Minneapolis and the phenom that is women's/girl's hockey is getting a lot of attention right now. Would highly recommend this book for your little hockey kids!

This was a cute, fast read filled with passionate sports people, feminism, love, illness, and the bond between mother and daughter and grandmother and granddaughter. I really enjoyed this one and loved seeing how much Kate ended up loving her grandmother and having a close relationship with her. I also liked how they touched on serious themes like bullying, sexism, feminism and family trauma in such a light and fun book.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of Kates Really Good At Hockey in exchange of an honest review.


It was an emotional ride for now. I was not expecting it to be that way.

Kate is a hardworking and talented hockey player whose dream is becoming the best there is out there. She wants to make it professionally and play against her hero. Once she's accepted in the most prestigious hockey camps for girl hockey players, she sets herself into a new journey.

It was a lovely story. Like I said, emotional. There's a lot you can learn from it, perseverance, love, and friendship. Among other things. I enjoyed it. I rec this for anybody.

This is the second graphic novel I've read about hockey and I wasn't sure what to expect out of a middle grade story. I thought it would be about bullying at hockey camp but it turned into much more than that. The illustrations throughout the book are bright, colorful and easy to follow. The characters have depth and are very realistic. I really enjoyed this! It was heartwarming and inspiring and it will definitely stay with me for a long time.

As a huge hockey fan, this book definitely resonated with me! There's not enough focus on females in hockey and I really appreciated Kate's character and her passion for hockey! It was a great graphic novel with colorful illustrations. My only problem was that it was very rushed especially toward the end, there were too many reveals to fit with the message of secrets and I wished the side characters were more fleshed out.I recommend to any hockey fans!

This is a quick fun read about girls' hockey, persevering, family, and team sports. It packs a lot in to a small book. The art is fun and the characters are nice. As a former girls hockey player, I appreciated this one a lot.

Excellent read for fans of Roller Girl and Ghosts - this book is a good blend of coming-of-age, complicated family issues, and sports. I enjoyed the relatable problem of adults keeping secrets from their kids "for their own good" and the resolution has enough nuisance to feel real. I also love how Grandma is demonized for her decision to retire, focusing instead on how difficult of a choice that was. If I had to pick one thing to complain about it would be Jocelyn, the bully. I see why she was narratively necessary to move the plot forward but it's a trope that I am personally done with.