Henry Holton Takes the Ice

by Sandra Bradley, Sara Palacios (Illustrator)

Overview

A lively hockey and ice dancing picture book in the tradition of Billy Elliot and The Sissy Duckling
Henry Holton’s whole family is hockey mad.  Everyone, that is, except Henry.  When he holds a hockey stick, Henry becomes a menace to the game—and an embarrassment to his sports-minded family.  It’s not until he sees his first ice dancing performance that Henry realizes there’s something he can do on the ice that doesn’t involve boarding and body checking.  Henry is ready to hang up his gear and try on some figure skates, but first he has to convince his hockey-obsessed family to let him follow his own path.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780698401570
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	01/02/2015
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	78 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Sandra Bradley lives near Kingston, Ontario, with her husband and three children. This is her debut children’s book. 

Sara Palacios is the recipient of the 2012 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Award.  A native of Mexico, Sara graduated from the National Institute of Fine Arts in Mexico City and went on to earn BFA and MFA degrees in Illustration from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Despite its icy setting, Bradley’s debut imparts a warm, encouraging message to kids feeling out of step with their families’ interests...Equal parts sensitive and comic, it’s a rewarding reminder that there’s more than one way to get in the game." —Publishers Weekly

"In her first picture book, Bradley tells a well-crafted, satisfying story in which Henry articulates his views,sticks to his guns, and wins in the end." —Booklist

"Both the illustrations—despite the ice, it has the warmth of pencil-and-wash artwork—and the story have a strong but unmenacing quality, neatly conveying an acceptance of Henry's inclinations and an appreciation of his talent. It doesn't matter what you do on the ice, suggests Bradley, just do it with a song in your heart." —Kirkus Reviews

Editorial Reviews

11/17/2014
Despite its icy setting, Bradley’s debut imparts a warm, encouraging message to kids feeling out of step with their families’ interests. At age seven, redheaded Henry Holton can outskate anyone in the history of his “hockey mad” family, but much to the embarrassment of his parents and sister, his feet fail him whenever he picks up a hockey stick. Watching an ice-dancing demonstration, Henry recognizes his calling: “It was magic. Ice magic!” With the encouragement of his grandmother, Henry finds the right skates for him. Blending scribbly pencils with soft watercolors and collaged elements, Palacios (’Twas Nochebuena) humorously reinforces the Holtons’ obsession with hockey (Henry’s mother drives a Zamboni, and the family dog, Gretsky, wears a hockey jersey) while subtly revealing Henry’s embrace of his individuality: posters and books of animals and robots adorn his room, and his joyful expression while ice dancing confirms he has hit his stride. Equal parts sensitive and comic, it’s a rewarding reminder that there’s more than one way to get in the game. Ages 6–8. Author’s agent: Emily van Beek, Folio Literary Management. Illustrator’s agent: Kendra Marcus, BookStop Literary Agency. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

"Despite its icy setting, Bradley’s debut imparts a warm, encouraging message to kids feeling out of step with their families’ interests...Equal parts sensitive and comic, it’s a rewarding reminder that there’s more than one way to get in the game." —Publishers Weekly

"In her first picture book, Bradley tells a well-crafted, satisfying story in which Henry articulates his views,sticks to his guns, and wins in the end." —Booklist

"Both the illustrations—despite the ice, it has the warmth of pencil-and-wash artwork—and the story have a strong but unmenacing quality, neatly conveying an acceptance of Henry's inclinations and an appreciation of his talent. It doesn't matter what you do on the ice, suggests Bradley, just do it with a song in your heart." —Kirkus Reviews

"Kids will chuckle over the pileup Henry’s slick moves cause in a hockey games, and the protest poster (“Picks!”) he brings to the rink while on strike...Tykes fighting their own 'I gotta be me'battles, whatever the arena, will surely empathize."  —BCCB

"This is a wonderful story for students about being different from others; one that also demonstrates the love of family." —SLC

From the Publisher

12/01/2014
K-Gr 3—A predictable but touching story about doing what you love despite expectations, gender, or family, and finding your own path. Born into a fanatical hockey family, Henry Holton is a natural on the ice and is expected to be a prime left or right wing the moment he's able to hold a stick. The only problem is that the minute Henry has a stick in his hands, his feet are all "in a muddle." He loves skating up and down the ice and soon discovers, much to the dismay of his family, that figure skating is more his style. After his parents refuse to buy him figure skates, he boycotts the rink until his MVP grandmother steps in and tells him a little secret that helps resolve the family issue. Henry is a relatable character illustrated with an open sincerity that will draw in young readers, as will the plethora of detailed illustrations on each page, such as those of Henry's room or the crowd at the rink. A glossary of hockey terms will help novices to the sport, making this a pleasant read for fans and anyone else. A sound choice for general purchase.—Ashley Prior, Lincoln Public Library, RI

School Library Journal

2014-10-01
A young ice skater finds his métier on the ice in a family full of hockey players. And it doesn't involve a stick. Henry Holton's family is "HOCKEY MAD." All of them: Mom drives a Zamboni to work, and their dog wears a Wayne Gretzky hockey shirt. Henry takes to the ice like a martini. But...that stick doesn't feel right. Getting mashed into the boards doesn't feel right. It is the ice that calls. He's got a touch of individuality that befuddles, even angers, the Holton clan. "No way," his father booms when Henry mentions he would like picks on the fronts of his blades. "We're a hockey family, Henry...a HOCKEY FAMILY!" Henry's sister, Sally, helpfully chimes in, "Ice dancing is for girls." But Grandma knows that skating affects people in different ways, and she dusts off her pair of figure skates, which Henry—and bully for him—straps on and takes to the rink. He shines. Both the illustrations—despite the ice, it has the warmth of pencil-and-wash artwork—and the story have a strong but unmenacing quality, neatly conveying an acceptance of Henry's inclinations and an appreciation of his talent. It doesn't matter what you do on the ice, suggests Bradley, just do it with a song in your heart. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews