Growing up, I found sitting with my dad and watching sporting events on television as a way to bond and spend quality time with me. Oftentimes I had no idea the rules of the game being played, but I didn't care, as I was able to sit and just be with my dad after he returned from a long day at work. As the years went by, I found myself getting more interested in the different sports and wanting to learn the game. Even though my father didn't play sports himself, he loved the game and watching others compete. My dad taught me the in's and out's of football, baseball, basketball and even hockey. And, because we lived in Massachusetts and were from Boston, it was a no brainer -- we always rooted for the home team, which means the Patriots, the Red Sox, the Celtics and the Boston Bruins. Even if our teams were having a bad year or didn't make it into the playoffs, we still rooted for them, and hoped for a better outcome the following season.
Next to baseball, I found myself really getting into hockey. I had attempted to learn to skate in middle school, but was lucky to be able to shuffle around the ice and not fall. You wouldn't find me out there skating backwards or doing spins. So, having firsthand experience with being on ice skates, I has more appreciation for the game of hockey as it took skill just to stay up on your feet, let along dash across the ice back and forth trying to get your puck into the net.
I remember back when my father was teaching me about hockey, how I struggled to learn the different positions and rules of the game. He wished there was a book geared towards kids that broke things down and was easier for kids to grasp in regards to hockey 101. I couldn't help but laugh when I was sent the "Sports Illustrated Kids: My First Book of Hockey" last month as I knew when I showed my Dad he was going to look through it and wish he had this to share with me when I was younger. But, the good thing with now having a book like this, is that he can share with his grandchildren who come to visit and find themselves watching the games with him. Even though my girls are not into hockey, if and when they do become interested, my Dad will have just the book to sit and read to them. In the meantime, he has been sharing it with my two nephews and they love it. They now know the game of hockey and can follow along, and look forward to visits with Papa, especially when there is a Bruins game on. :-)
With Father's Day fast approaching, I wanted to make you aware of the Sports Illustrated Kids: My First Book of Hockey, as well as a few other great hockey books for SIKids and Sports Illustrated that hockey fans young and old will love.
"Hockey: Then to WOW! takes readers on a journey through time to show how hockey evolved from the early days of its 19th century origins to the game as it is today. Using in-game action photography and fun illustrations, experts show kids (ages 8 and up) how the gear, players, strategy, and fans have changed since the NHL dropped the first puck in 1917. http://amzn.to/2zEFOuD
My First Book of Hockey: A Rookie Book introduces readers to the basics of the game, including how power plays work, how the three-period game flows, what a hat trick is, what's up with the referee's crease, and more. http://amzn.to/2EZoJko
Hockey’s Greatest by the Editors of Sports Illustrated is the ultimate top 10 rankings of everything in professional hockey. Who is the greatest goalie of all-time, Patrick Roy or Dominik Hasek? Where does Martin Brodeur land in the rankings? Would fans select Sidney Crosby or Mario Lemieux as the better center? Sports Illustrated has polled its hockey experts to determine the top 10 in more than 15 categories, including best rivalry, best single-season team, and best game in history. http://amzn.to/2CcFcB5."
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I will be gifting my Dad the oversized hardcover, Sports Illustrated: Hockey's Greatest with introduction by Michael Farber, which features the greatest hockey players to take the ice. What was the best game every? Who was the most exciting hockey player to watch? And, what about the greatest goalie of all time? These and other questions posed by hockey fanatics will finally be answered, with the help of NHL experts, once and for all. :-) My Dad is going to love this book, and it will probably open up debate if the NHL experts don't pick his favorite Bruins players from over the years. :-)
So, if you are still trying to figure out the best gift to give your Dad this Father's Day and he is a huge hockey fan like my Dad, then why not gift him some of the great hockey books I mentioned above? Then, get ready to sit down and flip through the books together, as you both enjoy quality time together, talking about hockey (or learning about it) with these wonderful hockey books from Sports Illustrated and Sports Illustrated Kids.
Disclosure: I was sent review copies from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.
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