Let's live your children's passion through words! Below is a selection of over 50 hockey books for kids, organized by age from toddler to 12 years old.
Note: considering the low number of books where the main character is a girl hockey player, I have gather them into their own section rather than include them in each age section.
Note - if you are looking for hockey books for late teen / adults, head to this other article.
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Ice hockey books for toddlers
Let's start with toddlers. Below are a few books for them with great illustrations to discover the world of ice hockey.
Let's Play Hockey (Chunky Lift-a-flap Book)
by Ginger Swift and Cottage Door Press
A great introduction to Hockey for babies and toddlers: practice words from the world of hockey, count the number of players, watch the fan cheering. This lift-a-flap book is a great first hockey book.
Little Hockey
by Matt Napier
Colorful illustrations and rhyming riddles will help you share your hockey passion with your toddler, discovering the basic elements of the game such as: 'Round and black--do you know its name? You need this disk to play the game." Answer: Puck.'
First Hockey Words
by Per-Henrik Gürth
A great picture book for young hockey fans. Your kid will follow a group of animals who play a game of hockey, allowing your child to learn some hockey terms: from simple (team, net, shot...) to more complex (,face-off, penalty...).
Goodnight Hockey
by Michael Dahl and Christina E. Forshay
Great bedtime book for kids who are hockey fans - a board book with rhyming text and beautiful illustrations?
My first book of hockey
by the editors of Sports Illustrated Kids
With graphics, action photography and simple texts, this book introduces the basics of hockey to the youngest fans. The reader will follow a rookie as he discover the rules and tactics: the three-game period, power plays...
Hockey books for kids around 3 - 7
Below are some great short stories to learn about hockey or follow the adventure or unlikely hockey players.
Lot's of fun for the kids and the parents helping to read them! They make great ice hockey gifts for kids (see all my other hockey gift ideas).
Z for Zamboni
by Matt N. Napier
A beautiful mix of illustrations and texts to share the rules, the players, the teams and the history of ice hockey. A book that is "fun and educational".
Dino-hockey
by Lisa Wheeler and Barry Gott
Follow one of the most exciting hockey matches in prehistory: the Meat-eaters against the Veggisaurs. Join the fans and follow the actions of the T.Rex, the triceratops, the pterodactyl twins and the Raptor. Fun for the family!
The day my fart followed me to hockey
by Ben Jackson and Sam Lawrence
This book is part of the series of Timmy and his best friend the Fart. In this story, they play hockey together, when Timmy attends the hockey tryouts.
5-minute hockey stories
by Meg Braithwait
Great short bedtime stories about hockey: building an ice rink, scoring a goal... 12 short story for beautiful hockey dreams.
Henry Hockeysticks: A day on the pond
by Brian Johnson
A beautiful illustrated story following Henry, his sister Hailey and their whole family as they spend the day at the pond playing Hockey and enjoying Nature.
The magic hockey stick
by Peter Maloney and Maloney Zekauskas
Inspired by a real story, this book follows a little girl whose parents win Wayne Gretzky's hockey stick at an auction. As she plays with it, she becomes a great player. But the great Gretzky seems to need this magic stick more than her...
Puckster plays the hockey mascots
by Lorna Schultz Nicholson
Puckster and his friend are living their dream: they are playing on the ice with their heroes the mascots of the Toronto Maple leafs (Carlton the bear) and the Montreal Canadiens (Youppi).
My granny loves hockey
by Lori Weber
As a child , Granny used to watch the boys play hockey on the lake. She has always dreamed of playing herself. Her doctor says she should take it easy but with her granddaughter she knows that what she needs is a change to take a shot.
The boy in number four
by Kara Kootstra and Regan Thomson
Based on the journey of Bobby Orr from a small town to one of the best NHL teams, this book follows the boy in number four as he pursue his passion and learns work, dedication, respect and determination.
M is for Maple leafs
by Michael Ulmer
A book to learn the alphabet while discovering the history of the Maple leafs, one of the most popular hockey team in the NHL, and the concepts of hockey: players, coaches, hockey vocabulary...
Hockey Numbers
by Matt Napier
Using numbers, the short stories in this book introduce famous players, teams, hockey history and rules to the readers.
One hockey night
by David Ward and Brian Deines
This book follows Owen and Holly who have just moved to Nova Scotia and are missing the frozen lake and their friends back in Saskatchewan. Christmas is only a few days away and their parents have a big surprise in stock for them!
The Big Game
by Gilles Tibo
Everyone is giving hockey advice to Nicholas: his parents, his coach, the spectators, his sister...His team can't decide who to listen to. He must create his own strategy to win the championship game.
Children's books about hockey - age 6 to 9
Stories
Let's start with some stories to help children learn and improve their reading: with passionate characters, the reader will learn more about following a passion and the sport of hockey.
There are no figure eights in hockey
by Chris Kreie
Josh is a champion figure skater who is looking for a new challenge. He decides to try hockey since he is already a good skater. But he soon discovers that there is more than skating to playing hockey. No more figure eights.
Hockey: morning, noon and night
by Doretta Groenendyk
An easy book about hockey and how it can be incorporated in everything we do all day when we are passionate: eating, drawing, sleeping, playing music... It includes beautiful watercolour pictures.
The golden goal
by Meg Braithwait
A book to learn to read while diving into an exhalting story: Canada and the US are facing off at the Olympics. This is the the final game, the teams are tied and go into overtime...
Hockey Hero
by Zachary Hyman and Zachary Pullen
Follow the path of Tommy who starts as an awkward young boy but finds his place as an essential player in a hockey team. Beautiful illustrations highlight the story.
The hockey sweater
by Roch Carrier
For all the kids in the village Sainte Justine, number 9 hockey legend Maurice is their hero. When Roch, outgrows his Montreal Canadiens Sweater, his mother orders a new one but hey receive one from the rival Toronto Maple leafs. How will the other kids at the rink react?
Hat Trick - Three hockey stories
by Irene Punt
3 stories about hockey: you follow Tom and his friends from the Glenlake Hawks hockey team.
The magic Hockey skates
by Allen Morgan and Michael Martchenko
Joey's skates are too small. His dad takes him to the store but head straight to the second-hand rack, not what he wanted. What will happen with his new-to-him but old pair of skates?
The Zach & Zoe Mysteries: the hockey rink hunt
by Mike Lupica
It is more a mystery book than a hockey book. However it takes place at the rink: twins Zach and Zoe join their dad at the Boston Bruins hockey practice. But one o the hockey players has lost his lucky necklace. Will they find it in time for the Stanly Cup final game?
Learning the sport
And a book with explanation about the hockey sports for those willing to become experts!
Slap Shot (Game day)
by David Sabino
Great easy-to-read explanations about the rules and techniques of the hockey game. It also incorporate some history about hockey from the 1800s.
Sports Illustrated Kids Hockey Jokes
by Blake Hoena
A fun collection of hockey jokes and memes.
Book about ice hockey - age 8 to 12
Stories
Let's start with novels where the main character is a hockey player. Follow along with stories about courage, determination and team work.
Hockey Meltdown
byJake Maddox
Dylan and his team head into the Midwinter Meltdown Tournament ready to win, but a pre-season injury takes him out of the game. Can he still be part of the team when stuck on the bench?
Blue Line breakaway
byJake Maddox
Jack grew up in the shadow of his older sister, a star hockey player. He has the talent to make it big, but can he find his own place?
Slap-shot slump
byJake Maddox
Simon dreams of being a star hockey player. He only thinks about that throughout the day. So the family moves to Edgewater for him to join an elite team. Training is hard. Balance with school and family is difficult. Can he find a way to do it all?
Cool as Ice
by Matt Christopher
At 11, Chris is small of his age. Yet he is selected for an all-star hockey team.
This is a series of books, following his training and tournament with the Arctic Wolves.
Books about the techniques and history of hockey for kids
Next are books that are not stories but information about the strategies, equipment, rules and history of the game. For those passionate about the game.
Kid's book of hockey
by John Sias
Easy-to-read books with over 700 questions about hockey and their answers - covering history, rules, techniques, strategies, teams...
What is the Stanley Cup
by Gail Herman
The Stanley Cup is a hockey institution. This book gather the history of the tournament: the highs, the lows, the teams, the Ranger's curse, the impact of the Spanish flu...
Hockey: the math of the game
by Shane Frederick
Fun math calculations in relation to the sport of hockey such as: How much water is needed to cover and ice rink, ? How to calculate the goalies statistics or a players points?....
Inside Hockey
by Keltie Thomas
A fun introduction to the history of hockey with humorous drawings and photographs. It covers the stories of the most famous players, the rules that changed the game, strange anecdotes about the sport...
Hockey: Then to WOW!
by the editors of Sports Illustrated Kids
In this book, discover how the hockey sport has evolved from the beginning of the 19th century to the rules of today. Travel through time and learn about the evolution of rules, strategies, equipment, players...
Face off: TOP 10 lists of Everything in Hockey
by the editors of Sports Illustrated Kids
Top 10 lists in more than 15 categories - players, shooters, toothless smiles...
Hockey movies
Want to watch a hockey movie or documentary? Check out my list of the 35 best ones.
Hockey books with Girl heroins
I am so glad to have found some children's books about hockey where the main character is a girl. I hope more stories are to come. But below is a list to get you started.
Young girls
Just One Goal
by Robert Munsch
Ciara has no rink to play on but that does not stop her. She creates her own rink, one teaspoon at a time!
She shoots... she scores
by Charlene Barnes
Beautiful rhymes and illustration - where the hero players are girls. She follow as they take to the ice, make friends and play the game.
6 to 9 years old
The highest number in the World
by Roy MacGregor and Geneviève Després
Gabe is only 9 year old and she is te youngest player in her team.She is known for a special move called 'The gabe'. Her hero is Hayley Wickenheiser, and she is excited to share the same lucky number: 22. But her coach hands her number 9. Can her grandmother show her that 9 is also a great number and that she should not give up hockey?
Pre-teens
Hockey wars
by Sam Lawrence and Ben Jackson
Millie and Cameron grew up together. They are best friends and they used to play on the same team.
But the team was split into boys and girls and they have to face-off in a match to see who has the best hockey team in Dakota...
Hockey wars 2 - The new girl
by Sam Lawrence and Ben Jackson
The follow-up of the book above. A new girl joins the team and upset the balance...
8 _12
The Hockey book for girls
by Stacy Wilson
Great book to help girls hone their hockey skills, this book is full of advice from top women's hockey players: how to pass, how to shoot, how to choose the right equipment, how to be prepared mentally...
Going places
by Fran Hurcomb
Jess and her friends love playing hockey with the boys. They have been since they were 6 years old. And they want to start a girl's team. But someone is trying to scare them out of it. Will they rallye the community behind them?
Kate's really good at Hockey
by Christina M. Frey and Howard Shapiro
Kate is going to hockey camp for elite hockey players. She is excited to skate against some of the best players from around the world. But a few changes to the plan make the summer less perfect than anticipated. How will she live her Grandma's lack of interest for hockey, her tough coach, the 2 girls attacking her and the huge family secret?
Ice rink rookie
by Jake Maddox
Pilar was born without part of her right foot. But she does not let it stop her from enjoying ice-skating. And she joins the hockey team. Can Pilar prove to herself and her teammates that she belongs?
Pink laces and Pony tails
by Rob Haswell
Nila loves hockey. She plays with her friend at the outdoor rink, but when the boys are here, they take over the ice and don't let the girl play. So, she challenges them to a game... but she does not have a team yet! Can she put together one in win in just a couple of weeks?
Power Play
by Jake Maddox
Kyla's first year of high school has not started as planned. Despite her skills, she was not recruited into the varsity team and is playing with JV. But mid-season there may be an opening. She just have to prove to coach, and face her old rival, and deal with her parents divorce... How will she handle the pressure?
Hockey Girl
by Nathalie Hyde
Tara play stofball. And the boys have challenged them to start a hockey team. The bet: the team who finished lowest in its division will wear cheerleading outfits to the other team's games.
But the community only has eyes to the boy's team. And they can barely get ice time. How will they succeed?
Hockey notebooks for kids
For the kids already playing ice hockey, below are notebooks to journal their practice and write down their progress.
And below are exemples you can personalize with the name of the hockey player:
Hockey colouring books
And to finish, if your kid likes coloring, below are some great books related to hockey:
You might also be interested in:
About the author
Hello! I am Ryan.
I am Claire‘s alter ego to share our articles about ice hockey.
I have spent my whole childhood at the rink.
I too think that ice skating is the best feeling in the World, but I prefer doing it on hockey skates while playing with a puck.
I hope you, or someone close to you, can experience that same joy.
Have fun!
