In 1963, under the brutal Communist regime, two hockey-loving brothers must throw a game in a Soviet-Czech tournament to help their imprisoned father.
Ten-year-old Lukas and his brother Denys want nothing more than to play hockey, but it’s 1963, and they live in Czechoslovakia, where the secret police (the “Eye”) are constantly on the lookout for anyone committing crimes against the state — whether that be reading a magazine about the NHL or saying anything negative about the Communist regime. Lukas’s father works for a newspaper, and printing the truth is a dangerous activity.
The family is poor, but hockey is the one bright light for the boys. They learn to skate on a bumpy outdoor rink in a city park. And when their talent is noticed, they are encouraged to try out for a local youth league, where they are thrilled to play in a real arena for the first time.
Then the boys’ father is arrested. No one knows where he has been taken or when he might be coming home. Lukas and Denys soon realize they are being watched, too, and when the secret police promise them information about their father if they help throw a game against a visiting Soviet team, Lukas must make some difficult decisions that may endanger his family and his friends, as he faces some tough questions about what loyalty really means.
Key Text Features
author’s note
biographical information
chapters
dialogue
glossary
historical note
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.3
Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.6
Explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.7
Compare and contrast the experience of reading a story, drama, or poem to listening to or viewing an audio, video, or live version of the text, including contrasting what they "see" and "hear" when reading the text to what they perceive when they listen or watch.
In 1963, under the brutal Communist regime, two hockey-loving brothers must throw a game in a Soviet-Czech tournament to help their imprisoned father.
Ten-year-old Lukas and his brother Denys want nothing more than to play hockey, but it’s 1963, and they live in Czechoslovakia, where the secret police (the “Eye”) are constantly on the lookout for anyone committing crimes against the state — whether that be reading a magazine about the NHL or saying anything negative about the Communist regime. Lukas’s father works for a newspaper, and printing the truth is a dangerous activity.
The family is poor, but hockey is the one bright light for the boys. They learn to skate on a bumpy outdoor rink in a city park. And when their talent is noticed, they are encouraged to try out for a local youth league, where they are thrilled to play in a real arena for the first time.
Then the boys’ father is arrested. No one knows where he has been taken or when he might be coming home. Lukas and Denys soon realize they are being watched, too, and when the secret police promise them information about their father if they help throw a game against a visiting Soviet team, Lukas must make some difficult decisions that may endanger his family and his friends, as he faces some tough questions about what loyalty really means.
Key Text Features
author’s note
biographical information
chapters
dialogue
glossary
historical note
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.3
Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.6
Explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.7
Compare and contrast the experience of reading a story, drama, or poem to listening to or viewing an audio, video, or live version of the text, including contrasting what they "see" and "hear" when reading the text to what they perceive when they listen or watch.
| Published By | Groundwood Books Ltd — Sep 3, 2024 |
| Specifications | 200 pages | 5 in x 7.5 in |
| Keywords | playing outdoors; books for boys; sports; training and coaching; sibling relationships; family; daring escapes; poverty; food insecurity; oligarchy; freedom; courage; loyalty; teamwork; survival; cultures and national identity; historical fiction; 20th century history; totalitarianism; Stalin; Cold War; post-war; Eastern Europe; Russia; Prague; |
|
Supporting Resources
(select item to download) |
Excerpt |
| Written By |
ANNA ROSNER is a teacher and writer who holds a PhD in French literature. She is the award-winning author of two hockey biographies for young readers — Journeyman: The Story of NHL Right Winger Jamie Leach and My Left Skate: The Extraordinary Story of Eliezer Sherbatov. Anna is the director of Books with Wings, which provides new, quality picture books for Indigenous children living in isolated communities. She lives in Toronto, Ontario. |
| Written By |
|
ANNA ROSNER is a teacher and writer who holds a PhD in French literature. She is the award-winning author of two hockey biographies for young readers — Journeyman: The Story of NHL Right Winger Jamie Leach and My Left Skate: The Extraordinary Story of Eliezer Sherbatov. Anna is the director of Books with Wings, which provides new, quality picture books for Indigenous children living in isolated communities. She lives in Toronto, Ontario. |
| Audience | ages 9 to 12 / grades 4 to 6 |
| Key Text Features | author’s note; biographical information; chapters; dialogue; glossary; historical note |
| Common Core |
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.7
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.3 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.6 |
Rosner strikes just the right balance ... She maintains suspense through strategic pacing as Lukas encounters peril.
An absorbing window into recent history.
” —Kirkus ReviewsReaders will cheer for Lukas and Denys, fear for their safety, and rejoice when the siblings get to play hockey. A book sure to delight sports and historical fiction fans.
” —School Library JournalThis riveting story about sorting truth from lies and when to blur the lines between, will appeal to young sports fans and historians alike.
” —Historical Novel SocietyThis excellent book for young readers provides much historical information about the time of Soviet rule in Eastern Europe, as well as fun descriptions of hockey skills.
” —Children's Literature Comprehensive Database[Rosner] seamlessly integrates facts into the narrative ... giving the basic information needed to understand the historical context without losing the thread of the story.
” —CM: Canadian Review of MaterialsHockey fans and any reader who enjoys a good adventure story will like this historical fiction ... An exciting read.
” —Winnipeg Free PressEyes on the Ice is a great story for young readers. It teaches about honoring family and standing up for what you believe to be right while sharing the excitement of sport and doing something you love.
” —Jamie Leach, NHL Stanley Cup Champion and NHL Indigenous AlumniA well-written and engaging hockey novel. Rosner's hockey overlay will appeal to reluctant readers and her Cold War intrigue may hook them into branching out.
With skilled pacing and characters that are fully developed, Eyes on the Ice is a beautiful story of family loyalty. Rosner has used the sport of hockey as a vehicle to tell her story, but the family dynamics, angst, and tension are so skillfully written that the gripping story of the three brothers will appeal to any middle grade reader. This is a book that should be in every public and school library.
” —Lorna Schultz Nicholson, author of the Amazing Hockey Stories seriesEyes on the Ice is engaging historical fiction. Its timely themes of politics, standing up to a repressive regime and hockey will keep readers turning the page and cheering for brothers Lukas and Denys and their family.
” —Frieda Wishinsky, international award-winning author of over eighty books, including 'We Belong Here'A splendid read and amazing page-turner. I could not put it down. ... Five stars!
” —Marty Klinkenberg, Globe and MailIn her latest book Eyes on the Ice, Anna Rosner brings a fresh, new perspective to the introduction of hockey to a pair of young brothers. Lukas and Denys are growing up in the former Communist country of Czechoslovakia in the early 1960s. Besides detailing the barriers the youngsters encounter just to play the sport, Rosner cleverly weaves in a story of how they face a difficult decision early on in their careers and how their infinite love for a family member cements their choice.
” —Sam Laskaris, Toronto sports writer