The Boy in Number Four

by Kara Kootstra, Regan Thomson (Illustrator), Bobby Orr (Afterword)

Overview

“For everyone who loves hockey - young or old, player or spectator - I hope this book inspires you to simply pick up a stick, get together with some friends, and just have some fun playing the best game on earth.”
                                                                              —Hockey legend, Bobby Orr from the afterword of The Boy in Number Four
 
Bobby Orr played in the NHL with the Boston Bruins for ten seasons leading them to two Stanley Cup victories. He also played with the Chicago Black Hawks for two more— all the while wearing jersey number 4. In the Boy in Number Four, readers will get a glimpse of this hockey legend as a boy and discover the hard work, commitment, and fun it takes to make a dream into a reality.
 
This book also includes an afterword by Bobby Orr with an inspirational message for kids today.
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780698191150
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	10/02/2014
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	88 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Kara Kootstra has always been a hockey fan. She lives in Windsor, Ontario, with her husband, Kyle, and her two children. This is her first book.
 
Regan Thomson is a graduate in Graphic Design from Humber College in Toronto and taught art at Kent Academy in Jos Nigeria. She lives in Harrow, Ontario, with her husband, Steve, and their children.
 
Bobby Orr was in the NHL from 1966 to 1978. He dramatically changed the way hockey was played by becoming an offense-minded defenseman. Twice he won the Art Ross trophy for leading the league in scoring. Bobby Orr was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979.

Editorial Reviews

02/01/2015
PreS-Gr 3—Aimed at young readers, this picture book focuses on the early development of hockey great Bobby Orr's character and fortitude. Setting itself apart from most biographies, this rhyming homage to Orr focuses instead on the athlete's diligence and determination to play for a major team from a young age. Although the text is somewhat hampered by hackneyed inspirational phrases ("There were times when it was easy, and others that were tough, and moments when it seemed/it would be better to give up."), the illustrations, based on Orr's personal photographs, are lovely. Sharp drawings, rendered in colored pencil, are rich in tone, capturing the unique contours of the ice as well as the complexity of shadow throughout each panel. A full-page afterword by Orr encourages kids to be active, participating in whatever sport they love. VERDICT This book is sure to find its place among hockey, fans young and old.—Carol Connor, Cincinnati Public Schools, OH

School Library Journal