Taking the Ice

Meet Aiden Mallory. He’s trying to find his bearings while coping with the loss of his father — an NHL player who died in a car accident — and moving back to his dad’s hometown of Prairie Field, where he is STILL a big deal.

Aiden loves hockey, but his feelings about moving and his dad’s death cause him to struggle at tryouts. Then the minor hockey association announces a brand-new U13 tournament: the Luke Mallory Memorial. As Aiden tries to find his place on his new team, and among his new teammates, he will do anything he can to live up to his dad’s legacy. But what happens when Aiden’s determination to play well puts everything else at risk?

From Lorna Schultz Nicholson comes a powerful portrayal of a boy’s experiences with anxiety as it relates to sports and friendship and grief.

Lorna Schultz Nicholson grew up in St. Catharines, Ontario, and as a child loved to read, write, and compete in all kinds of sports. She played defence on the St. Catharines girls All-Star hockey team (Go, Jaycee Jets!) and was a member of the Canadian National Rowing Team. She earned a B.Sc. in Human Performance from the University of Victoria, where she also was a rowing coach. Lorna is thrilled that she has been able to combine her passion for books with her passion for sport — she is the respected author of many middle-grade and YA novels and the Amazing Hockey Stories biography series. Lorna is the proud mother of three and lives in Penticton, British Columbia, with husband, Bob, and dogs Molly and Poncho. She is a HUGE Edmonton Oilers fan.