Drop the Puck

It's Hockey Season, Official Adventures

Children - General
72 Pages
Reviewed on 10/04/2016
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

“The Official Adventures” is a new children’s chapter book series that teaches the importance of sportsmanship, persistence, discipline, and most importantly respect - for referees, each other, and individuals with special needs.
 
The series tells the tale of two brothers, Blaine and Cullen. On and off the ice, they have deep love for the game and also each other! Cullen is the all-star team captain and Blaine, who has Down syndrome, is the team manager and clearly the "unsung hero" of the team. The brothers join Rylee and Rosee, America’s favorite referees, in game day adventures that will have elementary and middle school aged readers laughing out loud, fist bumping the pages and cheering for more stories. Packed to the brim with laughter, love and lessons, “The Official Adventures” is sure to steal young reader’s hearts.
 
About the Authors:

With a shared love and energy-driven passion for outstanding academics, stellar athletics and innovative arts, Jayne Jones Beehler, a college professor, and Katrina Dohm, a high school educator, have teamed up and joined forces as co-authors and co-creators of “The Official Adventures.” Jones Beehler, a graduate of William Mitchell College of Law, is passionate about children, education, foster care and adoption, and child abuse/prevention public policy. Jones Beehler worked for US Senator Norm Coleman from 2002-2006, then headed to the Minnesota House of Representatives, where she was the Executive Assistant to the Speaker of the House, Steve Sviggum. Jones Beehler teaches political science classes at Concordia University-St. Paul where her students have gained national attention and praise for their legislative activities and involvement.

Dohm was exposed to hockey growing up in Minnesota and Wisconsin, but her true love of the game began when she went to college in January of 1987 at the University of North Dakota. She arrived just in time to cheer on her future alma mater as they skated their way to an NCAA Championship. Dohm graduated from the University of North Dakota with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Visual Arts and a Bachelor of Science in Education. For the past twenty-two years, Dohm has dedicated herself to being an art teacher and all the “extras” that go with it. Her classroom is filled to the brim with personal touches (especially her favorite color, PURPLE) student projects galore, yearbook publications, shelves filled with art and design books, school spirit signs, and memorabilia.

Jones Beehler and Dohm, have earned “Hall of Fame” status for their real-life story-telling, colorful fresh illustrating and combined natural zest for helping young learners enjoy reading, appreciate the arts, while ensuring their writing and books instill life lessons and reader’s adventures of their own, while inspiring and reaching educational goals.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Drop the Puck: It's Hockey Season (Official Adventures) by Jayne. J. Jones Beehler is the story of two brothers, Blaine and Cullen, who love the game of hockey and each other. Blaine has Downs Syndrome, but that doesn't deter him from taking an active part in playing the game. Thanksgiving lunch was over and it was the beginning of another hockey season. Proud fathers, mothers, and grandparents have all gathered to watch the game and Blaine and Cullen's best fans were their parents. The game wasn't going well and they realized that they have to play harder and create good scoring chances. Will they be able to win the game?

The story has some good messages for readers as it speaks about sportsmanship, teamwork and a positive attitude. The story also gives a boost to all those who have Downs Syndrome and encourages all kids with disabilities to participate in team sports. The illustrations breathe life into the characters and scenes. The creativity of the illustrations gives good pace and movement to the story. All the characters are real and lovable and they make this book heartwarming for readers. It's a good bedtime storybook that parents and grandparents can read out to their kids and grandkids. It's also a good book for read aloud sessions in classrooms and school libraries. The author explains about Downs Syndrome in a way that makes it easy for children to understand.