childrens middle grade fiction

Can Aiden learn to stand his ground on his new home 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?

This is a powerful portrayal of a boy’s experiences with anxiety as it relates to sports and friendship and grief.

Although this is a book with a hockey theme, it is a novel for all middle grade children because it deals with moving, anxiety about moving, grief, and friendships.