Casey and Derek on the Ice

Borrowing the cadences of Ernest Thayer's classic “Casey at the Bat,” this hockey tale by newcomer Sederman also sets up a suspenseful end-of-game scenario. The eponymous brothers, Casey and Derek (based on the author's sons), tag-team their efforts to help their Rockets beat the Titans in overtime. Hockey fans will relish the jargon (a “shot went clean 'top right' ”), and if the plays can get confusing (as in a real match), the illustrations' perspectives will keep readers in the game. The oils by Pullen (The Greatest Game Ever Played ) take the action to ice level when Derek “slammed into the boards” and raise it to a bird's-eye view for a face-off. The players' faces are disconcerting, with their large noses and jowls; at times they seem like caricatures of tough guys. Only those expecting a Thayer-like anticlimax will be surprised by the joyful ending. Ages 5–9. (Oct.)