Breaking the Ice: The True Story of the First Woman to Play in the National Hockey League

When Manon Rhéaume skated onto the ice for the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1992, she became the first and only woman to play “in any of the four major North American sports leagues.” But her boundary-breaking hockey career started at age five. In Bullaro’s telling, Rhéaume’s coach father puts her in the game wearing a goalie mask, explaining that, “People aren’t ready to see a girl play on a boys’ team.... But don’t let that stop you.” This straightforward, inspirational biography emphasizes Rhéaume’s grit (“She played with bruised arms and pulled muscles”) and the sexism she faced (“coaches still cut her from the best teams simply because she was a girl”). Payne’s intensely detailed illustrations realistically capture the dull sheen of goalie pads and the thwack of slap shots as Rhéaume plays her way to the pros. Includes an afterword by Rhéaume, a timeline, and “fun facts.” Ages 4–8. [em](Oct.) [/em]