Eyes on the Ice

Gr 4-7–In 1960s Czechoslovakia, a boy’s love for hockey becomes a threat to his and his family's freedom. Lukas, 10, lives in Prague with his family under the Communist regime. The family scrapes by and endures the oppression and misery of Soviet rule with small pockets of pleasure when ice hockey is discussed and watched. When Lukas’s dad presents him and his older brother Denys with hand-me-down skates, the boys thrive on the ice. One of the rare times they experience joy, the siblings, along with their youngest brother Alex, pour themselves into practicing every day. Suffering long and tedious Soviet teachings at school, the boys are only truly happy at the rink. Yet the threat of the StB (state police) is always looming, and now the family fears their home has been wired, on account of Lukas’s father working at a newspaper. Can the boys continue practicing despite the oppressive regime they are enduring? Based on true events, this novel is sad and hopeful. The day-to-day injustices and repression the Soviets inflicted in Czechoslovakia permeate the story, and the way hockey is an escape for Lukas is well portrayed. The plot moves along quickly, especially in passages where games are taking place. Readers will cheer for Lukas and Denys, fear for their safety, and rejoice when the siblings get to play hockey.