Heidi Hauser Green (Children's Literature)
Hockey was Nick’s whole life. From the first time he stepped on the ice until his sophomore year of high school, Nick ate, slept, and breathed hockey. But after a brutal on-ice takedown, Nick is left with both an unfortunate diagnosis (grade-three concussion) and a frustrating prognosis (no more hockey, ever). Still reeling from the brain trauma, Nick struggles to accept his new, hockey-less life. It is time for him to figure out who he is off the ice. He will make some missteps along the way--with his girlfriend Devin, his best friend Griff, his parents, and even his two-year-old brother, Gabriel--but will the famous “Nicky Tag” skate into the sunset in the end? Pat Hughes’ novel is a believable account of a teenage boy’s frustrations and realizations, but graphic depictions of teen sexuality may make this a controversial choice for some collections. 2005, Wendy Lamb/Random House, $15.95. Ages 15 to 18.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, October 15, 2005 (Vol. 73, No. 20))
After high-school sophomore Nick Taglio suffers another concussion in a hockey game, doctors advise against ever playing hockey again. But Nicky Tag's whole life and good-looking-jock persona are wrapped up in the game. Hockey and sex seem to be the focus of Nick's life. He's a fairly unlikable young man-even more self-absorbed and cranky than the average high-school boy-for a good part of his story, and his character seems purposely overdrawn to make his eventual transformation all the more cheering. The accident has thrown him out of his comfort zone, and he has to find a new life for himself, finding girls who seem to like him, not just the popular sports hero, starting to study and discover he just might be smart, and realizing he cares about his little brother. And yet . . . he realizes he can't leave the game. Somehow he must make it back to the ice. Hughes's first young adult novel ought to find an appreciative audience as surely as a shot by Nicky Tag finds the goal. 2005, Wendy Lamb/Random, 288p, $15.95. Category: Fiction. Ages 13 up. © 2005 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Paula Rohrlick (KLIATT Review, November 2005 (Vol. 39, No. 6))
Nick lives to play hockey, but when he suffers yet another severe concussion on the ice, his doctor, his parents, and his coach agree: his hockey career is over. It’s too dangerous for him to play again--but hockey is all Nick really cares about, and what’s the point of life without hockey? The hot-tempered 16-year-old is first angry and then depressed as he struggles to cope with this devastating blow. He acts out in dangerous ways, too, inadvertently endangering his baby brother’s life, taking the family car without permission, and doing his best to alienate his father. Since Nick’s no longer a hot athlete, his shallow girlfriend deserts him, and while his friends and parents do their best to be supportive, he must figure out on his own who he is if he’s not a hockey player. Nick is a mouthy, horny, hurting, and altogether believable guy, and readers will root for him in this well-told novel, with plenty of snappy dialog, by the author of Guerilla Season and The Breaker Boys. There’s enough hockey action to keep sports fans going--also some underage drinking, marijuana smoking, strong language and talk of sex. An interesting take on YA sports fiction. Category: Hardcover Fiction. KLIATT Codes: S--Recommended for senior high school students. 2005, Random House, Wendy Lamb, 288p., $15.95 and $17.99. Ages 15 to 18.

Rosemary Knapp (Library Media Connection, February 2006)
This novel is a well-written portrayal of a teenager losing the one thing that defines him. When 16-year-old hockey star Nick suffers his fourth concussion, his doctor recommends that Nick give up the sport or risk permanent brain damage. Not only does he lose the sport to which he has devoted himself since childhood, but also the comradeship of his teammates and eventually his hockey-groupie girlfriend, who drops him when he refuses to play against his parents' wishes. The injury also causes him difficulty and embarrassment in dealing with school. Nick's family is depicted as realistically functional (a nice change from many young adult novels), and his parents, who love hockey as much as Nick, struggle to find ways to help him adjust. The book ends with Nick coming to tenuous terms with his condition and accepting rehabilitation and tutoring. However, he clearly aims to try playing hockey again when he is older. There is some raw language, which is a natural result of Nick's frustration, and moderate sexual descriptions. Hockey is the backdrop of the story, but one need not be a fan to enjoy the story. This novel will be enjoyed by male and female readers and especially by teens who have, like Nick, lost or imagined losing a sport or activity to which they are devoted. Recommended. 2005, Random House Books for Young Readers, 288pp., $15.95 hc. Ages 14 up.

Maggie Hommel (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, December 2005 (Vol. 59, No. 4))
A blindside collision on the ice, a blow to the head, and all goes black--and when high-school hockey star Nick regains consciousness, the doctor tells him he’ll never be able to play hockey again. For Nick, whose whole life centers on his skill in the rink, this is a devastating blow, and he is determined to play again until ongoing chronic headaches, dizziness, and memory loss make it clear his hockey career is over. Resentful and belligerent, Nick suffers from and exacerbates the consequences of his injury: his hottie girlfriend dumps him, he isolates himself from teammates, his grades plummet, and he lashes out at his family. Athletes facing similar challenges may find solace in reading about another’s experiences, even if they don’t identify with the protagonist’s personal path. Nick, however, remains basically shallow and self-absorbed to the end, despite his range of emotions, and his whininess, failure to consider anyone other than himself, and bizarre, racially insensitive outbursts prevent the reader from sympathizing. The text is stiff, with awkward dialogue and stock characters, and attempted teen edginess in the form of brand-name references and locker-room leering misses the mark. Nor is there much ice hockey action to liven the plot, since the book begins at the point of Nick’s injury. Steer readers to more winning hockey reads such as Lynch’s Iceman, Crutcher’s The Crazy Horse Electric Game (BCCB 5/87), or Wieler’s Bad Boy (BCCB 4/92). (Reviewed from galleys) Review Code: M -- Marginal book that is so slight in content or has so many weaknesses in style or format that it should be given careful consideration before purchase. (c) Copyright 2005, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2005, Lamb, 288p, $17.99 and $15.95. Grades 8-12.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Spring 2006)
After tough-playing, high school hockey star Nick Taglio suffers a bone-crushing concussion during a game, he's forced to quit the activity that's given him his identity and self-esteem. Hughes artfully uses realistic language and the "open ice" metaphor to describe Nick's transformation from self-involved and gruff to empathetic and open to developing new skills. Category: Older Fiction. 2005, Random/Lamb, 275pp, 15.95, 17.99. Ages 12 to 14. Rating: 3: Recommended, satisfactory in style, content, and/or illustration.

Marian Rafal (VOYA, December 2005 (Vol. 28, No. 5))
Nick Taglio is a rising hotshot hockey star on his high school team. He lives and breathes the adrenaline rush that comes with the game. "He'd be nobody if he couldn't play . . . Hockey wasn't just his sport. It was his life." His current grade three concussion will change all of that. Facing more permanent brain damage if he continues to play, Nick is struggling to prove to his parents and neurosurgeon that he is recovering. With his "fuzzy" brain, short temper, and ongoing dizziness, Nick is failing school, losing friends, and creating unbearable tension at home. The astute hockey fan will recognize that this novel is divided into three periods and overtime. First is the accident. Second is the unwanted long-term diagnosis and anger. Third is Nick's acceptance of the challenges ahead. Overtime is the new beginning and his maturation. Nick is not always likeable, but he is very recognizable. He is a teen with mostly sports and sex on his mind, and the world revolves around him. The breezy, fast dialogue and instant messaging rings true for today's teens. With the liberal use of profanity and sex, this book is not for the less mature reader. "Faggot" as an epithet is peppered throughout. While the pacing is uneven and some of the characters are not fully developed, the opening chapters will hook the reader. It is an exciting skate down the open ice. VOYA CODES: 3Q 3P S (Readable without serious defects; Will appeal with pushing; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2005, Wendy Lamb Books/Random House, 288p., $15.95 and PLB $17.99. Ages 15 to 18.