Hockey Sweater

 In the days of Roch's childhood, winters in the village of Ste. Justine were long. Life centered around school, church, and the hockey rink, and every boy's hero was Montreal Canadiens hockey legend Maurice Richard. Everyone wore Richard's number 9. They laced their skates like Richard. They even wore their hair like Richard. When Roch outgrows his cherished Canadiens sweater, his mother writes away for a new one. Much to Roch's horror, he is sent the blue and white sweater of the rival Toronto Maple Leafs, dreaded and hated foes to his beloved team. How can Roch face the other kids at the rink?

     The Hockey Sweater is a Canadian children's classic, and we are very excited to be doing an anniversary edition. It will include lots of extras, including original material from the author and illustrator, stills from the animated film, letters and quotes from celebrities and more. The design will be updated and refreshed. This will be a wonderful collector's edition for those who know the book, and a wonderful introduction to those who don't.

Roch Carrier was Canada's National Librarian and the beloved author of many Canadian classics for both adults and children. In 1968 he published his hugely successful novel, La Guerre, Yes Sir! He has written many novels, short stories, plays, film and television scripts, essays, travel books, and poetry. Several of his works have become classics and are used in schools and universities around the world. His much-loved children's story, The Hockey Sweater, remains a timeless favorite. In 1991, Roch Carrier was awarded the Stephen Leacock Award for Humour for Prayers of a Very Wise Child. Among his many other awards and honors, Carrier is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, an Officer of the Order of Canada, and the holder of many honorary doctorates. All this from the boy who grew up in a village with no library and no books. Now the village has a brand new library - the Roch Carrier Library.

Sheldon Cohen is a multi-award winning children's book illustrator and film animator based in Montreal, mostly known for his artwork depicting Roch Carrier's classic short story, The Hockey Sweater. The prizes he garnered over the past 30 years include the Governor-General's award for Illustration, the BAFTA for Best Animated Film, the AIGA Certificate of Excellence for design and the IBBY Honour List representing the best of illustrations from Canada. Interested in helping students develop their own creative projects, Sheldon has conducted courses at Concordia University and Harvard University. He recently released a memoir of his 40-year career entitled This Sweater Is for You! Celebrating the Creative Process in Film and Art.