BREAKING THE ICE

Manon Rhéaume breaks the ice and the glass ceiling in this new biography of one of hockey’s trailblazing women.

Though women have been playing hockey for almost as long as the sport has been in existence, for Manon and other girls growing up in the 1970s and ’80s, playing with the boys was practically unheard of. As a young player Manon got her break because the team needed a goalie, and since her brothers always made her play goal at home, she was eager to volunteer. She thrived in the position, becoming the first female to play in the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament, the first female to play a game in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and ultimately the first female to play in an NHL game, for the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1992. Along the way Rhéaume also earned championships and Olympic medals with the Canadian National Women’s Hockey Team. Bullaro keeps the pace in this highlight reel of a biography. Payne’s illustrations, despite some anachronistic depictions of modern equipment, truly capture the velocity and scale of hockey and Manon’s unique position in it. With the exception of a couple of journalists of color, the White French Canadian woman is surrounded by White players and fans. Rhéaume herself contributes an afterword. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-17-inch double-page spreads viewed at 20.7% of actual size.)

An eminently enjoyable biography, not just for hockey fans, but for all who love stories of pioneering women.