Dogsred, Vol. 1

Gr 7 Up–Fifteen-year-old figure skating prodigy Rou Shirakawa is on an Olympics-bound trajectory in his sport, but after his mother passes away, Rou has a regrettable, rage-filled outburst during a competition that ends up with him being barred from representing his country as a figure skater. Out of options, Rou and his twin sister Haruna move from Tokyo to Hokkaido to live with their grandfather. There, Rou discovers ice hockey as a venue to make a career out of his skating abilities—though he has absolutely no idea how to play the sport. Like many sports manga, this book does a nice job helping readers who are new to hockey pick up the basics quickly. The artwork is a standout, particularly when it comes to the diverse scenery and landscapes, as well as Noda’s recognizable character designs. The plot is well-paced and easy to follow for hockey fans and newbies alike, and it blends weighty and comedic moments equally. Readers will be rooting for Rou to rebound and put his life back together. Readers won’t see much emotional growth from the protagonist in this opening volume, but there is plenty of room for character development as the series continues.