Having trouble fitting into her new school after moving from Saskatoon to Estevan, Jessie McIntyre finds herself in a serious dilemma when she becomes the target of bullies, both in school and out. It is only after her mother signs her up for the local girls' ice hockey team, that Jessie finally begins to make some friends, and to develop the strength to defend herself.

An exciting, fast-paced sports-novel for young readers, Power Plays successfully addresses a number of common adolescent problems, from bullying and peer pressure, to friendship and first romance. Ulrich can be proud of this debut novel, which manages to be relevant and entertaining at the same time.

Knowing very little of ice hockey, I picked this up because it was published by the excellent Coteau Books, an independent Saskatchewan publisher whose children's catalogue tends to be excellent. I am certainly glad I did, as this was no exception. The author's thoughtful afterword on the nature of bullying, and what victims can do to protect themselves, would make this an excellent book to recommend to anyone trying to cope with the issue. ( )