Eyes on the Ice

by Anna Rosner

In 1963, under the brutal Communist regime, two hockey-loving brothers must throw a game in a Soviet-Czech tournament to help their imprisoned father.


Ten-year-old Lukas and his brother Denys want nothing more than to play hockey, but it’s 1963, and they live in Czechoslovakia, where the secret police (the “Eye”) are constantly on the lookout for anyone committing crimes against the state — whether that be reading a magazine about the NHL or saying anything negative about the Communist regime. Lukas’s father works for a newspaper, and printing the truth is a dangerous activity.


The family is poor, but hockey is the one bright light for the boys. They learn to skate on a bumpy outdoor rink in a city park. And when their talent is noticed, they are encouraged to try out for a local youth league, where they are thrilled to play in a real arena for the first time.


Then the boys’ father is arrested. No one knows where he has been taken or when he might be coming home. Lukas and Denys soon realize they are being watched, too, and when the secret police promise them information about their father if they help throw a game against a visiting Soviet team, Lukas must make some difficult decisions that may endanger his family and his friends, as he faces some tough questions about what loyalty really means.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Sports, Middle Grade, Canada, Historical

183 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 1, 2024

About the author

Anna Rosner is the award-winning author of two hockey biographies for young readers, as well as short fiction, scholarly articles and essays. Her historical novel, Eyes on the Ice, was released by Groundwood Books in September of 2024. It is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, and is short-listed for the 2025 Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People, the 2025-26 Diamond Willow Awards, the Langley Book of the Year, and the 2025-26 Red Cedar Award. Anna's fourth book, Last Year with Maddy (Great Plains), will be published in April of 2026.

Reviews

[Vadim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was able to read an advanced copy of Eyes on the Ice. It’s a remarkable storyline, exceptionally well-told and well-researched. Even though it’s for kids, I found myself wondering how this family would survive their predicament. The ending, which isn’t easy to guess, packs a punch.
In addition, this work will help kids familiarize themselves with the brutality of the Cold War era. Highly recommended for all, especially kids who love sports or history.

[JJA · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding work of historical fiction with a stunning conclusion. Young readers will love this.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written historical fiction about a family living in Czechoslovakia during the 1960s when the country was under the control of the Soviet Union.

[Sue.the.very.busy.reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eyes on the Ice, by Anna Rosner is about a family living during Communist rule in Czechoslovakia. Two brothers, Lukas (10) and his older brother Denys are obsessed with hockey. Their family is poor, but the boys are able to play hockey at the outdoor rink in the park with hand me down skates and sticks. One day, someone notices them and suggests they try out for the local team. Their parents and their younger brother are so proud of them when they make the team. However, one night their father is arrested. When the boys go to school they are pulled out of class and the secret police interrogate them. They are told they will be thrown off the hockey team unless they give some evidence against their father. The boys are very sad but they would never do anything to hurt their father. Then one day the secret police are back and they will let the boys play hockey again however there is a condition. The boys must decide if they are willing to take a risk to play hockey again.

But this book does not just end with hockey, it goes on to…..what is a family willing to risk to leave a communist country? What family values are you willing to compromise to gain your freedom?

I think this book will appeal to a lot of children. It has sports, adventure, mystery and action in it. It focuses on the importance of family and respect and loyalty. It is well thought out and even timely to current events.

Thank you to Hollay @hollayghadery with @river_street_writes for sending me a copy of this book to review. It is available now, wherever you like to purchase books.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one and think it will be an easy recommendation for a lot of kids. Lately I've been specifically on the lookout for recent sports books that have male protagonists and are on the shorter side. This is a great one to add to the list, and I love that it also has a lot of historical interest and some pretty intense non-sports moments. The story of two hockey loving brothers in 1960s Czechoslovakia whose father is imprisoned and they are told to throw a hockey game to learn more information about their father. There's a lot in here to ponder: What choice would you make?

I think Rosner balances giving enough information for young readers to understand what living under a Communist regime was like without getting too far into the weeds. There's a lot of action and the story moves quickly. A great recommendation for both sports and historical fiction fans, and one I will be bringing on school visits!

[Lauren | Wordsbetweenlines · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I like it a lot because I like hockey and I also like going on trains. The book was mostly about life.”

I read this with my eldest and we had so many great conversations about what life was like in communist Prague and about the freedoms we have in Canada. This is middle grade book that gives us history, and big conversations about family, loyalty and making hard choices.

Thank you River street writes for the copy for us to read as a family.

[Carol Youssif · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thrilling middle grade story. You will root for Lukas and Denys, fear for their family and boo the StB. Perfect both for sports and historical fiction readers.

[Blair · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compelling quick read. Historical Fiction with sports, action, and a compassionate MC. A very strong contender for my 5-6th grade book club.

[SD · Rating 5 out of 5]

EYES ON THE ICE by Anna Rosner is a moving tale about a close-knit Czech family living under Communist rule in the 1960’s. For the three boys, a passion for hockey is everything, even if they have to sneak onto an outdoor rink at night and play with second-hand skates and sticks. Their hockey dreams are shattered when their dissident father is arrested by the secret police, putting their family and close friends in jeopardy.
Rosner has created warm, strong characters whom young readers can relate to, while telling a gripping story with a thrilling conclusion. This book is a winner!

[Lauren Riordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Story about a family that is living in Prague during a time that the Soviet Union was in control. Great historical fiction piece that brings in hockey and at the end made connections to the current war in Ukraine. I did not see the ending coming, and loved that it was created from an actual event that happened.

[Wendgard11 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never thought how Communism looks until you read about people who lived it. The hockey aspect is interesting as well. Never take freedom for granted

[Pam Withers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mixing passion for a sport and a chance for readers to gain historical perspective truly works in this novel. Set in 10-year-old Lukas’s first-person point of view, we establish early on that although poor, the family is loving and happy. Also, that Lukas and his two brothers (12 and 6) love nothing more than playing hockey. Until politics interfere.

The writing is captivating and puts you right in the scenes:
Outside, the temperature is dropping with the sun, and the wind quickly reddens Alexander’s cheeks… We follow my mother like ducks in a row through the narrow streets to the market square, where the line for fruit and vegetables stretches halfway down the block… We collapse onto a snowy bench in the park, our hair half sticking to our foreheads and half turning to ice.

The narrative also strongly and quickly establishes the family’s poverty and love of hockey. For instance, they have no gloves, helmets or padding:
Kids like us with no money just skate in sweaters and stuff our pant legs into thick socks.
Denys has outlined a life-sized net with tape and string on the [living room] wall. We take slapshots with brooms and a bunched-up rag that keeps unraveling.

But nothing can dim their enthusiasm:
I pull off my skates and wipe the ice from the blades. Every time my skates leave my feet, all I can think about is when I’ll be able to put them back on again .

Action scenes are sure to satisfy young hockey fans:
When I begin to shoot on the net, I know I will not miss. All those nights of shooting at the living room wall and between two shoes are paying off... I block the goalie’s sightline with my body. You can’t stop what you can’t see. The goalie slides to the right to look around me, while Denys flies to the left, taking a few long strides to dodge a defenseman. I hold my breath. Denys lifts his stick high for the slapshot, almost to his shoulders, and launches the puck into the back of the net just as the final buzzer sounds.

Readers are introduced to historical elements without it ever feeling forced:
Once a week, my brothers and I go to Young Pioneers after school, which my father criticizes under his breath when he thinks we’re not listening. Soviet propaganda, he mutters. Spare me… If we’re not good Pioneers, we won’t find jobs later on.

Then there’s confusion and despair when their father is arrested and they’re briefly robbed of hockey – until hockey becomes conditional and a moral dilemma.
I can barely remember life before my father’s arrest. I can barely remember what it is to be happy… Don’t think, I tell myself. Don’t think, just survive.

History, politics and the tug-of-war of a stark decision that must be made. That’s a heavy load for middle-graders, but completely worthy of embracing. The outstanding climax oozes jaw-clenching tension – and is modeled on a real-life escape. Unfortunately, the aftermath of their dynamic escape feels rushed, like the story is too eager to end.

Never mind, because it’s satisfying anyway, and readers will both enjoy and learn. Bravo to the author.
This review also appears at YAdudebooks.ca

[Tziporah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anna Rosner has created an engaging historical fiction story set in Czechoslovakia in 1963, bringing this little known time period to life through the eyes of Lukas, an NHL-obsessed hockey-playing student who has to make some difficult choices after his father is arrested by the communist regime.
Like in her book My Left Skate: The Extraordinary Story of Eliezer Sherbatov, the author manages to keep even this hockey-indifferent reader turning pages with her vivid writing, engaging characters and well-researched descriptions of the time period.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

For such a short book, it does a good job of building the tension/suspense.

[Theo H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was good because it shows a story about hockey in Czechoslovakia in the 1960's. This is a book about Soviet oppression and how the main character, Lukas, survives with his family and takes pride in playing hockey. Lukas lives with his parents, brothers and baby sister. Lukas and his brother enjoy playing hockey and have a pond that they can skate on. Their friend Andrej also likes playing hockey and plays with them. Andrej's dad is friends with Lukas's dad and they both work for the newspaper. Soon they work together to create documents that show the Soviet communists in a bad light. At the end of the book his dad is sent to prison but when he is allowed to visit the family he plans an escape from the country. Lukas's brother Pavel helps with the escape and they end up escaping via West Germany.

[Ryan Segal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite an amazing read.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young readers will be sure to enjoy this fast paced and suspenseful novel which doubles as a great history lesson. I'm sure for many of readers, this will be their first exposure to life behind the Iron Curtain.

[Lori Emilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting historical fiction account of one family’s experiences living in Czechoslovakia in the 1960s under Communist rule. It’s a hockey story, and a story of survival, with a thrilling ending. Kids 10+ will wholly enjoy it.

[Chrissy Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eyes on the Ice
Anna Rosner
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was sent this ARC through @river_street_writes ! This is a middle grade novel. I am the parent of three middle grade kids, and I am giving it a 5 star review!
This novel will engage young readers and lead to educatioinal conversations about a history, in the not too distant past.
The plot moved quickly and involved a happy and close-knit family living under the oppression of communism. Life behind the Iron Curtain. I learned so much myself while reading this book. The most impressive thing about Eyes on the Ice is the writing of loving family relationships. Siblings and parents. The third act was suspenseful. A really wonderful read ! I think very important for young people today. This is an instant classic that would be great as a teachingtool in schools

[Heather Camlot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anna Rosner had me at the intriguing cover and the subject of hockey, but this novel is so much more.

1963. Czechoslovakia. Communism. Secret police - watching, listening, asking children questions about their parents. Whom to trust? When to remain silent? How long before life as you know it will change forever - and more than once?

An absolute pageturner of a historical novel that kept me guessing until the end and taught me a lot about a period I knew very little about. Well done!

[Hannah State · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Great Story of Courage!
This story opened my eyes to what life was like in the 1960s in Communist Czechoslovakia under the Soviet Union. The story of Lukas and his family is a gripping one that will appeal to all ages. I like how the author incorporated research and many thoughtful details into the plotting and character development. Parts of the story were inspired by true events as detailed in the author's note at the back of the book. Fascinating, chilling, but also so deeply moving.

[Chad Soon · Rating 5 out of 5]

She shoots, she scores! Anna Rosner delivers a thriller! The stakes are high in this one. I couldn’t take my eyes off Eyes on the Ice…until the ending, which hits like a slapshot to the heart. I wish there were books like this–historical fiction centering around hockey–when I was a kid, but I’m glad I get to follow Rosner’s gripping play-by-play now as an adult!

[Victoria Ficek · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4.5)

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Once a week my brothers and I go to Young Pioneers after school, which my father criticizes under his breath when he thinks we’re not listening. ‘Soviet propaganda,’ he mutters. “Spare me.’” (31)

“Classes are always the same: science, math, geography, Russia, and history, with talk of Communism in every lecture. We respond to questions only when we’re called on and give Miss Cerny the answers she expects. She never asks us what we think about anything.” (71)

It is 1963 in Prague, Czechoslovakia. In late February 1948, the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, with Soviet backing, assumed control over the government of Czechoslovakia, and the secret police watch the citizens for any disloyalty.

Ten-year-old Lukas, his older brother Denys, and his younger brother Alex live in a two-room apartment with their parents. His father is a journalist. Like other residents, they live in poverty with barely enough to eat, helped frequently by their Uncle Pavel.

When Lukas’ father is able to get some secondhand ice skates for the older boys, hockey becomes their refuge. Talented, they are invited to join their friend Andrej to train and play with the local team.

But first Andrej’s father and then Lukas’ father—who are friends and work together—are arrested and Lukas and Denys are banned from playing on the team, the other players calling them ‘traitors.’ Told to trust no one, their first test comes when a secret Soviet agent (oko or Eye) offers them a deal—they can play with the team if they throw the upcoming match against the Russians and their father will be freed.

This is a story that makes history come alive, a history with which most of our students are unfamiliar, a story with intrigue, fear, uncertainty, family bonds and friendships, and a love of sports—with a daring escape attempt. A quick read, it will engage even reluctant readers.

[Thistle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick synopsis : Set in the 1960s in Communist Czechoslovakia, a family tries to survive under the brutal regime.

Brief opinion : I enjoy reading stories set in this period, but this one was more lightweight than usual (probably because the target audience was younger). Still, it was interesting and I enjoyed it.

Plot : Lukas and his brother Denys love all things hockey. While their focus is on trying to play (equipment is too expensive, but they make do with what hand-me-downs and used skates), their parents are just trying to feed the family and survive.

One day the "Eye" (secret police) arrest their father and their whole family falls apart. The mother (who had just given birth) had to try to parent and somehow feed her four kids (Lukas, Denys, their younger brother Alex, and the newborn baby girl).

The ending, which involved an escape by hijacking a train, wasn't all that believable, but also happened in real life (the book is based on that event/family).

Writing/editing : Both were very good.

What I Liked/What I Didn’t Like : The only complaint I have isn't a fair one: I would have liked this to be darker, more of the horrible details of that time period made clearer. This was a middle grade book though, so within that restriction the amount of darkness and detail seems reasonable.

Rating: 1-Hated / 2-Disliked / 3-Okay / 4-Liked / 5-Loved : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½ - Liked.

[K Gover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eyes on the ice by AR is written at a level that middle school (and upper elementary) readers can grasp the seriousness of the situation in Czechoslavakia in 1960's. Using a family with three young boys who enjoy hockey, we get a personal picture of how the Communist regime wielded their power unjustly. The secret police, StB, intimidated, imprisoned and created an atmosphere of terror amongst the citizens of Czechoslavakia. Denys, Lukas and Alex's father was taken unjustly and only returned home so that he pay turn on a fellow neighbor. This story uses hockey as an entry to try and persuade the boys to rat on their friends. The humane treatment and support from their coach is a great example of how citizens had to stick together and take chances for (sometimes) strangers. The story ends with the family fleeing into West Germany. There is a scene on the train which is based off a factual train "kidnapping" and documentation of this event provides a great paired text.
Recommended: grades 5 + (some violence in the end as well as higher level content0
Topics: Communism, Czechoslavakia 1963, hockey, trust, family, Soviet Union, StB

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-written and engaging hockey novel set in 1963, during the time that Czechoslovakia was under the heavy thumb of a communist regime. Even though I'm not a hockey fan, my eyes stayed on the pages because intertwined with the hockey is a suspenseful slow burn as the family is targeted by the secret police and must somehow extricate themselves. Rosner's hockey overlay will appeal to reluctant readers and her Cold War intrigue may hook them into branching out.

I particularly appreciated the backmatter, including a map, research notes and glossary, plus the author's connection between what was happening in the 1960s and what's happening now in Ukraine.

[Tracie · Rating 2 out of 5]

In 1963 Soviet-era Czechoslovakia, 10-year-old Lukas learns about loyalty when his father is arrested and the secret police ask him and his brother to purposefully throw a hockey game in exchange for leniency. Includes Author's Note, Historical Note, map, and glossary.

I welcomed the way this story illuminates an era of history (mid-century Communism) that isn't widely explored in middle grade fiction; the similarities between Lukas' world and modern-day America are eerie, making this a timely story as well. At 180 pages with chapters averaging about 5 pages, this story gives just enough without overwhelming young readers.

I was likewise disappointed by the didactic ending.

[Barbra · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this powerful middle-grade novel set in 1993 two boys living in Czechoslovakia dream of the NHL and playing hockey. However, the country is occupied by the Soviet Union and just reading a magazine could get them in trouble. They learn how to play hockey at the nearby outdoor rink as an escape from their scrutinized lives. When Lukas’ dad is arrested for crimes against the state they must throw a game to get information about their dad. An insightful, suspenseful novel for readers who love historical fiction and sports.

[Lorna Nicholson · Rating 5 out of 5]

With skilled pacing and characters that are fully developed, EYES ON THE ICE is a beautiful story of family loyalty during a historical time in the country that used to be Czechoslovakia. Rosner has used the sport of hockey as a vehicle to tell her story, but the family dynamics, angst, and tension are so skillfully written that the gripping story of the three brothers (Lukas, Denys and Alex) will appeal to any middle grade reader. Rosner's research of this time period in Czechia's history is impeccable and this is a book that should be in every public and school library