What do you think?
The Third Period Comeback
New York Times bestseller E. K. Johnston’s middle-grade debut is an utterly charming, witty, and gloriously inclusive magic-tinged caper in the Canadian wilderness.
Hayley Rilko loves hockey, but since her last name is Rilko, everyone in Canada knows she’s a carrier of the most notorious curse in sports history. It's common knowledge that as soon as she gets her third period, her hockey career will be over. If she so much as sets foot on a rink, people will die—unless she and her cousins can find and burn the corpse of their cursed great grandfather, lost somewhere in the northern swamps. But first they'll have to have a serious conversation with his ghost and distract their grandparents.
Hayley Rilko loves hockey, but since her last name is Rilko, everyone in Canada knows she’s a carrier of the most notorious curse in sports history. It's common knowledge that as soon as she gets her third period, her hockey career will be over. If she so much as sets foot on a rink, people will die—unless she and her cousins can find and burn the corpse of their cursed great grandfather, lost somewhere in the northern swamps. But first they'll have to have a serious conversation with his ghost and distract their grandparents.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published August 11, 2026
About the author
E.K. Johnston
25 books2,736 followersE.K. Johnston had several jobs and one vocation before she became a published writer. If she’s learned anything, it’s that things turn out weird sometimes, and there’s not a lot you can do about it. Well, that and how to muscle through awkward fanfic because it’s about a pairing she likes.
You can follow Kate on Twitter (@ek_johnston) to learn more about Alderaanian political theory than you really need to know, or on Tumblr (ekjohnston) if you're just here for pretty pictures.
You can follow Kate on Twitter (@ek_johnston) to learn more about Alderaanian political theory than you really need to know, or on Tumblr (ekjohnston) if you're just here for pretty pictures.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Hayley is an avid and talented soccer player, but she knows that her playing days are soon going to be over. Her great grandfather, William Rilko, played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but was killed in an air crash in 1951. This is thought to be the catalyst for a curse that has led the team to have disastrous seasons and not win championships, but since his body was never found, his whole family suffers. It’s a very large family, with Hayley’s 21 cousins as well as aunts, uncles, great-aunts, and great-uncles. The Rilko’s all love playing hockey, but have to stop when they hit puberty. Everyone knows about this, so when Hayley gets her period, she’s devastated and a bit embarrassed that everyone will soon know. She is able to finish the season, since the curse doesn’t take hold until her third period, but she feels the time crunch. When her extended family goes to their summer camp in Timmins, outside of Ontario, she and her cousins try several different ways to undo the curse. This is a struggle, since not only have other family members devoted their lives to this pursuit, but people knowledgable in magic haven’t been able to reverse it, either. They attempt to talk to “Greatest William” via Ouija board, and eventually travel deep into the woods to find the plane and burn whatever body remains to break the curse. Will Hayley be able to find a way to continue playing her beloved sport?
Strengths: The depiction of the family cabin, with its musty board games and tiny shared rooms, was delightful, and reminiscent of Matson’s The Firefly Summer. I loved that Hayley didn’t want to summon the dead with a game produced by Parker Brothers! Very astute. The large family works well together with understandable hitches in dynamics from time to time, and the adults are supportive but give the children lots of freedom. This is definitely a fantasy novel, with a thin veneer of magic coating Hayley’s entire world. Hayley’s ancestor seems to be loosely based on the real life Bill Barilko, who was killed in a plane crash in 1951.
Weaknesses: There could have been more detailed world building, since there seemed to be whole systems of magic that weren’t well explained. I also knew nothing about “real” curses the Toronto Maple Leafs suffered, so was vastly confused. Hayley’s family is very large, which is understandable (I personally have 38 cousins!), but made it hard to keep track of characters. There is a lot of detail about getting one’s period that will appeal to some readers but not to others.
What I really think: Add this to a selection of hockey books that includes Blitt’s Breaking the Ice, Irwin’s Captain Skidmark Dances with Destiny, and Ridge’s Inside Hudson Pickle. I don’t have a huge audience for hockey books, but I can see this being popular in Canada!
Hayley is an avid and talented soccer player, but she knows that her playing days are soon going to be over. Her great grandfather, William Rilko, played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but was killed in an air crash in 1951. This is thought to be the catalyst for a curse that has led the team to have disastrous seasons and not win championships, but since his body was never found, his whole family suffers. It’s a very large family, with Hayley’s 21 cousins as well as aunts, uncles, great-aunts, and great-uncles. The Rilko’s all love playing hockey, but have to stop when they hit puberty. Everyone knows about this, so when Hayley gets her period, she’s devastated and a bit embarrassed that everyone will soon know. She is able to finish the season, since the curse doesn’t take hold until her third period, but she feels the time crunch. When her extended family goes to their summer camp in Timmins, outside of Ontario, she and her cousins try several different ways to undo the curse. This is a struggle, since not only have other family members devoted their lives to this pursuit, but people knowledgable in magic haven’t been able to reverse it, either. They attempt to talk to “Greatest William” via Ouija board, and eventually travel deep into the woods to find the plane and burn whatever body remains to break the curse. Will Hayley be able to find a way to continue playing her beloved sport?
Strengths: The depiction of the family cabin, with its musty board games and tiny shared rooms, was delightful, and reminiscent of Matson’s The Firefly Summer. I loved that Hayley didn’t want to summon the dead with a game produced by Parker Brothers! Very astute. The large family works well together with understandable hitches in dynamics from time to time, and the adults are supportive but give the children lots of freedom. This is definitely a fantasy novel, with a thin veneer of magic coating Hayley’s entire world. Hayley’s ancestor seems to be loosely based on the real life Bill Barilko, who was killed in a plane crash in 1951.
Weaknesses: There could have been more detailed world building, since there seemed to be whole systems of magic that weren’t well explained. I also knew nothing about “real” curses the Toronto Maple Leafs suffered, so was vastly confused. Hayley’s family is very large, which is understandable (I personally have 38 cousins!), but made it hard to keep track of characters. There is a lot of detail about getting one’s period that will appeal to some readers but not to others.
What I really think: Add this to a selection of hockey books that includes Blitt’s Breaking the Ice, Irwin’s Captain Skidmark Dances with Destiny, and Ridge’s Inside Hudson Pickle. I don’t have a huge audience for hockey books, but I can see this being popular in Canada!
August 28, 2026
In a Nutshell:
In an almost dystopian - indeed, apocalyptic - current events news cycle – even for children – this book is an oasis, a balm. It is a funny, quirky-character driven book with Canadian in-jokes, wonderful inclusiveness, Canadian settings and activities – cottages/cabins, hockey, camping, etc. And, it also has magical elements that make the plot remarkably unpredictable. Reading it feels like Ms. Johnston had a riot writing it.
More detail, if you need it:
You probably have favourite authors, like I do, who could write anything, and you’d look forward to reading it – for any age level, any genre, fiction, non-fiction, Cabbage Seeds Catalogue – whatever.
E.K. Johnston is one of these, for me. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed her YA titles, so far, and she has my vote for best book title ever – Exit, Pursued by a Bear.
Holding an author in such high esteem, can be perilous. Looking forward to reading a book, sets one up for disappointment. The Third Period Comeback is Ms. Johnston’s first foray into Juvenile Fiction. Here, huge anticipation was justified - it’s a barnburner.
A clan of hockey playing tween cousins, conspire one summer, to do what their parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and great, great relatives – together with the NHL and generations of Toronto Maple Leaf fans – have failed to do. In the story, their great, great grandfather died in a plane crash, and was never found. In the story, the Maple Leafs haven’t won the Stanley Cup since; ergo, it’s widely believed that the team is cursed by the disappearance. In the story, every member of the cousins’ extended family, is also believed to be cursed, and therefore banned from playing organized hockey after childhood. In the story, curses are a real thing. “Curse breaking” is an industry, etc. (This story arc references the Maple Leafs’ curse narrative in the real world. For that “true” curse, see the Tragically Hip song, “Fifty-Mission Cap.”)
The cousins spend every summer together under the lax supervision of their grand parents, at a family huddle of cabins in the wilderness. As it happens, the crash took place en route to this remote location – and therefore possibly nearby. This summer, the oldest cousins are approaching the end of their hockey playing careers, as dictated by the curse. This summer, the band of cousins find research about the curse from previous generations. Their older relatives worked in solitude. This generation of cousins pool their resources, and believe in each other, if not themselves. It’s hard to say enough about this empowering, authentic, engaging very Canadian story. Mostly, it’s a story about innocent, childhood fun.
I should add, I am not a Maple Leaf fan. I’m not an NHL fan. I am a fan of the PWHL and Canadian National Hockey teams. If I can enjoy this book, you can too. We are all on team Canada. (If you read this, and you are not Canadian, but promise to play nicely, you can be on team Canada too. : ) )
In an almost dystopian - indeed, apocalyptic - current events news cycle – even for children – this book is an oasis, a balm. It is a funny, quirky-character driven book with Canadian in-jokes, wonderful inclusiveness, Canadian settings and activities – cottages/cabins, hockey, camping, etc. And, it also has magical elements that make the plot remarkably unpredictable. Reading it feels like Ms. Johnston had a riot writing it.
More detail, if you need it:
You probably have favourite authors, like I do, who could write anything, and you’d look forward to reading it – for any age level, any genre, fiction, non-fiction, Cabbage Seeds Catalogue – whatever.
E.K. Johnston is one of these, for me. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed her YA titles, so far, and she has my vote for best book title ever – Exit, Pursued by a Bear.
Holding an author in such high esteem, can be perilous. Looking forward to reading a book, sets one up for disappointment. The Third Period Comeback is Ms. Johnston’s first foray into Juvenile Fiction. Here, huge anticipation was justified - it’s a barnburner.
A clan of hockey playing tween cousins, conspire one summer, to do what their parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and great, great relatives – together with the NHL and generations of Toronto Maple Leaf fans – have failed to do. In the story, their great, great grandfather died in a plane crash, and was never found. In the story, the Maple Leafs haven’t won the Stanley Cup since; ergo, it’s widely believed that the team is cursed by the disappearance. In the story, every member of the cousins’ extended family, is also believed to be cursed, and therefore banned from playing organized hockey after childhood. In the story, curses are a real thing. “Curse breaking” is an industry, etc. (This story arc references the Maple Leafs’ curse narrative in the real world. For that “true” curse, see the Tragically Hip song, “Fifty-Mission Cap.”)
The cousins spend every summer together under the lax supervision of their grand parents, at a family huddle of cabins in the wilderness. As it happens, the crash took place en route to this remote location – and therefore possibly nearby. This summer, the oldest cousins are approaching the end of their hockey playing careers, as dictated by the curse. This summer, the band of cousins find research about the curse from previous generations. Their older relatives worked in solitude. This generation of cousins pool their resources, and believe in each other, if not themselves. It’s hard to say enough about this empowering, authentic, engaging very Canadian story. Mostly, it’s a story about innocent, childhood fun.
I should add, I am not a Maple Leaf fan. I’m not an NHL fan. I am a fan of the PWHL and Canadian National Hockey teams. If I can enjoy this book, you can too. We are all on team Canada. (If you read this, and you are not Canadian, but promise to play nicely, you can be on team Canada too. : ) )
August 15, 2026
The Third Period Comeback is The Highest Number in the World meets Screech Owls.
Hayley Rilko is living the Tragically Hip's song "Fifty Mission Cap" except Bill (Ba)Rilko's body is still missing and the Leafs have not won a Stanley Cup since 1951. Even though no one can (ethically) prove it, everyone is convinced that Hayley's entire family is cursed and will doom whatever team they play on. Silently, everyone in her family has given up sports the moment they hit puberty and Hayley and her cousins are prepared to do the same until her best friend asks what she's planning to do about it.
Hayley and her cousins (there's a family tree at the back!) are spending the entire summer at the family camp outside of Timmins. Once she asks, all of her cousins are on board to break the curse and the real detective work begins. The family has been coming to the camp since the 1940s and if they're going to find any clues, it's going to be here. The Third Period Comeback feels like another entry in the iconic Screech Owl series - everyone is bringing something different to the table while sneaking around so the adults in charge don't notice.
Johnston shines in middle grade - the right balance of agency and responsible adults and a growing desire for independence. The grief and challenges of growing up are handled with optimism and compassion because even if Hayley and her cousins do manage to lift the curse, everything will still be different. I never played hockey growing up, but I did dance, and the ways that your body changes and it impacts your sport is devastating. To anyone with a kid going through puberty, especially a kid involved in sports, I cannot recommend The Third Period Comeback enough. This is the book you should be giving your kid instead of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. The Third Period Comeback is grounded in the challenges of real kids today, and it might feel dated in 50 years, but it still deserves to be a classic.
I've loved Johnston's work for years, but middle grade is her best yet.
Hayley Rilko is living the Tragically Hip's song "Fifty Mission Cap" except Bill (Ba)Rilko's body is still missing and the Leafs have not won a Stanley Cup since 1951. Even though no one can (ethically) prove it, everyone is convinced that Hayley's entire family is cursed and will doom whatever team they play on. Silently, everyone in her family has given up sports the moment they hit puberty and Hayley and her cousins are prepared to do the same until her best friend asks what she's planning to do about it.
Hayley and her cousins (there's a family tree at the back!) are spending the entire summer at the family camp outside of Timmins. Once she asks, all of her cousins are on board to break the curse and the real detective work begins. The family has been coming to the camp since the 1940s and if they're going to find any clues, it's going to be here. The Third Period Comeback feels like another entry in the iconic Screech Owl series - everyone is bringing something different to the table while sneaking around so the adults in charge don't notice.
Johnston shines in middle grade - the right balance of agency and responsible adults and a growing desire for independence. The grief and challenges of growing up are handled with optimism and compassion because even if Hayley and her cousins do manage to lift the curse, everything will still be different. I never played hockey growing up, but I did dance, and the ways that your body changes and it impacts your sport is devastating. To anyone with a kid going through puberty, especially a kid involved in sports, I cannot recommend The Third Period Comeback enough. This is the book you should be giving your kid instead of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. The Third Period Comeback is grounded in the challenges of real kids today, and it might feel dated in 50 years, but it still deserves to be a classic.
I've loved Johnston's work for years, but middle grade is her best yet.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
In THE THIRD PERIOD COMEBACK, Hayley and her cousins band together to put an end to a curse that has plagued their family since their great-grandfather’s tragic death in a plane crash many years in the past. Love of the sport of hockey runs deep in their family, but since the tragedy, it is believed that having a Rilko descendant on a team after they’ve started adolescence sentences the team to a losing streak. Determined to continue playing the sport she loves, Hayley sets out to investigate the curse and over summer vacation in their family cottage, she enlists the help of her cousins to find their great-grandfather’s resting place in hopes of ending the curse.
Hayley is a strong protagonist, with optimism and her passion for the sport shining throughout the story. The family cabin provides the perfect backdrop for the strong family multigenerational relationships in the story, but the relationships between Hayley and her cousins ring especially true as they plot and plan. Hockey and hockey players are legendary for their superstitions, so while the story’s curse asks readers to suspend belief, it isn’t too much of a leap for those familiar with the game. An entertaining coming of age story with a sports themed twist, coming in at a middle grade reader friendly 165 pages, this one will be great for readers looking for a quick sports or family themed read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing an eARC of the book with me.
Hayley is a strong protagonist, with optimism and her passion for the sport shining throughout the story. The family cabin provides the perfect backdrop for the strong family multigenerational relationships in the story, but the relationships between Hayley and her cousins ring especially true as they plot and plan. Hockey and hockey players are legendary for their superstitions, so while the story’s curse asks readers to suspend belief, it isn’t too much of a leap for those familiar with the game. An entertaining coming of age story with a sports themed twist, coming in at a middle grade reader friendly 165 pages, this one will be great for readers looking for a quick sports or family themed read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing an eARC of the book with me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A fabulous middle grade debut from a fav Canadian author that captures the unique spirit of youth sports culture juxtaposed against the hyper competitive nature of hockey culture and curses as one middle grade girl tries to break a family curse in order to keep playing the sport she loves. I really connected with the Northern Ontario cottage vibes, the family connectedness, the period content and the love of sports. I am also continually in awe of how well this author weaves in queer characters into her narrative in subtle but meaningful ways. This book was full of heart, strong female characters and a memorable cast of side characters. Highly recommended for fans of authors like Emily Deibert. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
It’s always joyful to enter this author’s trademark setting, slightly magical Canada. Teen Hayley’s family is assumed to be the cause of the Maple Leafs hockey team’s curse - a championship drought since ancestor and team member William died in a plane crash, his body never recovered. A talented, sports loving clan, they must all avoid hockey rinks from puberty onward. Hayley is determined to find a way to break the curse and summer vacation with her cousins at the family cabin not far from where the plane is thought to have gone down seems like the perfect opportunity. It’s now or never, since her periods have just started. Hayley’s plucky, hopeful quest is delightful, as are the large cast of supportive characters. Made me want to go back and re-read The Story of Owen! EARC from Edelweiss.
September 10, 2026
This was an interesting step into middle grade for E.K. Johnston.
While I enjoyed the premise of the book and the discussions surrounding menstruation, I found the actual execution of the plot to be tedious. There are way too many family members to keep track of and the pacing is extremely slow for a "family curse" that should be interesting. Themes of familial expectations and having the courage to follow your own path are prevalent and work well. Unfortunately, I think I was expecting a little more exploration of the magic system and world beyond what was provided. Overall, this is a solid read and could be enticing for younger readers who like sports like hockey.
While I enjoyed the premise of the book and the discussions surrounding menstruation, I found the actual execution of the plot to be tedious. There are way too many family members to keep track of and the pacing is extremely slow for a "family curse" that should be interesting. Themes of familial expectations and having the courage to follow your own path are prevalent and work well. Unfortunately, I think I was expecting a little more exploration of the magic system and world beyond what was provided. Overall, this is a solid read and could be enticing for younger readers who like sports like hockey.
August 15, 2026
This was a good, quick standalone. I enjoyed the characters and the magical realism that brings in curses and blessings. It had a simple plot, but had added complexities that kept my attention and prevented me from getting bored. Hayley was an alright protagonist and the rest of the family had their own characteristics. There is definitely a large focus on the joys that come with puberty, especially for cis women, but it was not an issue and really fit into the story well. This is definitely a book that I will be recommending to others.
August 18, 2026
If your family loves hockey, imagine being cursed to give it up forever once you hit puberty! That’s the problem Hayley and her family are dealing with in The Third Period Comeback. Then toss in Ouija boards, periods/puberty, hockey, and a generations-old curse. Hayley tries to navigate puberty while also figuring out how to break the family curse which is connected to the Maple Leafs’ legendary championship drought. I thought it was fun, quirky, and had just the right mix of hockey and supernatural mystery. Solid middle-grade book.
September 2, 2026
Middle grade and young YA.
I enjoyed the premise, but found the execution quite muddled with the large numbers of family members who were involved in the story’s unfolding. The curse that Hayley’s hockey-loving family has inherited hits as each member reaches adolescence. For the girls, that corresponds with their periods starting. So there’s lots of period talk, but I wouldn’t really categorize it as period positivity. It’s just one more reason to hate getting your period.
This will find an audience with hockey fans and those who enjoy sports-team curses, but it never quite gelled for me.
I enjoyed the premise, but found the execution quite muddled with the large numbers of family members who were involved in the story’s unfolding. The curse that Hayley’s hockey-loving family has inherited hits as each member reaches adolescence. For the girls, that corresponds with their periods starting. So there’s lots of period talk, but I wouldn’t really categorize it as period positivity. It’s just one more reason to hate getting your period.
This will find an audience with hockey fans and those who enjoy sports-team curses, but it never quite gelled for me.
August 30, 2026
A good book by E.K. Johnston, meaning it’s very good indeed, though I wasn’t sure I would give it 5* because it isn’t a terribly exciting or fun book compared to Starmer’s You Are Now Old to Hear This, to which it shares similarities. In the end, despite its quiet modesty and air of resignation, I think it pays off.
Review of advance copy received from Author
It doesn't matter if MG is not your usual cup of tea. If you love hockey, read this book. It's about hockey curses (looking at you, Toronto), family and coming of age as a girl and how sometimes they're all entwined. This book is part of my heart now and it's there to stay.
September 20, 2026
I enjoyed this book more and more the further I got into it. Initially I was a bit thrown by how front and centre menstruation was in a book that I thought was going to be mostly about girls hockey, but I thought it was an interesting take on the curse of the Toronto Maple Leafs :)
September 6, 2026
What a lot of fun! Hayley and her extended family are a delight, and any book that pokes fun at sports curses (and how the Leafs always lose) is a blast.
September 16, 2026
A quick, undemanding read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was such a witty, cute, humerus, nostalgic (because I'm old by YA standards) book. What do you do when your whole family loves hockey but they're cursed to never play again once they hit puberty?!?!?!?!
This book was MAGNIFICENT - it brought back all of the vibes I had ages ago of going on adventures and plotting schemes with my cousins. As the oldest too, it was extremely relatable. And though I love my cousins to bits - I do not trust ANY of them enough to mess with a Ouija board. I absolutely love the close knit family dynamics EK Johnston has created (I wish this followed us through well into adulthood), it was so nice to jump back into that feeling.
I honestly can't wait for this book to come out in it's final edited version, so I can buy it and read it with my kid when they're a bit older. If the unedited proof was this good, I can't imagine the final - I'm going to have to send copies to all of my cousins and friends.
I love how EK Johnston's books ALWAYS have inclusive characters that are just normal, like it's part of everyday life, because they are! 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️❣️
📖 ARC read in April 2026
🎧 Audiobook in August 2026
This book was MAGNIFICENT - it brought back all of the vibes I had ages ago of going on adventures and plotting schemes with my cousins. As the oldest too, it was extremely relatable. And though I love my cousins to bits - I do not trust ANY of them enough to mess with a Ouija board. I absolutely love the close knit family dynamics EK Johnston has created (I wish this followed us through well into adulthood), it was so nice to jump back into that feeling.
I honestly can't wait for this book to come out in it's final edited version, so I can buy it and read it with my kid when they're a bit older. If the unedited proof was this good, I can't imagine the final - I'm going to have to send copies to all of my cousins and friends.
I love how EK Johnston's books ALWAYS have inclusive characters that are just normal, like it's part of everyday life, because they are! 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️❣️
📖 ARC read in April 2026
🎧 Audiobook in August 2026
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews