• Age: 6 to 8
• Grade: 1 to 3
• Reading age: 6 to 8

After trying the sliding sport of luge, Lucy is back for another speedy adventure!

This time, Lucy laces up her skates and tries short track speed skating. It’s not as easy as it looks. When you skate really fast around tight turns, you just might crash! But with her friends at her side, Lucy skims across the ice in a thrilling race to the finish.

Lucy Tries Short Track is the second book in the Lucy Tries Sports series, designed to encourage children to get active and participate in sports. Available in French as Lucy fait du patinage de vitesse.

Lisa Bowes is a sports anchor who made Canadian broadcasting history when she became the play-by-play voice for the National Women’s Hockey League. While working for CBC’s Sports Journal, she was nominated for a Gemini Award for best writing in an information program or series. In February 2010, Lisa was CTV’s host/reporter for women’s hockey at the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. She currently works at CTV Calgary and freelances for TSN. For more information, visit www.bowesknowssports.com.

Lisa Bowes' profile page

James Hearne is an artist who loves illustrating books for children. He lives with his patient and amazing wife Paula and two beautiful daughters, Mikayla and Vicky, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He wonders how he got so lucky. James can be reached through his website www.jameshearnedesign.com

James Hearne's profile page

"The Lucy Tries Sports series teaches how sport is about fun and healthy competition. They also introduce various different sports to young kids and hopefully inspire them to stay active and healthy. I love that my kids can read the series in English and French. These books are a must for the entire family."

Catriona Le May Doan, OC and two time Olympic Speed Skating Champion

"The Lucy Tries Sport series are great books for children of any age. They exemplify the importance of sportsmanship, healthy competition, and most importantly show that sports can be so much fun! I would highly recommend everyone to add this series to their collection!"

Jessica Gregg, Olympic Medalist in Short Track Speed Skating

"Playing sports and being active empowers girls for life. Lucy Tries Sports encourages girls to try a wide range of sports and teaches them valuable lessons in leadership, supporting one another, and working towards—and achieving—your goals through sport!"

Allison Sandmeyer-Graves, CEO at CAAWS (Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity)

"What makes the 'Lucy Tries Sports' series so wonderful is that they highlight unusual sports in an energetic and positive way...Lucy and her friends don’t look at losing as something to be ashamed of or angry about. Their race is meant for fun and excitement, and it’s a joy to read about the girls supporting one another, even in the face of defeat...Herne’s illustrations do an excellent job of matching the movement of the text. As the girls race, the illustrations become slightly blurred, as if the racers are moving so fast it’s hard to get a still shot. This is a fantastic way to emphasize the speed and movement of the characters, giving the story the feel of a live action event... With the same bouncing rhythm, action filled illustrations, and positive look at getting out and trying a new sport [as the first book], this is a delightful and encouraging read. Fans of Lucy Tries Luge will love this new addition to the series, and those who haven’t yet met Lucy will adore reading about this friendly and outgoing girl’s sporting adventures on the short track. Highly Recommended."

CM Magazine

&quotThe Lucy Tries Sports series is terrific for children! It inspires them to be physically active and reinforces so many aspects of their social skill development. A really positive assistance to parenting children.&quot

Dave King, Member of the Order of Canada, Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame and IIHF Hall of Fame inductee

"Fitness should be fun, and the Lucy Tries Sports series is a shining example of that."

Eric Smith, television and Sportsnet Radio play-by-play voice of the Toronto Raptors

"Lucy is a wonderful role-model for both girls and boys, with a positive attitude toward learning and practicing the sports she enjoys to keep physically active. The story and illustrations have a gentle way of teaching sportsmanship and fair play...A cheery, upbeat series, and is recommended for school and public libraries."

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“This book really represents the community of speed skating in Canada: members and athletes getting together in a fair-play atmosphere for the love of sport where we can also see, outside of the rink, great friendships.”

Marc Gagnon, Five-Time Olympic Medalist in Short Track Speed Skating

"Children will learn about how the skaters turn around the tight corners and how they cheer one another on, even after the race is over. The main character is not the winner in this story but is a good sport and strong competitor...Will show young athletes the pros and cons of a sport that requires speed, balance, and courage."

School Library Journal