“Helloooo, Internet Land. Bitty here!
Y’all… I might not be ready for this. I may be a former junior figure skating champion, vlogger extraordinaire, and very talented amateur pâtissier, but being a freshman on the Samwell University hockey team is a whole new challenge. It’s nothing like co-ed club hockey back in Georgia! First of all? There’s checking. And then, there is Jack—our very attractive but moody captain.
A collection of the first half, freshmen and sophomore year, of the megapopular webcomic series of the same name, Check, Please!: #Hockey is the first book of a hilarious and stirring two-volume coming-of-age story about hockey, bros, and trying to find yourself during the best four years of your life.”
Check, Please! was originally a web comic (and can still be found for free in this form, see the end of this post for the link) but now can be read in book form! I cannot recommend this series enough. It’s got hockey, it’s got bros, it’s got college, it’s got action and romance and hilarious hijinks. It’s about learning to understand and accept yourself. What’s not to like?
The series follows Eric Bittle or “Bitty,” as his friends call him, as he navigates his four years of college. He’s a vlogger, hockey player, proud baker, and though his teammates are skeptical of him and his hobby at first, he quickly becomes the heart of the team. Anyone who has played or seen hockey knows that it is sometimes a violent sport. This proves a problem for Bitty, who is deathly afraid of being checked.
Bitty is joined by his teammates who form a wacky and mismatched crew, and the panels of the comic is filled with their shenanigans. It’s an exciting read as the team faces highs and lows, both on the ice and in their personal lives. Each character has their own voice, and most importantly, they’re all believable college students. When the series first came to my attention, I was in my sophomore year of college, and let me tell you, a lot of the situations Bitty faced were things I was grappling with as well. I think this comic is appealing to a variety of ages; for teens, the difficulties of being a student and managing homework and a personal life is definitely relevant. For adults, this may be a nostalgic trip down memory lane of their time in college, while also helping them understand the younger generations.
There are some emotional moments, some tough topics, but none of them weigh the series down. Overall, these are just fun books to read. The art style is great, too. Also, if you’re reading them in book form (you can check them out from our library) you’ll get some hilarious bonus content.
Note: these books are probably for more mature reader due mostly to language. They are college students, after all. Also! The author, Ngozi Ukazu, is really cool and interacts with the fans on multiple social media platforms. Definitely check her and the series out!
~~Lindsey, Library Aide
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