The summer break offers the rare time of the year to unwind. After all the chaos of the hockey season and wrapping up school, it can be nice to take some time to yourself to sit back and relax with a book. Sit outside and open that book you've been meaning to read or get in a couple of chapters before bedtime.

There are many hockey books both new and old that offer valuable lessons in leadership and showcase the life lessons that hockey provides. They make great gifts and offer stories of family, community and the bond that hockey creates. Here are some of our favourites.

A Fly in a Pail of Milk: The Herb Carnegie Story: Herbert Carnegie was the complete hockey package in the 1940s and 1950s. Though his contributions to society both in sport and education have been referenced and profiled in books, documentaries, and thousands of articles, this is Carnegie’s own account of striving to break the glass ceiling, starting with his career as a professional hockey player on all-white teams. In 1978, noted hockey journalist Stan Fischler wrote a powerful headline about Carnegie: “Born Too Soon.” A Fly in a Pail of Milk reveals the feelings of a trailblazer ― a man who proved to be unstoppable on the ice and in his resolve to make our world a better place.

In this new edition, Herb’s daughter Bernice Carnegie shares stories about what it was like to work closely with Herb on youth and educational projects for more than 30 years. She also reflects on parts of her father’s writings, sharing personal thoughts, family stories, and conversations about how his journey profoundly influenced her life.

Hockey Superstitions - From Playoff Beards to Crossed Sticks and Lucky Socks: One of North America's best-known hockey writers examines the strangest rituals and superstitions within the NHL.

Why did Wayne Gretzky start every pre-game warm-up by shooting wide to the right of the net (a rather funny habit, given that he scored more goals than anyone in the game's history)? Why do many hockey players seem to believe performance is tied directly to facial hair? Why does Geoff Sanderson use a different length stick for every period? And why did Petr Klima break his stick after every goal he scored? Hockey Superstitions, by one of Canada's best-known hockey writers, Andrew Podnieks, explores the fascinating and fun world of hockey superstitions: their origins, their quirks, and the mythology around them. Along the way, it gives us an original look into the minds of the players and coaches behind them.

Willie: The Game-Changing Story of the NHL's First Black Player: An inspiring memoir that shows that anyone can achieve their dreams if they are willing to fight for them.

In 1958, Willie O'Ree was a lot like any other player toiling in the minors. He was good. Good enough to have been signed by the Boston Bruins. Just not quite good enough to play in the NHL.

Until January 18 of that year. O'Ree was finally called up, and when he stepped out onto the ice against the Montreal Canadiens, not only did he fulfil the childhood dream he shared with so many other Canadian kids, he did something that had never been done before.

He broke hockey's colour barrier. Just as his hero, Jackie Robinson, had done for baseball.

In that pioneering first NHL game, O'Ree proved that no one could stop him from being a hockey player. But he soon learned that he could never be just a hockey player. He would always be a black player, with all that entails. There were ugly name-calling and stick-swinging incidents, and nights when the Bruins had to be escorted to their bus by the police.

But O'Ree never backed down. When he retired in 1979, he had played hundreds of games as a pro, and scored hundreds of goals, his boyhood dreams more than accomplished.

One Night Only: Conversations with the NHL's One-Game Wonders: From men's league to the minor league, hockey players from coast to coast often say they’d give anything to play just one game in the NHL. One Night Only brings you the stories of 39 men who lived the dream ― only to see it fade away almost as quickly as it arrived. Ken Reid talks to players who had one game, and one game only, in the National Hockey League ― including the most famous single-gamer of them all: the coach himself, Don Cherry.

Was it a dream come true or was it heartbreak? What did they learn from their hockey journey and how does it define them today?

Hockey Hall of Fame Book of Jerseys: A celebration of the Hockey Hall of Fame's collection of the best jerseys and sweaters worn by the premier players of the game.

The brand-new, never-before-seen photographs of each jersey are paired with in-game action images and player profiles detailing the significance of the jersey and the impact of the player on the league.

The selection of more than 100 jerseys from star players ranges from the rare and seldom seen, like Hall of Famer Rod Langway's high school championship jersey, to the most famous of garments, like the No. 9 of Montreal Canadiens' star Maurice the Rocket Richard.

Hockey fans will be thrilled with this collection and will enjoy the crests, patches, logos, colors, and designs -- not to mention the game-worn wear-and-tear -- of hockey's most distinguishing feature. As an addition to the jerseys of hockey's superstars, readers will be treated to a selection of some of the most unique and rare jerseys from around the hockey world, like Bob Gainey's Epinal Squirrels jersey from the France pro league, or the 1939 Cambridge University Ice Hockey Club sweater worn by captain Geoffrey Hallowes.