The Magnificent Mario is the latest book from hockey writer Mike Leonetti. His previous children’s books have garnered nominations for the Ruth Schwartz Award, the City of Toronto Book Award and the Saskatchewan Young Readers’ Choice Award.
Mike talks with Open Book about the titular Mario, his all-time favourite hockey moment and the greatest team in NHL history.
Open Book:
Tell us about your book, The Magnificent Mario.
Mike Leonetti:
This book features a story about one of the most talented players in the history of the National Hockey League, the legendary Mario Lemieux. The story revolves around the greatest goal of Lemieux’s illustrious career.
OB:
What makes Mario Lemieux unique as a Canadian hockey hero?
ML:
Mario had incredibly soft hands and almost all of his goals were likes works of art. He may have been the most naturally talented player of all time.
OB:
How did the character of Max come about? Do you think young hockey players will relate to him?
ML:
Max is like any other kid who wants to see his team win. He learns that is not always possible yet he must find a way to improve and help his team get better. If you play sports long enough you will learn that winning is never assured but your effort must always be there.
OB:
Did you have a specific readership in mind when you wrote your book?
ML:
All of my children’s books are directed to youngsters who love hockey and who wish to read about a hockey legend like Mario Lemieux. I have also done stories on Bobby Orr, Gordie Howe, Maurice Richard, Wayne Gretzky, Darryl Sittler, Jacques Plante and Wendel Clark.
OB:
What was the most challenging part of this project?
ML:
I wanted to make sure that the reader who might not have seen Mario Lemieux play would understand what a truly great player he was and how much adversity he had to overcome to achieve the greatest moment of his career. For example, Lemieux was drafted (in 1984) by the worst team in the NHL and when he first went to Pittsburgh, he spoke virtually no English!
OB:
Tell us about an all-time favourite hockey moment.
ML:
When I was just 8-years old, my favourite team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, won the Stanley Cup and my hockey hero, Dave Keon, was named winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as the best player in the playoffs.
OB:
What year and team would you rate as the best ever NHL team?
ML:
The Montreal Canadiens of the 1970s was by far the best team I have ever seen. They won four straight Stanley Cups between 1976 and 1979 with a team that featured numerous Hall of Fame players (such as Ken Dryden, Larry Robinson and Serge Savard) and the best coach in the history of the game in Scotty Bowman.
OB:
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received as a writer?
ML:
I recall my grade school teachers telling not just write facts but to make my stories interesting as well as informative. This is advice I have always tried to follow for every book I do.
OB:
What are you reading right now?
ML:
I just finished a biography of hockey legend Bobby Hull. I found it interesting and informative. I thought the author made a good effort to bring out the true character of Hull which has always been a bit of mystery.
OB:
What are you working on now?
ML:
I am doing a variety of projects including a new children’s book, more profiles of current players for the next edition of Hockey Now! and a new book on the Maple Leafs!
Mike Leonetti has written more than twenty-five books, including bestselling hockey titles such as Hockey Now!, Maple Leaf Legends, Canadiens Legends, and Maple Leafs Top 100. He has also written several bestselling children’s picture books, including My Leafs Sweater; A Hero Named Howe; Number Four, Bobby Orr; and The Mighty Tim Horton. He has owned and managed the Harold Barkley Archives since 1991 and is a walking encyclopaedia of Toronto Maple Leafs trivia. He lives in Woodbridge, Ontario.
For more information about The Magnificent Mario please visit the Scholastic website.
Buy this book at your local independent bookstore or online at Chapters/Indigo or Amazon.
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