In the middle of the ice, a young Black hockey player finds joy in his talent and confidence in the cheers of his family, his coach, and the other players. Their support gives him the power to face down those who see him as a threat and to focus on the thrill of the game.
Young people of colour who have experienced racism on and off the ice will see themselves in these pages. The beauty of hockey is celebrated here, as is the excellence of the young Black boy who continues to play the sport he loves despite the danger that the racism of others can put him in. As well as his family and coach, he looks to Black hockey legends like P.K. Subban and Joel Ward for inspiration.
"For a world trapped in a furious waterwheel, Itah deftly reveals it’s our possibility, small handful that we are, to dare to alter the course of the water. Freezing it, we become the handful which achieves the big goal."
"Sadu’s message of judging people on their merits and not on their size or race is a valuable one."
"Itah Sadu is one of my all time favourite storytellers. It's a fun book, it's easy to read, and it's one that I think even in the summer time there are kids that are thinking about playing hockey and the excitement of being on a hockey team."
"A powerful book about a young Black hockey player who is navigating what it means to be BIG and small in the hockey space. Support from his family and community encourages him to disrupt the stereotypes and racism he is facing by finding joy and confidence in his skills and game."
"A powerful book about a young Black hockey player who needs to find the confidence to feel BIG on the ice when he faces systemic racism so that he can find the thrill in playing the game."