The Kodiaks: Home Ice Advantage
An exciting new series by David A. Robertson, The Breakout Chronicles is a new middle grade hockey series! Book one: The Kodiaks: Home Ice Advantage follows Alex Robinson as he navigates living in the big city and joining a new hockey team.
Alex’s family moves to Winnipeg for his dad’s new job. This will be the first time ever that Alex will live off his reserve in Norway House Cree Nation. He doesn’t want to leave and is nervous about life in a big city. Not only does he need to try out for a new team, he also faces ignorance and racism from people who don’t understand Indigenous culture. Alex navigates all of this with the typical middle school flair.
I love absolutely anything from David A. Robertson. His stories are exciting and straightforward and always, always have something to teach the reader. The Kodiaks is a hockey story and while I think there are more than enough hockey stories available to readers, I know they tend to be popular so I’m always looking for something new a hockey book has to offer. In this story we meet Alex who is from Norway House Cree Nation and is very connected to his culture. He is facing comments and ignorance really for the first time as he has moved to Winnipeg and is learning how to navigate these situations in a good way. I love how David A. Robertson takes readers by the hand in this book and gently points out how comments and idioms that settlers have been using for years have a negative impact on Indigenous people and reminds us that there are better ways we can deliver the exact same sentiment.
I really appreciate how this book balances the descriptions of the hockey play itself along with the external things, away from the game, that are happening in Alex’s life. Readers get just enough shop talk to feel satisfied and drawn into the hockey part of the story, without having to read pages upon pages of play by play.
As a parent, I appreciated how Alex’s parents were helping him navigate the unkind words he was hearing. It felt very authentic, I was able to see myself in the shoes of the parents, trying to be understanding and giving good advice while also just really being lost at times.
This series is sure to be a huge hit. With more and more children taking an interest in hockey, The Breakout Chronicles is a series that will hopefully help shape a new kind of hockey culture. One that is more kind, accepting and understanding.
