Akim Aliu: Dreamer (Original Graphic Memoir)

by Akim Aliu, Greg Anderson Elysée, Karen De la Vega (Illustrator), Marcus Williams (Illustrator)

Overview

This honest, engrossing graphic memoir tells the story of professional athlete and activist Akim Aliu's incredible life as a hockey prodigy in Canada.

Akim Aliu — also known as “Dreamer” — is a Ukrainian-Nigerian-Canadian professional hockey player whose career took him all around the world and who experienced systemic racism at every turn. Dreamer tells Akim's incredible story, from being the only Black child in his Ukrainian community, to his family struggling to make ends meet while living in Toronto, to confronting the racist violence he often experienced both on and off the ice. This is a gut-wrenching and riveting graphic novel memoir that reminds us to never stop dreaming, and is sure to inspire young readers everywhere.

"With honesty and courage, Akim Aliu's Dreamer will inspire readers of all ages to move confidently in the direction of their future." - Colin Kaepernick

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338787603
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	02/07/2023
Pages:	128
Sales rank:	91,269
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	GN580L (what's this?)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Akim Aliu is the son of a Nigerian father and a Ukrainian mother. Born in Nigeria, he spent years of his youth in Africa and Ukraine before moving to Toronto. A hockey prodigy, Akim was drafted into the NHL as a teenager and played for the Calgary Flames. He experienced systemic racism, hazing, and abuse at every level of competitive hockey he played in — from Pee Wee hockey to the NHL — but has never stopped dreaming of a world where every kid, regardless of background, can be accepted for who he or she is (and play hockey, of course).

In May 2020, Akim wrote an article for the Players’ Tribune entitled “Hockey is Not for Everyone,” where he identifies the racism and violence he endured as a Black athlete within the sport of hockey. He has since partnered with the Time to Dream Foundation and the Hockey Diversity Alliance to help their mission to eradicate racism and intolerance in hockey.

Greg Anderson Elysée is a Brooklyn born, Haitian-American writer, educator, filmmaker, and model. He has been teaching various forms of filmmaking, including narrative and documentary, from elementary level to the elderly since 2012. A former journalist for theOuthousers.com, he also ran his own column, (Heard It Thru) The Griotvine, where he showcased independent creators of color and LGBTQ creators. He also wrote for the independent pop culture news website Bleeding Cool.

Greg's original comic series "Is'nana: The Were-Spider" is a five-time Glyph Award Winner. His other work includes "The Gentleman: Darkness of the Void" and "Marassa," both published by Evoluzione Publishing, “OneNation: Stronghold” published by 133art Publishing, and work in the Lion Forge graphic novel collection "Puerto Rico Strong." He lives in Brooklyn.

Karen De la Vega was born and raised in the northern mountainous city of Monterrey, Nuevo León, México. After spending her childhood being grounded for drawing in class, she entered a bachelor's degree in psychology to better understand her creative mind and human consciousness. Upon graduating in 2021, Karen decided to accept her madness and dedicate herself to illustration and comic art. She is always seeking to convey meaningful messages and aesthetics through her art, applying her knowledge in child and adolescent psychology to develop concepts that visually align with the exciting characters, environments, and stories of middle grade and young adult projects. Dreamer, her first published work, was a 2023 YALSA nominee for Great Graphic Novels.

Editorial Reviews

12/19/2022

In this moving graphic novel memoir, Nigerian Ukrainian hockey player Akim Aliu recounts his childhood as the only Black hockey player on his high school team. After his father is released from an unjust imprisonment in 1995 Ukraine, the family moves to Toronto, believing they need to leave for Aliu to “succeed and prosper in life.” Known as the “Black boy with the ’fro who only spoke Russian,” Aliu is often met with anti-immigrant and racial epithets from classmates. Despite these stressors, Aliu is excited to join his school’s hockey team. He soon realizes that if he does well during a game, “all of a sudden, you’re approachable. You’re one of them.” Even so, he contends with prejudice both on and off the ice, as when an opposing team’s coach calls him a racist slur following a goal. Though the volume’s nonlinear timeline sometimes disorients, gregarious fourth-wall breaking lends humor, as when Aliu remarks “so I jumped way ahead of myself” after an aside. Clear, crisp artwork and richly saturated colors by De la Vega and Williams, paired with Aliu and Elysée’s conversational dialogue, result in a riveting, animated account. Ages 8–12. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

01/01/2023

Gr 3–7—Aliu always dreamed of being able to play the game he loved, hockey, but his journey wasn't easy. He shares stories from his life, beginning with his parents' love story, a mixed-race relationship met with disdain and ire in the USSR in 1978. Once his family moved to Canada, his struggles didn't end, but that's where he found hockey. He excelled at the sport but often felt different from other players, which was made worse by the numerous instances of systemic racism he experienced on and off the ice. He was hazed, physically attacked, and called racial slurs. He never lost his love for the sport and worked hard to speak up against the abuse. He cofounded the Hockey Diversity Alliance, a non-profit organization designed to introduce hockey to Indigenous and other young players of color and, hopefully, make hockey a better place for them. This graphic memoir chronicles key points in Aliu's life leading up to, during, and following his hockey career, jumping from the past to the present in a sometimes nonlinear way that is easy to follow. While there are a few passages that are text-heavy, they're complemented by the dynamic illustrations that expertly capture the tone and emotions of the scenes. There are multiple instances of blood and violence that may be upsetting for some readers. Derogatory terms and profanity are mostly scratched out, but the terms are still legible. VERDICT This gripping graphic memoir chronicling a boy's hockey dream coupled with systemic racism is a must-purchase.—Myiesha Speight

School Library Journal

2023-02-25
A biracial former professional hockey player recounts his endless battle against systemic racism.

Aliu’s powerful graphic memoir opens with his joyful memory of falling in love with hockey as a child—juxtaposed with a scene of him being brutalized by a racist teammate. Readers are introduced to his parents—his father was Nigerian; his mother was Ukrainian—who faced discrimination for their interracial relationship. An older version of Aliu recounts his early life living in both Ukraine and Nigeria (including the difficulties his family encountered in each country) before eventually moving to Canada. There, young Aliu often felt like an outsider. When he discovered hockey, he put his all into becoming the best despite frequently being the only Black boy on his teams and relying on thrifted equipment. The strife he constantly confronted is clearly detailed—physical assaults, lack of recognition (despite stellar performances, he was often ranked relatively low), and racial slurs from NHL coach Bill Peters. Aliu makes clear that the racism he endured was institutional and that no individual player can dismantle it, but he believes that together we can work to effect change. His honest account of persevering in the face of oppression will inspire young readers, even reluctant ones, to pursue their passions no matter how seemingly insurmountable. Blunt, simple language, a brisk pace, and realistic illustrations work harmoniously to keep readers engaged.

A story that will encourage youth to fight for their dreams. (Graphic nonfiction. 9-14)

Kirkus Reviews

2024 YALSA Great Graphic Novel Novel for Teens Selection

Top 10 Selection of the 2024 In the Margins Book Award List

2024 TLA Texas Maverick Reading List Selection

"With honesty and courage, Akim Aliu's Dreamer will inspire readers of all ages to move confidently in the direction of their future." ⁠- Colin Kaepernick, athlete, activist, and New York Times bestselling author

2024 Children's Book Council Children's and Young Adult Favorites Award - Book List: Grades 6-8

"Gut-wrenching and vividly detailed... With well-drawn artwork and an important story, this will educate and inspire many preteen readers." -Booklist

"(A) powerful graphic memoir . . . Blunt, simple language, a brisk pace, and realistic illustrations work harmoniously to keep readers engaged." -Kirkus

"This gripping graphic memoir chronicling a boy's hockey dream coupled with systemic racism is a must-purchase." -School Library Journal

"Clear, crisp artwork and richly saturated colors by De la Vega and Williams, paired with Aliu and Elysee's conversational dialogue, result in a riveting, animated account." -Publishers Weekly

"The narrative is notable for its emotional clarity and the strength with which the concise text carries both Aliu's pain and his resolve. Dynamic comic-panel art serves the story with expressiveness of motion and feeling. Grabbing readers at the intersection of sports and social justice, this is a welcome addition to the graphic-memoir genre." -Horn Book Magazine

From the Publisher