I Am BIG

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.

Itah Sadu is an award-winning storyteller and children’s author. She is the co-owner of the iconic Toronto bookstore A Different Booklist, specializing in African and Caribbean Canadian literature. Itah is the Managing Director of the Blackhurst Cultural Centre - The People's Residence. She is a founding member of the annual Toronto Emancipation Day Underground Freedom Train Ride. Itah lives with her family in Toronto.

Marley Berot is an illustrator with over ten years of combined personal and professional experience. Her portfolio includes cover art, graphic design for the Toronto International Film Festival, logo design, and book illustration. Marley is very passionate about her work as an artist, and this can be seen in every piece she creates. She lives in the Toronto area.

"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."

"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."

"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."

"Sadu’s message of judging people on their merits and not on their size or race is a valuable one."

"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."