The Kodiaks: Home Ice Advantage

Brief Description:

Hockey fans will love this action-packed middle grade novel about teamwork, overcoming adversity, and being proud of who you are and where you come from. Join Alex as he navigates a new school, deals with new friends and bullies alike, and proves that on the ice, only the colour of your jersey matters.

Eleven-year-old Alex is a natural on the ice, but can he stand proud when he's judged for who he is and where he comes from?

David A. Robertson (he/him/his) is the 2021 recipient of the Writer's Union of Canada's Freedom to Read Award. He is the author of more than 25 books for young readers including When We Were Alone, which won a Governor General's Literary Award and was a finalist for the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award. David's most recent works include the graphic novel Breakdown (The Reckoner Rises, Vol. 1), middle grade novel The Barren Grounds, children's book On the Trapline, and memoir Black Water: Family, Legacy, and Blood Memory. He is also the writer and host of the podcast Kíwew, which won the 2021 RTDNA Prairie Region Award for Best Podcast.

A sought-after speaker and educator, David is a member of Norway House Cree Nation. He lives in Winnipeg.

David A. Robertson's latest novel, The Kodiaks: Home Ice Advantage, addresses racism in minor hockey through the story of an indigenous hockey player named Alex. The book emphasizes education, community support, and redefining masculinity to combat discrimination and promote inclusivity in sports. Through Alex's journey, readers see the value of empathy, kindness, and understanding as essential qualities for athletes.

I liked the fast pace of the novel and the messages about teamwork, bullying, prejudice, racism, and overcoming challenges and adversity. I think many young and teenage readers would enjoy this book, the messages, and the subject matter of hockey!

If you are reading the just-released middle grade novel The Kodiaks: Home Ice Advantage and are impressed by how real it all feels, there's a reason for that-a lot of it is.

Timely and important, The Kodiaks: Home Ice Advantage is a must-read. Highly Recommended

Lots of depth here as Alex navigates a new town/school, a new hockey team, and prejudice, racism, and microaggressions on and off the ice. Sports books always fly off the shelves, so this is a really nice addition to the field.

Good news for young people, Native or not, who love a high-quality series! We hope teachers and librarians will buy copies of [The Kodiaks] for their shelves, and keep their eyes open for the next Breakout Chronicles book. Highly recommended.

Nominated for the Forest of Reading 2025 Silver Birch Fiction award

A fun read filled with a ton of action...and the sort of real-life conflicts that make you think. David expertly weaves entertainment and humour with life lessons--and suggestions for making the world a better place.

A fun read filled with a ton of action...and the sort of real-life conflicts that make you think. David expertly weaves entertainment and humour with life lessons--and suggestions for making the world a better place.

Alex challenges the adversity that many Indigenous youth endure playing hockey. His determination to build relationships and show that we are all the same, even though we come from different cultures, is an inspiration. This is a great story!

The Kodiaks: Home Ice Advantage is a thrilling novel for all ages. It addresses the important issue of discrimination, which affects even our youngest players, and shows how teamwork on and off the ice can work to fight it.

Lots of depth here as Alex navigates a new town/school, a new hockey team, and prejudice, racism, and microaggressions on and off the ice. Sports books always fly off the shelves, so this is a really nice addition to the field.

David A. Robertson's latest novel, The Kodiaks: Home Ice Advantage, addresses racism in minor hockey through the story of an indigenous hockey player named Alex. The book emphasizes education, community support, and redefining masculinity to combat discrimination and promote inclusivity in sports. Through Alex's journey, readers see the value of empathy, kindness, and understanding as essential qualities for athletes.

I liked the fast pace of the novel and the messages about teamwork, bullying, prejudice, racism, and overcoming challenges and adversity. I think many young and teenage readers would enjoy this book, the messages, and the subject matter of hockey!

If you are reading the just-released middle grade novel The Kodiaks: Home Ice Advantage and are impressed by how real it all feels, there's a reason for that--a lot of it is.

Timely and important, The Kodiaks: Home Ice Advantage is a must-read. Highly Recommended

Good news for young people, Native or not, who love a high-quality series! We hope teachers and librarians will buy copies of [The Kodiaks] for their shelves, and keep their eyes open for the next Breakout Chronicles book. Highly recommended.

Nominated for the Forest of Reading 2025 Silver Birch Fiction award