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Dreamer  Cover Image Book Book

Dreamer / Akim Aliu ; written with Greg Anderson Elyseé ; illustrated by Karen De la Vega and Marcus Williams.

Summary:

"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."-- Back cover.

Record details

  • ISBN: 9781338787603 (paperback)
  • ISBN: 1338787608 (paperback)
  • Physical Description: 118 pages : chiefly color illustrations ; 23 cm
  • Edition: First edition.
  • Publisher: New York : Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic : 2023.

Content descriptions

General Note:
"A graphic novel memoir" -- Cover.
"Growing up black in the world of hockey" -- Cover.
Subject: Aliu, Akim, 1989- > Comic books, strips, etc.
Hockey players > United States > Comic books, strips, etc.
Black people > Canada > Comic books, strips, etc.
Racism against Black people > Comic books, strips, etc.
Genre: Autobiographical comics.
Nonfiction comics.
Sports comics.
Graphic novels.

Available copies

  • 3 of 4 copies available at Kenton County.

Holds

  • 0 current holds with 4 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
Location Call Number / Copy Notes Barcode Shelving Location Status Due Date
Covington Branch 741.5966 A414d 2023 (Text) 33126022715100 YA Graphic Novels Available -
Covington Branch JGraphic Novel (Text) 33126024874491 JGraphic Novel Available -
Erlanger Branch 741.5966 A414d 2023 (Text) 33126022715084 YA Graphic Novels Checked out 05/02/2024
Independence Branch 741.5966 A414d 2023 (Text) 33126022715092 YA Graphic Novels Available -

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.

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.


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.


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