★ “This simple story of discovery, sport, and friendship is filled with likable characters and innocently joyful moments...Delightful.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Kenyan orphans, Kitoo and Nigosi, spend their days studying, playing soccer, helping their elders with chores around the orphanage and reading from the limited selection of books in their library. When the librarian gives Kitoo a copy of Sports Around the World he becomes fascinated by an image of the Canadian national men's ice hockey team. Then one day the fates align and Kitoo finds a pair of beat-up old roller blades. He teaches himself to skate and dreams of one day playing hockey like the men in his book. But you can’t play ice hockey in Kenya, can you?

Key Selling Points

• Kitoo dreams of someday playing real ice hockey and Nigosi helps him realize that sometimes dreams can come true. Hockey Night in Kenya is ultimately a story about friendship, support and having big dreams.
• This book addresses abandonment, parental death and being an orphan, but the real focus is about finding happiness in the life you have and also about having dreams of greater things.
• Co-author Danson Mutinda’s parents founded an orphanage, the Hope Development Centre, with Eric and Anita Walters in 2007. Danson is currently patron of the program and Eric is considered an elder and an important member of the Hope Development Centre community.
• While the characters and story are fictional, the orphanage and ice rink exist in real life. In 2018, coffee and doughnut chain Tim Hortons brought the 12 players of the Kenya Ice Lions, who practice at the Panari Hotel rink, to Canada to play hockey. Twice a week the Kenyan team gathers in Nairobi to practice, but there aren’t enough players to create a second team so their trip to Canada was the first time they had a proper opponent.
• Features several black-and-white illustrations.

À propos des auteurs

Mutinda, Danson

Danson Mutinda’s parents, Ruth and Henry Kyatha, co-founded the Hope Development Centre orphanage with Eric and Anita Walters in 2007. When Henry passed away, Dansen became patron of the program. He and his co-author, Eric Walters, worked together to write this story of two energetic and joyful children who are based on many of the children they work with at the centre. Danson lives in Kikima, Kenya, on the grounds of the orphanage.

Walters, Eric

Eric Walters is a Member of the Order of Canada and the author of over 130 books that have collectively won more than 100 awards, including the Governor General’s Literary Award for The King of Jam Sandwiches. A former teacher, Eric began writing as a way to get his fifth-grade students interested in reading and writing. Eric is a tireless presenter, speaking to over one hundred thousand students per year in schools across the country. He lives in Guelph, Ontario.

Dávila, Claudia

Claudia Dávila writes, illustrates and designs books for kids of all ages including Bus to the Badlands and Ghost of the Mill House in the Orca Echoes line. She is passionate about stories and themes that encourage children to be strong, thoughtful, compassionate and responsible people. Claudia lives in Toronto.