Hockey Night in Kenya

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?

Hockey Night in Kenya is a simple but charming story told from the perspective of two boys, best friends in grade 4 who lost their families at such a young age. The orphanage, the teachers and children who live there, are the only family the two have ever known.

The orphanage, located in a poor area of rural Kenya, does not have a lot of money, and, as a result, items such as food, clothes, shoes and library books are luxuries that are valued and inspire a certain creativity in the boys in using their imaginations to overcome their limited means. The children dream of a day when they are able to get “pilau’ for their lunch (served only on special occasions) instead of “githeri” which is served every day for lunch and often for supper as well.

The innocence of the story and characters is charming, and the way the boys’ imagination is captured by the excitement of hockey, along with their fascination in hearing stories of Canada, would make any young Canadian proud. Hockey Night in Kenya also offers Canadian children opportunities to learn about life in an orphanage in rural Kenya and to see how different the world is to people from there.

The orphanage in Hockey Night in Kenya and its energetic and joyful characters are based upon the real-life Hope Development Centre which was co-founded in 2007 by the book’s coauthor Eric Walters, his wife, and the parents of coauthor Danson Mutinda.

Hockey Night in Kenya would especially appeal to boys and reluctant readers, and its content offers a good starting point for children in learning about and discussing different cultures. Playful black and white, full and half-page illustrations provide moments to stop and reflect upon the boys’ life, friendship and adventures.