Between the Pipes

September 1, 2024

Gr 7 Up-Indigenous teen Chase is constantly confronted with the toxic masculinity and homophobia of his classmates. If he fails to block a goal during hockey practice, he is told to "man up, limp wrist" or stop "playing like a girl." Chase is teased about his friendship with Kevin, who his teammates jokingly call his boyfriend, and faces pressure to prove he's straight by pursuing his friend, Jade. These stifling expectations make Chase feel like he's following a script rather than living his own life. After his patient and supportive grandmother connects him with a Two-Spirit Elder, Eddi, and a Two-Spirit filmmaker, Dot, Chase gains the confidence and courage he needs to come out as gay and claim his identity on and off the rink. The characters' facial expressions strongly capture their emotions, and the brightly colored artwork shifts to deep pinks, blues, and purples to indicate dream sequences. While the graphic novel's short length occasionally makes the story feel disjointed and the character development rushed, this hopeful and affirming story offers valuable insight into Chase's experience as a gay, Indigenous teen. The story is authored in part by McLeod, who has been fundamental to the recognition of the name "Two Spirit." VERDICT Hockey and identity collide in this affirming graphic novel about recognizing and valuing one's authentic self.-Emily Yates

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2024
A wholesome story about self-acceptance. Cree teenager Chase has two close friends, Kevin and Jade. His homophobic hockey teammate Leo continually picks on him for hanging out with Kevin, calling them boyfriends. School is hard enough already--add in feeling different from the other boys, and for Chase, it's too much. He distances himself from Kevin and starts hanging out more with Jade, even trying to kiss her just to fit in. When the hockey team learns that a scout is coming to see them play, Chase decides to focus wholeheartedly on sports. As he pushes his friends away and lashes out at his grandmother, isolating himself, everything comes to a boiling point. The story focuses on Chase's internal conflict: He dreams of a giant, imposing bear (which an elder explains is a symbol that can inspire "us to face our greatest enemy--ourselves") as well as of worst-case scenarios in which he's bullied by his teammates and coach. In reality, only Leo is outwardly hostile, and his school offers support for queer students, including running a gay-straight alliance and hosting a Two-Spirit filmmaker from Manitoba's River Winds Nation; it's largely Chase's internalized homophobia that holds him back. The straightforward story, which prominently features shades of pink in the illustrations, also includes positive depictions of Indigenous culture, through acts of smudging and Cree vocabulary. Highlights the importance of community and cultural connection as roots for embracing one's identity. (content warning, authors' note)(Graphic fiction. 12-18)

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November 1, 2024
Grades 7-12 Young Chase is a talented hockey player, but when he has an off night during a game, his coach admonishes him with "Focus, or I'll send you to the Girls' Team!" In the locker room, a teammate cruelly and loudly calls him a slur, inciting more abuses of "Perv!" and "Creep!" A school visit by Dot, an Indigenous two-spirit filmmaker, seems to inspire Chase as Dot shares the challenges of "growing up as an openly two-spirit person on the rez." But almost immediately, Chase's teammate loudly disparages Dot, silencing Chase--again. Continued bullying isolates Chase as he worries about his own identity, but he mistakenly directs his frustrations at his close friends and even his beloved Kookum (grandmother). Kookum's support never wavers, helping Chase find a nurturing community. The authors deftly confront multiple layers of intolerance exacerbated by toxic masculinity. Ojibwe artist RL uses saturated full color (with well-placed, empowering rainbows) to capture Chase's self-empowering journey. The result is a compelling, hope-giving antidote against potential at-risk suicide among 2-Spirit/Indigenous LGBTQQIA+ youth.

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