When first reading about the Chinese Canadian hockey player who broke the color barrier for Canada and the United States, I knew it would be a story about perseverance and overcoming insurmountable barriers. The Longest Shot is an illustrated children’s book that details the life of Larry Kwong, the first Chinese Canadian hockey player to play for the NHL. Chad Soon and George Chiang do a wonderful job sharing their deep interest in the sport of hockey, an interest I am sure many young Asian Canadian fans will also have. Amy Qi’s colorful and whimsical illustrations also give life to Kwong’s experience of being Chinese Canadian, allowing readers to better understand and visualize how Kwong’s Chinese identity shaped who he was and the challenges he had to face. While the book is intended for readers in the third grade with its commentary on social issues, I believe the book has something to offer for readers of all ages. I found myself truly inspired to see how Kwong’s Chinese Canadian identity and experience contributed to his mighty accomplishments.
In the first pages of the book, I noticed how the authors decided to focus not on Larry Kwong himself but on his family and the Vernon, B.C. Chinatown community that he grew up in. In these first few chapters, Qi’s illustrations and the authors’ detailed account of Kwong’s family do a profound job of capturing and representing the importance of family and community to Kwong’s life. While these points may seem obvious and trite to some western readers, I felt that the authors’ incorporation of these themes spoke specifically to the values of family and community in Chinese culture. Indeed, the theme of family and community remains consistent throughout the book, even as Kwong is leaving his family and pursuing a career as a professional hockey player. Throughout the book, Kwong is always demonstrating his difficulty and perseverance in finding a second job to send money back to his mother and family. He did this because there were far less economic opportunities given to Kwong’s family and Chinese Canadians altogether. This meant he had to work extra hard to make sure his family had the resources they needed to survive. Alongside highlighting the discriminatory practices Chinese Canadians had to endure, the authors accurately portrayed how important it was for Chinese Canadians to maintain their connection to their family, community, and culture, a lesson many of us, including children, would still cherish.
Often while I was reading, I found myself easily forgetting that the book is a children’s book because of these themes and messages. I was already extremely fascinated learning about Larry Kwong and seeing my culture represented. However, while I was reading, I could not help but constantly think about how ecstatic and inspired I would have been seeing and reading about a Chinese Canadian hero play sports at such a high level and do so while proudly representing their Chinese culture. As a Chinese American who grew up in a predominantly white community, I understand the consequences of not seeing my face represented around me and in the media.
Unlike me, children who read this book will have a greater understanding of the importance of the values of their culture mentioned above, through relating to figures like Larry Kwong and his family. One scene that comes to mind is when Kwong’s family and community wear white headbands at his father’s funeral. Many Chinese readers will understand the significance of wearing white in this context, but the fact that the authors and illustrator chose to include this symbolism emphasizes that the focus of the book is not solely on Larry Kwong’s amazing life, but rather, on capturing the Chinese Canadian experience. As Kwong himself states later in his career:
“Why am I ashamed? I’m Chinese. That’s the way I was born. I was born from my parents and proud of them” (Chiang and Soon 35).
This quote comes immediately after Kwong is denied entry into various jobs, hockey leagues, and even the United States. Yet, Kwong remains steadfast in his pursuit of playing in the NHL, demonstrating his resilience and pride in his cultural upbringing. There is no doubt that if I were reading this book as a child, I would have felt extremely proud of Larry Kwong and the Chinese culture I share with him. Therefore, The Longest Shot offers a great experience and opportunity to learn for children and even older readers who, like me, are now just learning about Larry Kwong’s incredible accomplishments.
Indeed, one of my favorite aspects of how the authors integrate the Chinese Canadian experience into Larry Kwong’s life is how straightforward they are about anti-Asian racism and history. In the very first page, the authors mention anti-Asian stereotypes that cause fear and hate towards Chinese immigrants. Throughout the rest of the book, the authors continuously mention policies like the Chinese Head Tax and the Canadian Chinese Immigration Act, adding context and continuing the emphasis that this is a story on the Chinese Canadian experience. I feel that, especially for a children’s book, this simple, yet accurate commentary of what it was like being Chinese Canadian during this time adds to the empowerment you feel when you see someone like Larry Kwong go through these challenges. And I believe, especially for any children picking this book up and reading it, they will not only be inspired by Larry Kwong’s perseverance, but they will also learn about the history of discrimination against Asian Canadians and Americans.
However, later when Larry Kwong transitions to playing hockey professionally, I felt that this section of the book was not as engaging with these themes. Here, Kwong bounces between many different teams and, as usual, racks up many goals and triumphs over his opponents. A problem I have with this section, however, is not the impressiveness of his merits themselves, but rather, how the narration began reading and feeling more like a sports broadcasting rather than a commentary on the Chinese Canadian experience. While I understand the importance of highlighting how good of a player Larry Kwong was, the way it is portrayed, personally, makes it so the impact of those triumphs and accomplishments is lost. For example, the pivotal moment when Kwong eventually does suit up and play in the NHL is almost glossed over by the authors. I felt like much more could have been said about what it meant for Asian Canadians to finally see a Chinese Canadian play Canada’s national sport! This is especially considering all the tension that was built around breaking the color barrier. I felt that all this tension was built around the color barrier, but little to no time is spent on why that was—and still is—important for Chinese Canadians. In summary, my main complaint of the book is how it seems to lose its emphasis on Larry Kwong being Chinese Canadian and what that means for viewers during his hockey reign and readers today, making it so his accomplishments in overcoming the barriers he broke feel far less meaningful and impactful.
Nevertheless, The Longest Shot is still a worthwhile read because of its commentary on Chinese identity and Asian Canadian and American discrimination. Its themes of overcoming racist challenges and obstacles make it an inspiring read, especially for children. Even older readers will find it equally inspiring and refreshing getting to know of how Larry Kwong became the first Chinese Canadian to play in the NHL.
