A Conversation with Author and Educator Chad Soon

Asian American History 101

Welcome to Season 4, Episode 27 and Happy Canada Day (if you're reading this on July 1)! In this episode, we share a conversation with Chad Soon, an educator from Vernon, British Columbia, and the author of the book The Longest Shot: How Larry Kwong Changed the Face of Hockey. The book is written for middle grade students… which is a great age for getting started reading diverse stories… and it’s illustrated by Amy Qi. The Longest Shot is available for purchase in both hardcover and Epub formats through Orca Book Publishers, Amazon, Apple Books, and other booksellers.

In the book, Chad has created an engaging retelling of Larry’s life, the racism he faced, his various accomplishments, and his positive attitude throughout his challenges and triumphs. Chad also shares stories of how he learned about Larry, what it was like becoming friends with him, why Larry deserves to be in the Hockey Hall of Fame, which other players of Asian Pacific Islander descent are inspiring, and so much more. As Chad mentions in our conversation, Larry Kwong’s career and life are defined by more than just the single shift he was allowed to play for the New York Rangers in 1948.

You can learn more about The Longest Shot through the Instagram account @larrykwongbook and more about Chad through his personal account @soondatkwong. We highly recommend getting a copy of The Longest Shot for yourself, your kids, and anyone who wants to be inspired by a story of success in the face of racism.

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