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Colin Kaepernick: Change the Game
Colin Change the Game is an inspiring high school graphic novel memoir for readers 12 and up from celebrated athlete and activist Colin Kaepernick. High school star athlete Colin Kaepernick is at a crossroads in life. Heavily scouted by colleges and MLB as a baseball pitcher, he has a bright future ahead of him as a highly touted prospect. Everyone from his parents to his teachers and coaches are in agreement on his future. Colin feels differently. Colin isn’t excited about baseball. In the words of five-time all-star MLB player Adam Jones, “Baseball is a white man’s game.” Colin looks up to athletes like Allen talented, hyper-competitive, unapologetically Black, and dominating their sports while staying true to themselves. College football looks a lot more fun than sleeping on hotel room floors in the minor leagues of baseball. But Colin doesn't have a single offer to play football. Yet. This touching graphic novel explores the story of how a young change-maker learned to find himself and never compromise. How the right decision is very rarely the easy one, but taking the road less traveled can make all the difference in the world.
144 pages, Paperback
Published March 7, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
March 23, 2023
3 stars. Aimed at middle-graders, this graphic novel memoir is about how Colin Kaepernick switched from baseball to football in high school and that’s about it, except for highlighting subtle racism and some digs at his adoptive white parents. I really expected more about social justice & where he got his activism motivation, but this wasn’t it...
March 10, 2023
I listened to this and was surprised how good it was! I didn’t realize it was intended for kids age 12 and up when I downloaded it but I really enjoyed it anyway. Colin Kaepernick narrates and tells about his experiences as a black high school athlete who is the son of white parents attending a predominantly white high school. He talks about the racial prejudice from classmates, coaches, and even his own white adoptive parents, some of it done unconsciously and some done publicly. And he talks about his decision to pursue football rather than baseball, even though college scouts were asking him to sign as a baseball pitcher. The message of being who you are rings clearly through the book.
April 23, 2023
Snagged this from the library when I saw it was available and read it in a day. I didn't realize that this was for mid-grade/YA audiences, but honestly, being a 40 year old woman I still enjoyed it. I was only disappointed it wasn't longer and that it didn't cover more of his life and career.
I will admit that I don't know much about Colin Kaepernick (hereafter CK for ease of typing reasons). I knew that he was a talented football player, was adopted into a white family, and that he was strongly interested in social justice and that is what ended his football career (and ultimately where I learned his name).
I really liked this graphic novel's focus on CK's struggles with his identity and who he wanted to be vs what was expected of him. I thought that the portrayal of his family's unintentional racism was handled extremely well - managing to convey the ways that their desire for him to fit in and conform to their expectations and ideals for him were erasing his actual heritage and identity, and their failure to see or understand how or why that was hurtful to him... I thought it was all really skillfully shown. Their inability to relate to each other, despite the clear and obvious love they had for each other, was really expertly depicted, and there were times that my heart broke for everyone involved.
I can only imagine how hard interracial adoption can be, both for the adoptee and the adoptive family, and I would imagine that it would take immense amounts of patience and understanding and open hearts and minds to navigate those cultural waters carefully and intentionally. Adding to that difficulty is the very real racism that is still built into the very fabric of the United States, and no amount of conforming or fitting in or dressing right or speaking right or not listening to rap or having the right haircut or style is going to protect someone from a system designed to target them.
Anyway, I thought the way that this was portrayed was expertly done, and communicated the situation with nuance and grace, while still clearly showing how difficult and frustrating it can be.
The parts of this book that I was least interested in were regarding sports. I was far more interested in CK finding himself and laying the groundwork for his social justice work. All in all, I would have happily read more of this than there was, but I enjoyed it a lot regardless.
I will admit that I don't know much about Colin Kaepernick (hereafter CK for ease of typing reasons). I knew that he was a talented football player, was adopted into a white family, and that he was strongly interested in social justice and that is what ended his football career (and ultimately where I learned his name).
I really liked this graphic novel's focus on CK's struggles with his identity and who he wanted to be vs what was expected of him. I thought that the portrayal of his family's unintentional racism was handled extremely well - managing to convey the ways that their desire for him to fit in and conform to their expectations and ideals for him were erasing his actual heritage and identity, and their failure to see or understand how or why that was hurtful to him... I thought it was all really skillfully shown. Their inability to relate to each other, despite the clear and obvious love they had for each other, was really expertly depicted, and there were times that my heart broke for everyone involved.
I can only imagine how hard interracial adoption can be, both for the adoptee and the adoptive family, and I would imagine that it would take immense amounts of patience and understanding and open hearts and minds to navigate those cultural waters carefully and intentionally. Adding to that difficulty is the very real racism that is still built into the very fabric of the United States, and no amount of conforming or fitting in or dressing right or speaking right or not listening to rap or having the right haircut or style is going to protect someone from a system designed to target them.
Anyway, I thought the way that this was portrayed was expertly done, and communicated the situation with nuance and grace, while still clearly showing how difficult and frustrating it can be.
The parts of this book that I was least interested in were regarding sports. I was far more interested in CK finding himself and laying the groundwork for his social justice work. All in all, I would have happily read more of this than there was, but I enjoyed it a lot regardless.
September 7, 2023
I admire Colin Kaepernick's activism, but this story about his senior year of high school was too slim a piece of his life to satisfy my curiosity about the man behind the icon. Indeed, I found it frustrating as it raised issues it didn't fully address and alluded to a bigger picture that's left unpainted. This whole book would have worked better as a chapter in a longer memoir.
I think part of the problem is that the book assumes some knowledge about Kaepernick, which I pretty much lack. For instance, I had no idea he was a multiracial person who was adopted by a white family, and it took a while for the story to make that clear. Establishing some facts upfront would have helped the rest of the story flow better and make more sense, but we're just dumped into his senior year with no preparation.
The adoptive parents are presented as racist and controlling, leaving me to wonder what Kaepernick's relationship with them is like currently, especially in light of recent news articles about Michael Oher and the Tuohy family. Unfortunately, the story doesn't address anything after Kaepernick chooses his college.
And his college choice is supposed to be the big dramatic climax of the book, but even my ignorant butt knew he played football, so there was no tension or surprise there at all.
In the end matter, the six pages of photographs and quotes from people who attended a conference Kaepernick hosted seemed a bit random and tangential, aiming for inspirational but coming off more like a brochure.
Disappointing.
I think part of the problem is that the book assumes some knowledge about Kaepernick, which I pretty much lack. For instance, I had no idea he was a multiracial person who was adopted by a white family, and it took a while for the story to make that clear. Establishing some facts upfront would have helped the rest of the story flow better and make more sense, but we're just dumped into his senior year with no preparation.
The adoptive parents are presented as racist and controlling, leaving me to wonder what Kaepernick's relationship with them is like currently, especially in light of recent news articles about Michael Oher and the Tuohy family. Unfortunately, the story doesn't address anything after Kaepernick chooses his college.
And his college choice is supposed to be the big dramatic climax of the book, but even my ignorant butt knew he played football, so there was no tension or surprise there at all.
In the end matter, the six pages of photographs and quotes from people who attended a conference Kaepernick hosted seemed a bit random and tangential, aiming for inspirational but coming off more like a brochure.
Disappointing.
December 17, 2022
Really enjoyed this arc and look forward to buying it when it comes out.
February 25, 2025
Great action shots and goes well with TV series. Only focuses on his high school years-nothing earth shattering but subtlety showing racism in his small town and how he overcomes it. A great choice for Hugh school and middle school libraries as nothing violent or spicy.
January 15, 2024
This thin graphic novel only covered Colin Kaepernick's senior year of high school and didn't adequately cover why he later became an activist. The reader is unable to see the larger picture, so when his parents are portrayed as racists we don't know if this was an ongoing issue. I would have been interested in a longer narrative, so this should have been a chapter in a book, not the entire story. Plus, the art is lackluster.
July 2, 2024
I'm not a sports person at all, but when I saw this on my library's new acquisitions shelf I found myself pretty intrigued. Plus, when I picked up I also hadn't read a middle grade comic in a hot minute. So here we are.
Content notes for the n word, a confederate flag and racist adoptive parents.
Keywords that came to mind reading this nonfiction volume: race, family, community, sports, school and coming of age.
Looking at the writing, I feel like it's pretty safe to assume that Kaepernick probably didn't write write this book. Not a judgement, just my general understanding about these sorts of things go. That said, considering this is a story that he put his name on, I was actually pretty surprised by how negative it felt like it went and I certainly respected it a lot more for it. Given the tenure of this book, I'm sure everyone who is actually a fan of Kaepernick is probably already aware of the contention between him and his adoptive parents, but it was nice to see someone willing to not just play nice. Although the whole kneeling thing was a bit of foreshadowing I suppose. Anyway, I'll talk about his parents a bit more later.
Looking at the person who probably took Kaepernick's input and put words to page: Eve L Ewing is "a writer, scholar, and cultural organizer from Chicago." says her website. Other comics she has written include Ironheart, Monica Rambeau: Photon, and Black Panther.
It definitely reads like a middle grade graphic novel in many ways, but as you might have guessed already I did find it very readable and interesting. So points!
Looking at the art. It was also very solid. Not really breaking the mold in any way, but is that necessary? Not every single time.
Illustrator Orlando Caicedo was apparently born in Colombia, raised in Atlanta and currently lives in Frederick Maryland. He describes his style on Linkedin as "Producing artwork that is alive and action-packed, filled with movement and mayhem, emotion, and excitement."
Looking at the different intersecting identities present in this work of graphic biography as I do....
Race obviously took up a lot of space, particularly because of the troubling ways in which Kaepernick's white parents tried to erase his Blackness. Some examples I wrote down in my notes included his dad criticizing his watching Black athletes, and his mom (after Kaepernick started to explore protective hairstyles) saying he doesn't look professional. There's some super awkward conversations where his Dad seems to be quizzing Kaepernick on who he finds attractive. I assume he was trying to steer him towards white women (his mother tries to pressure him to take a white girl to prom) but the dad could also have been worried he was gay? Insert sarcastic oh no! Unsurprisingly Kaepernick's parents don't stand up for him when the people around them make racist comments.
In contrast to this we do get a window into Kaepernick's relationship with his grandfather that seems like it was a lot more positive and affirming. I also appreciated that we got a peak at what it meant for a young Kaepernick when his grandfather passed away. A common experience for many children that often gets overlooked in literature for young people.
There was also some discourse around larger issues of anti-Black racism, particularly how Black athletes are described in comparison to how white athletes are described.
Looking at gender and sexuality, we obviously face a lot of limits since we are so focused on one apparently cis and heterosexual man. That said, I felt like they did a pretty decent job characterizing his main romantic interest Tiffany. Showing her as not only nice and supportive of him, but to people in general and pretty capable. Less surprising, although still nice, Kaepernick shows himself to be a pretty awkward yet hard working young man - not naturally smooth talking with the ladies, but someone who put in a lot of work to succeed in both sports and in his relationships.
Class felt sort of there but not really discussed.
Ability vs disability and place were totally ignored.
One of the most surprising things for me as a know nothing before picking this volume up was that Kaepernick apparently spent most of his high school sports time in baseball trying to break into football. This is the main plot arch of the book with the volume concluding when Kaepernick gets recruited by the University of Nevada before jumping forward to his kneeling on the field.
A solid and interesting read I give it three stars. I would have appreciated it covering a bit more stuff around his later career choices.
Content notes for the n word, a confederate flag and racist adoptive parents.
Keywords that came to mind reading this nonfiction volume: race, family, community, sports, school and coming of age.
Looking at the writing, I feel like it's pretty safe to assume that Kaepernick probably didn't write write this book. Not a judgement, just my general understanding about these sorts of things go. That said, considering this is a story that he put his name on, I was actually pretty surprised by how negative it felt like it went and I certainly respected it a lot more for it. Given the tenure of this book, I'm sure everyone who is actually a fan of Kaepernick is probably already aware of the contention between him and his adoptive parents, but it was nice to see someone willing to not just play nice. Although the whole kneeling thing was a bit of foreshadowing I suppose. Anyway, I'll talk about his parents a bit more later.
Looking at the person who probably took Kaepernick's input and put words to page: Eve L Ewing is "a writer, scholar, and cultural organizer from Chicago." says her website. Other comics she has written include Ironheart, Monica Rambeau: Photon, and Black Panther.
It definitely reads like a middle grade graphic novel in many ways, but as you might have guessed already I did find it very readable and interesting. So points!
Looking at the art. It was also very solid. Not really breaking the mold in any way, but is that necessary? Not every single time.
Illustrator Orlando Caicedo was apparently born in Colombia, raised in Atlanta and currently lives in Frederick Maryland. He describes his style on Linkedin as "Producing artwork that is alive and action-packed, filled with movement and mayhem, emotion, and excitement."
Looking at the different intersecting identities present in this work of graphic biography as I do....
Race obviously took up a lot of space, particularly because of the troubling ways in which Kaepernick's white parents tried to erase his Blackness. Some examples I wrote down in my notes included his dad criticizing his watching Black athletes, and his mom (after Kaepernick started to explore protective hairstyles) saying he doesn't look professional. There's some super awkward conversations where his Dad seems to be quizzing Kaepernick on who he finds attractive. I assume he was trying to steer him towards white women (his mother tries to pressure him to take a white girl to prom) but the dad could also have been worried he was gay? Insert sarcastic oh no! Unsurprisingly Kaepernick's parents don't stand up for him when the people around them make racist comments.
In contrast to this we do get a window into Kaepernick's relationship with his grandfather that seems like it was a lot more positive and affirming. I also appreciated that we got a peak at what it meant for a young Kaepernick when his grandfather passed away. A common experience for many children that often gets overlooked in literature for young people.
There was also some discourse around larger issues of anti-Black racism, particularly how Black athletes are described in comparison to how white athletes are described.
Looking at gender and sexuality, we obviously face a lot of limits since we are so focused on one apparently cis and heterosexual man. That said, I felt like they did a pretty decent job characterizing his main romantic interest Tiffany. Showing her as not only nice and supportive of him, but to people in general and pretty capable. Less surprising, although still nice, Kaepernick shows himself to be a pretty awkward yet hard working young man - not naturally smooth talking with the ladies, but someone who put in a lot of work to succeed in both sports and in his relationships.
Class felt sort of there but not really discussed.
Ability vs disability and place were totally ignored.
One of the most surprising things for me as a know nothing before picking this volume up was that Kaepernick apparently spent most of his high school sports time in baseball trying to break into football. This is the main plot arch of the book with the volume concluding when Kaepernick gets recruited by the University of Nevada before jumping forward to his kneeling on the field.
A solid and interesting read I give it three stars. I would have appreciated it covering a bit more stuff around his later career choices.
Read
October 5, 2023Currently DNF at 36%.
This was just hard to get through. I expected it to be a little more neutral I guess? Instead there is a lot of bizarre groundwork being laid about inequality, which I sort of understand, but it also made for an awkward reading experience where you're like. Do his parents know he's saying this stuff about them? Do they even still speak to one another...? I think there was probably a bunch of reflecting Kaepernick did about his upbringing and he was like 'damn, I can't believe younger me went through this, it's all connected,' but the presentation feels too slanted and it got uncomfortable.
So I had put it down, but then after being shuffled around my desk for 3 weeks I reshelved it and it went out, and I uhh. Haven't really wanted to revisit it even though I keep getting the Goodreads reminder that it's something I'm "currently" reading. Gotta face the fact that I ain't interested in revisiting any time soon... maybe one day.
This was just hard to get through. I expected it to be a little more neutral I guess? Instead there is a lot of bizarre groundwork being laid about inequality, which I sort of understand, but it also made for an awkward reading experience where you're like. Do his parents know he's saying this stuff about them? Do they even still speak to one another...? I think there was probably a bunch of reflecting Kaepernick did about his upbringing and he was like 'damn, I can't believe younger me went through this, it's all connected,' but the presentation feels too slanted and it got uncomfortable.
So I had put it down, but then after being shuffled around my desk for 3 weeks I reshelved it and it went out, and I uhh. Haven't really wanted to revisit it even though I keep getting the Goodreads reminder that it's something I'm "currently" reading. Gotta face the fact that I ain't interested in revisiting any time soon... maybe one day.
March 27, 2024
A Middle Grades/Young Adult graphic biography that I wanted to like more than I did -- I think Colin Kaepernick is an interesting and important person for young people to get to know. This mostly looks at his high school life as an athlete and the friction between him and his parents and peers, and how even as a teen he was feeling the need to "be seen," to find a way to be comfortable in his own skin, and seeing the need for change in the world around him. I can see this being a good read for teens, but I wanted it to be better. The art is often cartoony (not a bad thing) in a way that sometimes undermined the message of the book. Kaepernick has a compelling story to tell, and this is a part of it, but it feels incomplete.
March 26, 2023
”I think you can make a declaration in your heart about who you want to be. But then you have to reflect that in your actions. You have to make it real.”
Change the Game is a comic by Colon Kaepernick, Super Bowl QB and well known football star who was forced out of the NFL for peacefully protesting. This is the story of how he became a D1 college football quarterback. He doesn’t hold back. He shares how it difficult it was for him to grow up with white parents and in a white community.
It’s nearly impossible to read this graphic novel without identifying with Colin, who was so bright and principled despite his conservative community.
Change the Game is a comic by Colon Kaepernick, Super Bowl QB and well known football star who was forced out of the NFL for peacefully protesting. This is the story of how he became a D1 college football quarterback. He doesn’t hold back. He shares how it difficult it was for him to grow up with white parents and in a white community.
It’s nearly impossible to read this graphic novel without identifying with Colin, who was so bright and principled despite his conservative community.
April 20, 2023
i downloaded this as a free audio original, and didn’t even realize it was intended for a younger audience and ended up really enjoying it.
It is narrated by Colin and really goes into how he felt growing up as a black child with white patents and in a predominantly white area.
I enjoyed listening to how he felt like this molded him into the person he is now, but i will say it made me want a more lengthy / adult memoir from him. I’d love more about his life and who he is as a person within his activism / experiences.
but this was a good listen and would recommend to younger and older readers.
It is narrated by Colin and really goes into how he felt growing up as a black child with white patents and in a predominantly white area.
I enjoyed listening to how he felt like this molded him into the person he is now, but i will say it made me want a more lengthy / adult memoir from him. I’d love more about his life and who he is as a person within his activism / experiences.
but this was a good listen and would recommend to younger and older readers.
January 28, 2025
My son is super into football now, so he’s been reading all kinds of NFL books. I read this one in a day. I enjoy graphic novel memoirs, and this was cool that it was about someone famous. It did end suddenly , and I wish it had been longer.
February 11, 2025
Lame contrived story about an angry man focusng on the negative things in his otherwise charmed life. Pretty much the same reason that he got blackballed from the NFL. Clearly he still hasn't learned a bloody thing about being an adult.
May 8, 2023
Wow!! This is a special and very moving autobiographical graphic novel about the change maker Colin Kaepernick. I totally enjoyed it, and I know some of my students will too.
March 17, 2024
This graphic memoir by Colin Kaepernick only covers his high school days as he grapples with choosing his own life direction versus the extensive expectations others have for him. (So don’t expect NFL/kneeling controversy coverage). This choice was literally depicted as his baseball vs football D1 recruitment, but that seemed to be a bit forced analogy for finding his own overall path and place in this world.
But I do feel like I got to know Kaepernick a bit more through these classically drawn comic pages—at least his early upbringing and struggles with his adoptive family who he obviously feels didn’t quite understand his identity. It also left plenty of info left to explore in a sequel, that’s for sure. Would probably appeal to sports fan middle schoolers.
But I do feel like I got to know Kaepernick a bit more through these classically drawn comic pages—at least his early upbringing and struggles with his adoptive family who he obviously feels didn’t quite understand his identity. It also left plenty of info left to explore in a sequel, that’s for sure. Would probably appeal to sports fan middle schoolers.
August 2, 2024
I enjoyed this graphic novel. I watched the documentary series Colin did and remember some of it that was reflected in the book. I think it’s a great novel for youth to read, especially youth of color. Colin Kaepernick is inspiring and was seriously treated horribly for his advocacy while playing in the NFL. I wish him nothing but the best and know he’s made a big impact in his community.
March 22, 2024
Even though I am not a fan of American football, the story is uplifting and charming. Through reading, you will gain further understanding of Colin Kaepernick and his life’s work, including but not limited to a distinguished NFL career and extensive advocacy for racial equality.
September 16, 2022
A look into an incredible sports figure and civil rights activist when he was in high school.
⚾️
Colin Kaepernick is in high school, killing it as a baseball player with a bright future. He’s being scouted and everyone from teachers, family and friends believe he has what it takes to make it into the MLB. But Colin doesn’t feel that way. Colin looks up to athletes in basketball and football, believing that’s where Black men can be strong and unapologetically themselves. College football is calling his name, even if he has zero offers to play anywhere. This is the start of a dream.
🏈
What a beautifully drawn YA graphic novel about a man who many of us know through his brave actions in the NFL. The lesser known story of how he got started was incredibly fascinating and one I believe will really resonate with young readers. Thank you @this_is_edelweiss for an ARC. @graphixbooks @eve.ewing @orlandocaicedo have a hit on their hands with this graphic memoir out 3/7.
CW: racism, racial issues
⚾️
Colin Kaepernick is in high school, killing it as a baseball player with a bright future. He’s being scouted and everyone from teachers, family and friends believe he has what it takes to make it into the MLB. But Colin doesn’t feel that way. Colin looks up to athletes in basketball and football, believing that’s where Black men can be strong and unapologetically themselves. College football is calling his name, even if he has zero offers to play anywhere. This is the start of a dream.
🏈
What a beautifully drawn YA graphic novel about a man who many of us know through his brave actions in the NFL. The lesser known story of how he got started was incredibly fascinating and one I believe will really resonate with young readers. Thank you @this_is_edelweiss for an ARC. @graphixbooks @eve.ewing @orlandocaicedo have a hit on their hands with this graphic memoir out 3/7.
CW: racism, racial issues
November 28, 2022
The book Changer the Game is somewhat interesting (for me it was a bit boring because not much happened) and something that could actually happen. Although I like sports, I didn't really like the book. Maybe if I had more of a connection to the book, I would like it more. My copy was mostly not fully drawn so it was pretty confusing. I think people who are older teens and into sports would like this book more, even though it's most likely that the book would be too easy for them.
Read
May 15, 2023Earnest and informative. The palette is vibrant and the sporting panels zing with action.
May 20, 2023
Check out my book blogs at:
https://abookblog4you.blogspot.com/
https://www.tumblr.com/bookowldevours...
*Spoiler alert!*
Change the Game is a middle-grade graphic novel by NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Even if you aren’t an avid sports follower, you may remember the huge political controversy raised when Kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem as a protest against systemic racism and oppression. I was intrigued to see that Kaepernick had started a publishing outfit to go along with his off the field activism and had to check out Change the Game.
For the audience this graphic novel is purporting to target, I found the material satisfyingly challenging when it comes to confronting everyday racism and the general travails of growing up and trying to pick a path in life. (Gosh, I’m still trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up, and I’m close to thirty years old!)
The graphic novel follows Kaepernick’s upbringing in a small town with a mostly white population. He describes how he was set on the path of future college then MLB player, but increasingly found himself more attracted towards football in his high school years. Kaepernick takes a risk and bets on football, even though his parents and most of the town are pressuring him to sign-on to a baseball contract instead.
Notwithstanding the pressure Kaepernick feels to take the baseball path, he deals with plenty of racism in his small town. Afro and corn-row hairstyles are frowned upon as “unprofessional”—as Kaepernick’s father puts it. A man walks around town wearing a Confederate flag hat, a known symbol of a defeated nation that stood for slavery and was willing to break up the Union to do so. Those are a few examples.
Colin is upset that his parents and most of the town are oblivious when it comes to racism and discrimination, when he can see examples abound all around him. Racism can be both overt and more subtle but doesn’t change the fact that it’s still discrimination. (You’re privileged when you don’t really have to think about race or racism, and it’s worth noticing the ways in which society has these power imbalances and racist attitudes built in, in order to help change them.)
Being a teenager is hard enough—not only are you reckoning with your identity and who you are, questioning your parents and starting to see them as fallible human beings, but having to deal with people who see you as less-than or dangerous…I don’t blame Kaepernick for the frustration and anger he has to work through here. We see examples throughout Change the Game where Kaepernick stands up not only for himself, but for others.
Overall, Change the Game is a thoughtful graphic novel that tackles a difficult subject with grace and compassion. Worth the read, I think!
Happy reading!
--BookOwl
https://abookblog4you.blogspot.com/
https://www.tumblr.com/bookowldevours...
*Spoiler alert!*
Change the Game is a middle-grade graphic novel by NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Even if you aren’t an avid sports follower, you may remember the huge political controversy raised when Kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem as a protest against systemic racism and oppression. I was intrigued to see that Kaepernick had started a publishing outfit to go along with his off the field activism and had to check out Change the Game.
For the audience this graphic novel is purporting to target, I found the material satisfyingly challenging when it comes to confronting everyday racism and the general travails of growing up and trying to pick a path in life. (Gosh, I’m still trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up, and I’m close to thirty years old!)
The graphic novel follows Kaepernick’s upbringing in a small town with a mostly white population. He describes how he was set on the path of future college then MLB player, but increasingly found himself more attracted towards football in his high school years. Kaepernick takes a risk and bets on football, even though his parents and most of the town are pressuring him to sign-on to a baseball contract instead.
Notwithstanding the pressure Kaepernick feels to take the baseball path, he deals with plenty of racism in his small town. Afro and corn-row hairstyles are frowned upon as “unprofessional”—as Kaepernick’s father puts it. A man walks around town wearing a Confederate flag hat, a known symbol of a defeated nation that stood for slavery and was willing to break up the Union to do so. Those are a few examples.
Colin is upset that his parents and most of the town are oblivious when it comes to racism and discrimination, when he can see examples abound all around him. Racism can be both overt and more subtle but doesn’t change the fact that it’s still discrimination. (You’re privileged when you don’t really have to think about race or racism, and it’s worth noticing the ways in which society has these power imbalances and racist attitudes built in, in order to help change them.)
Being a teenager is hard enough—not only are you reckoning with your identity and who you are, questioning your parents and starting to see them as fallible human beings, but having to deal with people who see you as less-than or dangerous…I don’t blame Kaepernick for the frustration and anger he has to work through here. We see examples throughout Change the Game where Kaepernick stands up not only for himself, but for others.
Overall, Change the Game is a thoughtful graphic novel that tackles a difficult subject with grace and compassion. Worth the read, I think!
Happy reading!
--BookOwl
October 5, 2023
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central
Born in 1987 and raised in California, young Colin was more interested in football than in baseball, although he was an multi-sport athlete and his parents were more invested in his baseball career. He struggled with fitting in at school, but had some good friends. The struggles often revolved around issues of personal identity. As a biracial teen being raised by white parents, he often felt that the Black portion of identity was something he should hide. Inspired by a friend's hair, he goes to a lot of trouble to get cornrows braided, even though his hair wasn't long enough and the rubber bands used hurt so much that he had to take the style out. His parents thought that look wasn't "professional" enough. There are many microaggressions from all sides, and he wasn't sure how to deal with these. He finds a girl in whome he is interested, only to be encouraged to date a different girl. This is a fascinating look into how past experiences can cement the idea of activism in a young person's mind, and highlights why Kaepernick was so adamant about standing his groung when he took a knee during a professional football game, even though it eventually meant the loss of his pro ball career. Additional information, complete with color photos, explains what the former athlete is going now, including his Know Your Rights camps for athletes of color.
Caicedo's graphic novel style is more young adult than cartoonish, with long, lean characters, subtle coloring, and expressive, realistic faces. He does a great job of capturing movement on the page, and in conveying emotions. This is a slim volume, but really packs a punch.
Since I was not really very familiar with Kaepernick, other than his frequent appearances in the news in 2016, I could have used more information about his family life. The role of his parents was critical in the book, and I was not aware that he was adopted as an infant. Since today's readers would have been very young when he made headlines because of his social activism, a little more explanation would have been helpful.
Readers who love all things sports related and who have enjoyed graphic novels like Smith's Victory. Stand!, Wilson's Play Like a Girl and Tavares' Hoops will love seeing Kaepernick's games related in full color, and those who like biographies, like Wetzel's Epic Athletes series including Steph Curry and LeBron James, will find the details of Kaepernick's high school career inspiring.
Born in 1987 and raised in California, young Colin was more interested in football than in baseball, although he was an multi-sport athlete and his parents were more invested in his baseball career. He struggled with fitting in at school, but had some good friends. The struggles often revolved around issues of personal identity. As a biracial teen being raised by white parents, he often felt that the Black portion of identity was something he should hide. Inspired by a friend's hair, he goes to a lot of trouble to get cornrows braided, even though his hair wasn't long enough and the rubber bands used hurt so much that he had to take the style out. His parents thought that look wasn't "professional" enough. There are many microaggressions from all sides, and he wasn't sure how to deal with these. He finds a girl in whome he is interested, only to be encouraged to date a different girl. This is a fascinating look into how past experiences can cement the idea of activism in a young person's mind, and highlights why Kaepernick was so adamant about standing his groung when he took a knee during a professional football game, even though it eventually meant the loss of his pro ball career. Additional information, complete with color photos, explains what the former athlete is going now, including his Know Your Rights camps for athletes of color.
Caicedo's graphic novel style is more young adult than cartoonish, with long, lean characters, subtle coloring, and expressive, realistic faces. He does a great job of capturing movement on the page, and in conveying emotions. This is a slim volume, but really packs a punch.
Since I was not really very familiar with Kaepernick, other than his frequent appearances in the news in 2016, I could have used more information about his family life. The role of his parents was critical in the book, and I was not aware that he was adopted as an infant. Since today's readers would have been very young when he made headlines because of his social activism, a little more explanation would have been helpful.
Readers who love all things sports related and who have enjoyed graphic novels like Smith's Victory. Stand!, Wilson's Play Like a Girl and Tavares' Hoops will love seeing Kaepernick's games related in full color, and those who like biographies, like Wetzel's Epic Athletes series including Steph Curry and LeBron James, will find the details of Kaepernick's high school career inspiring.
October 14, 2024
🏈 🅰🆄🅳🅸🅾🅱🅾🅾🅺 🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆 🏈
✨ 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒂𝒎𝒆 by Colin Kaepernick & Eve L. Ewing✨
▪️ 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: As a black biracial woman, at closely resonate with Kaepernick's struggles with identity and belonging. at first, I wasn't aware that this Audible Original was just a regurgitation of the documentary I saw on Netflix three years ago. Well, I think this version is more intimate and allows the listener an up close glimpse into Kaepernick’s feelings, ambitions, and activism. All in all, this testimony shows us the power of change and transformation, but I suggest that society needs to do the transforming.
▪️ 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿’𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲: Colin Kaepernick urges us to change the narrative around race, identity and culture. Kaepernick understands the common struggles of being a Black biracial man in the US, and he can never shed that part of his identity. It is imperative for society to see the authentic and enriched lives of Black men and boys because they are too often demonized for the color of their skin and the kink of their curl. Kaepernick knows we can only change the narrative if we change up this game of racism and oppression.
▪️𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸: While the audiobook is a part of Audibles Originals, the premise and ideas are created in the graphic novel format. The greatest part about the audiobook is its stellar cast, including Colin Kaepernick, and 20 other characters. In fact, Jaden Michael from the Netflix documentary 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝘽𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙒𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙚 is featured here as well. The audiobook is a mini production with sounds, music, and ad libs they bring the story to life. With a full cast, 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒂𝒎𝒆 uses humor, truth, and authenticity to resonate with its listeners. I finished the audio less than 50 minutes.
▪️𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
▪️𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱: For readers of teen and young adult literature (ages 12-20) with topics surrounding sports and outdoors, race and culture, identity and belonging, adoption and families, and self-discovery.
🏷 #ColinKaepernick #ChangeTheGame #Audible #AudibleOriginal #BlackLivesMatter #SmallActivists #bookreview #BooksToRead #Bookish #Bookstagrammer #BookLover #wellreadblackgirl
April 1, 2023
Colin Kaepernick's graphic memoir Change the Game tells the story of his teen years as a star baseball player and aspiring college football star. If you enter with the knowledge of Kaepernick's NFL career, teen Colin's willingness to stand by his convictions and strive for the ideal won't be a surprise. Change the Game recounts his encounters with racism on and off the field, embracing of his Blackness, and difficulties of being a Black boy raised by well-meaning (but often misguided) white parents. Recommended for high school and public libraries.
For me, the graphic memoir left something to be desired. Unlike the tv show Colin in Black & White, the arc of his story wasn't as defined. Life often doesn't fit into all the beats of beginning, middle and end, but leaning into this narrative structure encourages readers to keep turning the page. For readers with preexisting knowledge of Colin's life and legacy, they won't be able to put it down. For those without much context, they may not read until the end. When putting into the hands of teen readers, I would suggest asking them if they know who Kaepernick is. If they don't it may be good to give them a teaser of what they can expect.
I am not a sports fan, but sports stories like Kaepernick's have encouraged me to explore the institutional racism inherent in the sports ecosystem. In 2016, his story inspired me to read more about the intersection of politics and sports in the past and present. And he inspired me to see the potential for sports to be a transformational pathway to creating a more just, equitable society. If you think this graphic memoir is not for you because sports...you're wrong and you should read it to find out why.
For me, the graphic memoir left something to be desired. Unlike the tv show Colin in Black & White, the arc of his story wasn't as defined. Life often doesn't fit into all the beats of beginning, middle and end, but leaning into this narrative structure encourages readers to keep turning the page. For readers with preexisting knowledge of Colin's life and legacy, they won't be able to put it down. For those without much context, they may not read until the end. When putting into the hands of teen readers, I would suggest asking them if they know who Kaepernick is. If they don't it may be good to give them a teaser of what they can expect.
I am not a sports fan, but sports stories like Kaepernick's have encouraged me to explore the institutional racism inherent in the sports ecosystem. In 2016, his story inspired me to read more about the intersection of politics and sports in the past and present. And he inspired me to see the potential for sports to be a transformational pathway to creating a more just, equitable society. If you think this graphic memoir is not for you because sports...you're wrong and you should read it to find out why.
August 25, 2025
This 2023 graphic novel focuses on Colin Kaepernick’s senior year in high school; he was, of course, a biracial child (white mother, and absentee father) who was adopted into a white family as a child. (See his children’s book, ‘I Color Myself DIFFERENT’ for more about this.)
The book highlights some of the challenges he faced in his family and school environment (e.g., the negative reaction of his adoptive father to his wanting to grow out his hair and wear it in cornrows; his wanting to take a Black girl, Tiffany, to the Spring Dance at school, etc.).
It covers in detail the fact that he was initially considered to be a BASEBALL player, not a football player (although he was also a standout football player). He tells Tiffany, “I don’t really WANT to play baseball. I feel like… it’s not for me… It’s just, sometimes I feel like I don’t BELONG out there.”
He did, however, receive a football scholarship offer from a D-1 school, which he accepted gladly.
Some of this period is also covered in the 2021 Netflix limited TV series, ‘Colin in Black and White,’ that he created with Ava DuVernay.
Of course, he was hardly an ‘activist’ while in high school, so there is little here (except for dealing with racial insensitivity, and even occasional outright racist remarks) to help explain his later silent National Anthem protests. (At one point, he purportedly signed a book contract to write a ‘tell all” story of his life, but that seems to have ‘dropped off the radar.")
Aside from those reading the book to learn more about Kaepernick, this book may be of considerable interest to young people dealing with questions/issues of ethnicity, identity, etc.
[The ‘Recommended Reading Age’ on Amazon is ’10 and up.’]
The book highlights some of the challenges he faced in his family and school environment (e.g., the negative reaction of his adoptive father to his wanting to grow out his hair and wear it in cornrows; his wanting to take a Black girl, Tiffany, to the Spring Dance at school, etc.).
It covers in detail the fact that he was initially considered to be a BASEBALL player, not a football player (although he was also a standout football player). He tells Tiffany, “I don’t really WANT to play baseball. I feel like… it’s not for me… It’s just, sometimes I feel like I don’t BELONG out there.”
He did, however, receive a football scholarship offer from a D-1 school, which he accepted gladly.
Some of this period is also covered in the 2021 Netflix limited TV series, ‘Colin in Black and White,’ that he created with Ava DuVernay.
Of course, he was hardly an ‘activist’ while in high school, so there is little here (except for dealing with racial insensitivity, and even occasional outright racist remarks) to help explain his later silent National Anthem protests. (At one point, he purportedly signed a book contract to write a ‘tell all” story of his life, but that seems to have ‘dropped off the radar.")
Aside from those reading the book to learn more about Kaepernick, this book may be of considerable interest to young people dealing with questions/issues of ethnicity, identity, etc.
[The ‘Recommended Reading Age’ on Amazon is ’10 and up.’]
March 22, 2023
I really enjoyed this book, but it felt like it was just getting started when it ended. I wanted more. I wanted Colin to take readers through his experiences fighting for social change and racial justice on one of the biggest stages in the world.
Reading about his high school experiences helped me understand more about why he chose to speak up when and how he did, but it also made me sad for him. It sounds like he didn't have an appropriate outlet for exploring and loving his own blackness. His descriptions of his relationship with his (white, adoptive) parents were especially heartbreaking, with their latent, casual racism that they seemed completely oblivious to.
This story about young Colin was tender and emotional and moving, but it wasn't enough. I wanted more. What happened to Tiffany? How did he feel going through the tumultuous experience he went through in the NFL? How is his relationship with his parents now? How is he living into his fullest self and identity now? Would he take any of it back? Do anything differently if he could?
Obviously telling those parts of his story was not Kaepernick's intent, so I hope this book will find its way into the hands of the kids who need to read it most. Those who feel like they don't belong, like they're swimming upstream, like they are sandpaper rubbing against everyone else's smooth exteriors. I hope this book will help them feel seen.
Reading about his high school experiences helped me understand more about why he chose to speak up when and how he did, but it also made me sad for him. It sounds like he didn't have an appropriate outlet for exploring and loving his own blackness. His descriptions of his relationship with his (white, adoptive) parents were especially heartbreaking, with their latent, casual racism that they seemed completely oblivious to.
This story about young Colin was tender and emotional and moving, but it wasn't enough. I wanted more. What happened to Tiffany? How did he feel going through the tumultuous experience he went through in the NFL? How is his relationship with his parents now? How is he living into his fullest self and identity now? Would he take any of it back? Do anything differently if he could?
Obviously telling those parts of his story was not Kaepernick's intent, so I hope this book will find its way into the hands of the kids who need to read it most. Those who feel like they don't belong, like they're swimming upstream, like they are sandpaper rubbing against everyone else's smooth exteriors. I hope this book will help them feel seen.
October 18, 2023
This is the memoir of Colin Kaepernick. It focuses on his high school days, not his career with the 49ers or his activist fame.
Colin a high school star athlete p is at a crossroads in life. heavily scouted by colleges and and The Majors as a baseball pitcher. Needless to say, he he has a bright future ahead of him as a highly sought after prospect. Everyone from his parents to his teachers and coaches are in agreement on his future. Colin feels differently.
You see even though he is extremely gifted, he isn’t excited about baseball. Here he quotes five-time all-star mlb player Adam Jones, “baseball is a white man’s game.” Colin’s he ties are athletes like Allen Iverson: talented, hyper-competitive, unapologetically black, and dominating their sports while staying true to themselves. College football is his dream. After all, who wants to sleep on hotel room floors in the minor leagues of baseball. Bug problem is, Colin doesn't have a single offer to play football. And we all know how that turned out for Colin.
Change the Game is a touching graphic novel demonstrates to readers how a young change-maker learned to find himself and never compromise. The right decision is very rarely the easy one, but taking the road less traveled can make all the difference in the world as in Colin Kaepernick’s life.
I’d love to see a sequel exploring the next phase d his career in college.
Also one of the best cover art I’ve seen.
Colin a high school star athlete p is at a crossroads in life. heavily scouted by colleges and and The Majors as a baseball pitcher. Needless to say, he he has a bright future ahead of him as a highly sought after prospect. Everyone from his parents to his teachers and coaches are in agreement on his future. Colin feels differently.
You see even though he is extremely gifted, he isn’t excited about baseball. Here he quotes five-time all-star mlb player Adam Jones, “baseball is a white man’s game.” Colin’s he ties are athletes like Allen Iverson: talented, hyper-competitive, unapologetically black, and dominating their sports while staying true to themselves. College football is his dream. After all, who wants to sleep on hotel room floors in the minor leagues of baseball. Bug problem is, Colin doesn't have a single offer to play football. And we all know how that turned out for Colin.
Change the Game is a touching graphic novel demonstrates to readers how a young change-maker learned to find himself and never compromise. The right decision is very rarely the easy one, but taking the road less traveled can make all the difference in the world as in Colin Kaepernick’s life.
I’d love to see a sequel exploring the next phase d his career in college.
Also one of the best cover art I’ve seen.
December 13, 2024
Colin Kaepernick's: Change the Game is more than just an autobiography it's a powerful statement of purpose and culture. The book which puts us in Kaepernick's eyes explains to us what it means to take a stand both on and off the field. It opens first with him playing a sport that he aspired to but later in his life he wants to commit to football and is 100% committed to it. But throughout his journey he ends up dealing with issues with how people expect him to be how they want him to look. Who they want him to go out with. And begins to notice how differently the world can be.
What I liked about the book is that it breaks down and helps us understand what he went through and could give us a reason why he took a kneel on the national anthem. Another thing he mainly talks about in the book is racism throughout his high school days. And his commitment to football since he was first a baseball prodigy having more scholarships for baseball while not having any scholarships for football.
An issue that I think would make the book better is making it less repetitive in certain chapters. At first when I read the book I thought it was a traditional sports autobiography but as I was reading it felt a bit more political than other sports like it had a mixture of both. Also they could have censored the hard r possibly.I feel like he was being a bit too forward with his story and a little bit more needed to be added.
I recommend this book to people who are interested in sports because this book taught me a thing or two about perseverance , purpose and culture. The reason I give it a 4 out of 5 stars is because I feel like it could potentially be longer since it was published. He could have kept expanding the story a bit more.
What I liked about the book is that it breaks down and helps us understand what he went through and could give us a reason why he took a kneel on the national anthem. Another thing he mainly talks about in the book is racism throughout his high school days. And his commitment to football since he was first a baseball prodigy having more scholarships for baseball while not having any scholarships for football.
An issue that I think would make the book better is making it less repetitive in certain chapters. At first when I read the book I thought it was a traditional sports autobiography but as I was reading it felt a bit more political than other sports like it had a mixture of both. Also they could have censored the hard r possibly.I feel like he was being a bit too forward with his story and a little bit more needed to be added.
I recommend this book to people who are interested in sports because this book taught me a thing or two about perseverance , purpose and culture. The reason I give it a 4 out of 5 stars is because I feel like it could potentially be longer since it was published. He could have kept expanding the story a bit more.
April 24, 2023
Not that great.
Kaepernick tells the story of his high school years. Trying to decide what direction to take with his like... trying to navigate how to be the person he wanted to become.
The story is told fairly well. The art is... well, it serves it's purpose. There are a couple of fairly decent sport action sequences, which are dynamic more because they appear in a generally static book.
Still - Kaepernick tells a story of personal growth well. If anything, the book cuts off too early, leaving much of his journey of becoming himself unrevealed.
Second book I've read from Kaepernick's publishing imprint - a hockey memoir being the other. Both suffer from the same problems - average art, too much talking, and abrupt transitions that create confusion for the audience. This is the better of the two books.
Oh oh OH! I almost forgot the most (for me) important part. This was the best ARC I have ever read. Reading it was like following production back to the beginning. The start of the ARC was full color - complete - art. Then it was shaded B+W. Then it wasn't shaded (and there was a caption that still just held a production note!). By the end of was just shapes, sketches, and outlines. It was amazing; such an insight into the process of creating the book and so fun to watch it devolve.
Kaepernick tells the story of his high school years. Trying to decide what direction to take with his like... trying to navigate how to be the person he wanted to become.
The story is told fairly well. The art is... well, it serves it's purpose. There are a couple of fairly decent sport action sequences, which are dynamic more because they appear in a generally static book.
Still - Kaepernick tells a story of personal growth well. If anything, the book cuts off too early, leaving much of his journey of becoming himself unrevealed.
Second book I've read from Kaepernick's publishing imprint - a hockey memoir being the other. Both suffer from the same problems - average art, too much talking, and abrupt transitions that create confusion for the audience. This is the better of the two books.
Oh oh OH! I almost forgot the most (for me) important part. This was the best ARC I have ever read. Reading it was like following production back to the beginning. The start of the ARC was full color - complete - art. Then it was shaded B+W. Then it wasn't shaded (and there was a caption that still just held a production note!). By the end of was just shapes, sketches, and outlines. It was amazing; such an insight into the process of creating the book and so fun to watch it devolve.
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