Ngozi Ukazu

Ngozi Ukazu is the creator of Check, Please, an online graphic novel whose printing campaign remains the most funded webcomics Kickstarter ever. She first became interested in hockey while writing a screenplay about the sport during her senior year at Yale. But after Yale hockey won the Division I Men’s Ice Hockey national championship, she became obsessed. While she used her new-found knowledge of ice hockey to launch Check, Please in 2013, Ngozi has a deep interest in many sports, from half-marathon training to basketball documentaries. Check, Please! Book 2: Sticks & Scones (First second) is a collection of the second half of the mega-popular webcomic series of the same name. Eric Bittle is heading into his junior year at Samwell University, and he has new teammates and a brand new boyfriend. Bitty and Jack must navigate their new, secret, long-distance relationship, and decide how to reveal their relationship to friends and teammates. And on top of that, Bitty’s time at school is coming to an end. These are two hockey seasons packed with big wins and high stakes. Kirkus Reviews called it “An upbeat story of love and acceptance.”