Story of gay weight-lifting champ empowers children

 

Strong

Written by Rob Kearney and Eric Rosswood, illustrated by Nidhi Chanani

Little, Brown and Company, 2022

Rob Kearney always knew that he liked to feel strong. As a child, he lifted heavy boxes and brought all the groceries into the house in one trip.

In school, he liked to test his strength in tug of war and guarding the quarterback in football. In high school, he felt powerful lifting other cheerleaders into the air. His favorite sport was weight lifting.

A teacher introduced him to the Strongman competition. In it, men lifted logs, stones, and tires. He trained to compete. He went from lifting 150 pounds to 400 pounds over his head.

But on the day of the competition, he struggled. He finished in last place.

His life brightened up when he met Joey at a weightlifting event. The two of them fell in love. Today they are married.

Rob and Joey trained together.  Rob prepared for the North American championship event.

Joey encouraged Rob to dress in the brighter colors he preferred when he lifted. Rob began dressing in bright colors and dyed his mohawk a rainbow of colors.

During training, Joey lifted more than only weights. He lifted cars, and once pulled a fire truck down the street.

Rob was nervous on the day of the competition, but he did his best and he won! At the back of the book, Rob includes an encouraging message to children. He tells them to believe in themselves.

He also includes more information about the strongman sport including the definitions of expressions used in the sport.  

Nidhi Chanani's illustrations are bright and kid-friendly, carrying the reader through the story. 

About the Authors

Rob Kearney is the only openly gay professional strongman in the world. He is a North American champion, a world-record holder, and a Pro Ambassador for Athlete Ally. He lives in Massachusetts with his husband Joey.

Eric Rosswood is an LGBTQ+ activist and the award-winning author of “Journey to Same-Sex Parenthood” and “The Ultimate Guide for Gay Dads.” He lives in New York with his husband Mat and their two children.

About the Illustrator

Nidhi Chanani is the award-winning creator of the graphic novels “Pashmin” and “Jukebox,”and the illustrator of many picture books, including “I Will Be Fierce” by Bea Birdsong. She lives in the San Francisco Bay area with her husband and child. Visit her online at everydayloveart.com.