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Roller Girl | April 15, 2015

by Victoria Jamieson (Dial Books/Penguin Young Readers Group, March 2015)

Twelve-year-old Astrid is looking forward to spending the summer with her best friend, Nicole. But when Astrid wants to go to roller derby camp and Nicole decides to continue pursuing her love of ballet, a divide develops between them. As if her friendship woes weren’t enough to worry about, Astrid has to compete with fellow campers who are much more experienced (and some much rougher) than she is— all while keeping things a secret from her unsuspecting mother. The action comes to a dramatic head as Astrid prepares to make a stellar debut in her first roller derby bout.

This delightful middle-grade graphic novel deserves all of the comparisons it’s been getting to works like Raina Telgemeier’s Smile and Cece Bell’s El Deafo. The charming illustrations and pitch-perfect text tell a heartwarming story about the drama, pain (both physical and emotional), and joy that comes with growing up—and it’s set against the awesome backdrop of the pun-laden sport of roller derby.  And although author/illustrator Victoria Jamieson didn’t base the book on direct events from her life, it’s definitely influenced by her experiences, including the time she spends tearing it up on the derby track as Winnie the Pow! (An athlete after our own heart!) Readers interested in knowing more about how the book came to be can visit the author’s website for a free “making-of” e-book.

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