A heartwarming graphic novel about friendship and surviving junior high through the power of roller derby. For most of her 12 years, Astrid has done everything with her best friend Nicole. But after Astrid falls in love with roller derby and signs up for derby camp, Nicole decides to go to dance camp instead. And so begins the most difficult summer of Astrid's life as she struggles to keep up with the older girls at camp, hang on to the friend she feels slipping away, and cautiously embark on a new friendship. As the end of summer nears and her first roller derby bout (and junior high!) draws closer, Astrid realises that maybe she is strong enough to handle the bout, a lost friendship, and middle school - in short, strong enough to be a roller girl.
ISBN: 9780241712962
Page Count239
FormatPaperback
Age RangeN/A
Published08/08/2024
Astrid has always done everything with her best friend Nicole. So when Astrid falls in love with roller derby and signs up for a summer camp, she's sure Nicole will be right by her side - until Nicole signs up for ballet camp instead, with Astrid's biggest rival.
And so begins the hardest summer of Astrid's life, as she struggles to stay on her skates, to learn who she is without Nicole . . . and to find out what it takes to be a strong, tough, awesome roller girl.
A wonderful story about friendship, self-belief and SERIOUSLY awesome girls!
This spiky, winning graphic novel captures the bittersweetness of finding a new passion and saying goodbye to your former, more uncertain self New York Times
A refreshing, witty story of trying, failing, reinvention, ambition, team spirit and how to be a decent friend Guardian
Vivid and funny . . . The graphic format makes it fizz . . . And the contact sport of roller derby makes for a fascinating setting. Expressive, fearsomely physical and dominated by women, the author brilliantly conveys its appeal Observer
A note-perfect middle-grade story of friendships lost and rebuilt, wrapped up in lively graphic novel form. Astrid is a peach of a hero, a likeable misfit desperate to be a great skater like her idol. Her discovery that it's not as easy as it looks will resonate with anyone who's ever dreamed of glory and fallen flat on their face; her response to disappointment will lift the heart
Roller Girl's message of self-discovery, friendship, and perseverance will roll its way right into your heart
Full of charm . . . Don't let this one roll past Kirkus