Name: Maggie Gordon's review of Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
Item: Roller Girl
Rating: 4
Author: Maggie Gordon

Victoria Jamieson

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. 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.

Roller Girl

Maggie Gordon

Sarah Sammis

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson is a graphic novel inspired by her experience as a skater with the Rose City Rollers, a roller derby league in Portland. As it's written for a middle school audience and is chuck full of details, it reads like Reina Telgemeier's Smile. 

http://pussreboots.pair.com/blog/2017...

Raven K

Isadora Cal

Great story about the real pains of growing up and the stuff that happens when you’re entering your teenage years. And it has roller derby! And Astrid is real fun - and also very real. I got pissed at her at points only to realize I was the same at her age.

Jeannette Ordas

A fun little graphic novel about a girl getting into roller derby and learning all kinds of pre-teen life lessons. Her mom seems rad.

Roller Girl is a book I really could of used as a kid. It's about Astrid, our protagonist, going to roller derby camp. But it's also about that super awkward point when you are growing up and your childhood friendships starting crumbling as people change. Astrid has been friends with Nicole for years, but whereas Astrid is growing into a teen that rejects fancy clothes and boys, Nicole is starting to embrace these things. When Astrid falls in love with roller derby and assumes Nicole will as well, their friendship hits a breaking point. I didn't see a lot of stories where the kids had to work things out. Astrid realises that she was a bit of a butt, as does Nicole. The two will probably never be quite as close, but they don't end up losing each other completely. This is a story that is bright and fun, but also deals with a very real, common issue for the age group that it is aimed at. Props for such a considered response, Jamieson! Also, great way to introduce kids to roller derby :D

Ken Yuen

That was a lot of fun. Like Slam but for middle schoolers. There's a lot of drama and awkwardness typical of the age, but it was fun seeing Astrid deal with the various obstacles in her life, through the lens of roller derby.

The naming in this book are on point. Rainbow Bite is very good.

Kim Tyo-Dickerson

This book is a wonderful gateway book for reluctant readers. The compelling action of the derby, the frustrations of learning something totally new, combined with the struggles of growing up and growing distant from friends you've had since kindergarten make this graphic novel a sure thing for middle school students.

Addison Degginger

I first noticed this book on the Scholastic Book Fair video that I was showing to my students the week before the book fair. Like most students, my students are in love with Raina Telgemeier’s Smile and Sisters. When I saw that she wrote a blurb on the front of the book I knew I had to read it. Like most children's graphic novels, this was an easy and quick read. I wouldn't be exaggerating when I say that I am head over heels for this book. 
Roller Girl is a story about a young 12-year-old named Astrid. Astrid loves most things that a girl her age "shouldn't." Jamieson smashes gender roles brilliantly in this book as her character Astrid falls in love with the sport of roller derby and tackles that awkward pre-teen stage. The graphics are stunning and the writing is spot on.

Nadine 

#friendship #identity #perseverance #grit. Ok, so this has been highly recommended - but I don't even know if roller derby is a thing in Singapore - I've certainly never heard of it here. So a lot of what it is and how it works was unfamiliar - and the whole aggressive side of it I found questionable - but then again, it seems very empowering to have a female contact sport and to see strong women and things like dyed hair and tatoos in context. 
Wonder how my students would respond? 12 year old protagonist, but some of the ideas are a little more mature - including running with an older crowd. No profanity, no sex, no real gritty scenes, but I still wonder.

Caroline Lewicki

I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH! I teared up in parts and laughed out loud a few times. It so perfectly encapsulates how tough it can be to grow apart from someone and to find out who you are. Now I wanna go see a roller derby show!

The Newbery Honor Award Winner and New York Times bestseller Roller Girl is a heartwarming graphic novel about friendship and surviving junior high through the power of roller derby—perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier's Smile! For most of her twelve 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 realizes 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. In this graphic novel debut that earned a Newbery Honor and five starred reviews, real-life derby girl Victoria Jamieson has created an inspiring coming-of-age story about friendship, perseverance, and girl power!

Destiny J Tamayo

Hayley 📖🌈💜🌸

This was super cute. 
I loved Astrid and Zoey, and the whole thing with Hugh Jackman was so lovely!

Maggie Gordon &
Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

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Maggie Gordon &Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

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Maggie Gordon &
Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson