2015 young adult graphic novel by Victoria Jamieson
Roller Girl is a young adult graphic novel written and illustrated by Victoria Jamieson, published by Dial Books for Young Readers in 2015. It is set in contemporary Portland, Oregon and details how the hero, Astrid, becomes a roller derby skater. It was named a Newbery Honor book in 2016.
Plot.
Astrid's mother takes her and her best friend, Nicole, on numerous "Evenings of Cultural Enrichment" which often confuse, bore, or inappropriately amuse the two girls; one night in fifth grade, they attend a roller derby match between the Oregon City Rollergirls and the Rose City Rollers. Astrid asks her mother's permission to attend the Rollers' Junior Roller Derby Camp that summer, assuming that Nicole will also join with her. Instead, Nicole chooses to attend dance camp with Astrid's longtime rival Rachel.
At camp, Astrid wonders if she can still be friends with Nicole; she later makes friends with Zoey, a fellow camp contender, but struggles with her skating skills. She and Zoe begin hanging out after derby practice, and Astrid lies to her mother about Nicole being in derby camp with her. Roller derby makes Astrid stronger and helps her to try new things, like dying her hair and standing up to Nicole and Rachel. Sometime later, at a clothing store, Astrid's mother sees Nicole and asks her about roller derby camp. To Astrid's surprise, Nicole fakes being in derby camp and plays along with Astrid's act.
Eventually, Astrid's mother learns the truth after talking to Nicole's mother at a grocery store. She and her daughter have an honest conversation, and Astrid confesses that her actions were only because she simply did not know how to explain to her that her friendship with Nicole has changed. Afterward, Astrid goes to Nicole's house to apologize to her and her mother. Later on, she makes a truce with her and Rachel by giving them a ticket to her roller derby bout.
At the bout, Astrid scores the winning point for her team, but injures her foot. Nicole gives her flowers and asks her out to dinner, which she politely rejects and instead chooses to stay with her team, ending their friendship on agreeable terms. The novel ends with Astrid having found her true self and moving on from her friendship with Nicole.
Development.
Jamieson attended her first roller derby match in 2008 and began to be involved with the Rollers after moving to Portland with her husband in 2009, eventually joining under the derby name 'Winnie the Pow'.
Reception.
In 2016, the American Library Association named "Roller Girl" to its list of Newbery Honor winners, alongside Kimberly Brubaker Bradley's "The War That Saved My Life" and Pam Muñoz Ryan's "Echo". It won the 2018 Young Hoosier Book Award (Intermediate) and was named to the 2016 Bank Street Children's Best Books of the Year List.
References.
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