Roller Girl - review

This is a Newberry Award Winner, graphic novels.  The main character Astrid is about to start junior high and has a falling out with her best friend.  Astrid throws herself into a new hobby, inspired by an "evening of cultural enlightenment" with her mother and best friend.  Astrid joins roller derby camp while her friend allies herself at ballet camp with one of Astrid's worst enemies.  In spite of Astrid's friend troubles, she throws herself into roller derby, has new heroes and new friends.  The summer is a lot of transitions and "mixed up teenage emotions".  Astrid doesn't know what to do about the seeming loss of her best friend and lies about going with her, then lies about getting rides home, then starts spending time with a new friend and dyes her hair blue.  She begins to train more and more - determined to play in the first bout (in spite of being pretty bad at it).

What I liked: I thought this was a kids' kids book.  I wasn't going to review it or include it in my GoodReads list.  (I was going to read it to my toddlers).  But,  the story kept going and going and going, the emotions were getting complicated and hilarious.  I thought it captured junior high perfectly.  In fact, it reminded me of my own experiences - going from grade school to junior high - how relationships/friendships changed.   How Astrid couldn't explain or understand her own actions, feelings, and frustrations.  Her dramatic reactions situations realized through the graphic panels that played out her imagined scenarios or perceived situations.  Her honesty and hard work.  Her crashes and weariness.  (There was a great graphic of her laying on a bed and not moving except for "ow" escaping from the pillow she was buried in).  Even her little lies that added up - they were all so classic junior high - sweet and mean, innocent and foolish - it was really well done.  I laughed out loud many times.

What I didn't like: I had to censor some - it is definitely NOT for toddlers.

Quotes:  There were a lot of good lines that I didn't capture (and the loan expired) so I didn't mark them - I just wasn't prepared for such a good book!

Rating: 5 of 5