SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • Previews
  • Reviews
  • Manga
  • All Ages
  • Young Adult
  • Interviews
  • News

August 24, 2015 by Esther Keller

Review: Roller Girl

August 24, 2015 by Esther Keller   Leave a Comment

This summer I challenged myself to read as much as I could. I made sure to keep my house inundated with books, which between the loads of reserves I placed at the public library and the many books I still have from Book Expo America, is not a problem. I also wanted to do a mix of novels and comics. So between each novel I read, I also tried a couple of comics. Roller Girl, by Victoria Jamieson is one of those in-between reads. I picked it up because it’s on the Brooklyn Public Library’s summer reading list.

Roller Girl
By Victoria Jamieson.
Dial Books for Young Readers. 2015. ISBN 9780803740167
PBK, $12.99. 240pp.
Grades 4 and up

RollerGirlCVRAstrid’s mother often takes her and her best friend Nicole to “cultural events,” and usually Astrid is bored. But for once her mother has introduced her to something amazing: Roller Derby, a skating sport in which one person from each team tries to pass as many members from the other team as possible to score points. Astrid falls in love and signs up for the three-week camp. She expects her best friend Nicole to join, because they always do things together, but for the first time, Nicole says no. Astrid goes anyway, but she doesn’t tell her mother that Nicole won’t be going. She also doesn’t tell her mother that Nicole’s mother isn’t taking her home and that instead she’s making the one-hour walk on her own.

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Though Astrid loves the idea of Roller Derby, she isn’t all that good. And with hard work and determination, she still not all that good, but she gets better. She’s also growing apart from her best friend. She’s making new friends and bungling that up too. In the three weeks of summer, Astrid has a lot of growing and learning to do. While the book ends on a positive note, it’s not all tied up in a pretty bow at the end. She doesn’t keep her best friend, though they have a sort of truce. She improves in the sport, but she is by no means great at it.

This is a great coming-of-age story for fans of any of Raina Telgemeier’s graphic novels. Middle-grade readers will be able to identify with the angst of trying to find the niche that identifies you—something that makes you stand out among the crowd. Readers can also easily identify with juggling friendships as interests change or just doing the wrong thing that threatens a friendship.

There are bright colors and lots of action in the artwork of Roller Girl. Jamieson captures much of the angst in nuanced expressions, such as the way Astrid slumps as she walks to her house or her fierce expression as she tries to improve on her blocking skills.

This is a great summer or all-year read that will thoroughly be enjoyed by middle-grade readers.

Filed under: Graphic Novels, Reviews

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments
Jamiesonmiddle gradePenguinreview

About Esther Keller

Esther Keller is the librarian at JHS 278, Marine Park in Brooklyn, NY. There she started the library's first graphic novel collection and strongly advocated for using comics in the classroom. She also curates the Graphic Novel collection for the NYC DOE Citywide Digital Library. She started her career at the Brooklyn Public Library and later jumped ship to the school system so she could have summer vacation and a job that would align with a growing family's schedule. On the side, she is a mother of 4 and regularly reviews for SLJ and School Library Connection (formerly LMC). In her past life, she served on the Great Graphic Novels for Teens Committee where she solidified her love and dedication to comics.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

January 2023

Young Agatha Christie | Review

by Esther Keller

January 2023

Andy Warner's Oddball Histories: Pests and Pets | Review

by Esther Keller

January 2023

My Sister, the Cat, vol. 1 | Review

by Esther Keller

January 2023

History Comics: Rosa Parks & Claudette Colvin | Review

by Esther Keller

December 2022

Heartstopper Volumes 1 and 2 | Review

by Esther Keller

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

Your 2023 Caldecott Comment Card

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Poems As Picture Books: Zetta Elliott Discusses the Upcoming A Song for Juneteenth

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

2023 ALA Youth Media Awards

by Esther Keller

Heavy Medal

FREEWATER wins the Newbery Medal, live reactions from Heavy Medal bloggers

by Emily Mroczek-Bayci

Teen Librarian Toolbox

A Conversation with Kendare Blake about BUFFY, THE NEXT GENERATION

by Amanda MacGregor

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

A Book 25 Years in the Making: Marla Frazee Visits The Yarn

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

Latinx Graphic Novels to the Fore | Stellar Panels

First-Person Graphic Memoirs Bring Events to Life for Students

12 Graphic Novel Series Updates for Young Readers

Picturing Historical Japan: Shonen and shoujo manga bring the country’s past eras to life

10 YA Graphic Novels About the LGBTQIA+ experience | Stellar Panels

Commenting for all posts is disabled after 30 days.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

Follow This Blog

Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

Primary Sidebar

  • News & Features
  • Reviews+
  • Technology
  • School Libraries
  • Public Libraries
  • Age Level
  • Ideas
  • Blogs
  • Classroom
  • Diversity
  • People
  • Job Zone

Reviews+

  • Book Lists
  • Best Books
  • Media
  • Reference
  • Series Made Simple
  • Tech
  • Review for SLJ
  • Review Submissions

SLJ Blog Network

  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal
  • Neverending Search
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn

Resources

  • 2022 Youth Media Awards
  • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
  • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
  • Summer Reading 2021
  • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
  • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
  • Summer Programming Survey
  • Research
  • White Papers / Case Studies
  • School Librarian of the Year
  • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
  • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

Events & PD

  • In-Person Events
  • Online Courses
  • Virtual Events
  • Webcasts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Media Inquiries
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Content Submissions
  • Data Privacy
  • Terms of Use
  • Terms of Sale
  • FAQs
  • Diversity Policy
  • Careers at MSI


COPYRIGHT © 2023


COPYRIGHT © 2023