Writing and Editing Services
  Rosebud Communications
  • Home
  • About
  • Projects
    • Clients
  • Rose's Red Pen Blog
  • A Rose in Oz Blog
  • Photos Down Under
  • Contact

Roller Girl

5/12/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
I’ve written before about exploring graphic novels and comic books for girls. My daughter and I had been reading comic books with strong female protagonists but found ourselves in a rut—tired even of powerful princesses, subversive superheroines, and snarky Slayers. My daughter just wanted to read about a girl more like her. Roller Girl, by Victoria Jamieson, fit the bill.

This graphic novel, winner of the Newbery Honor Award, is set in Portland. The summer after fifth grade, 12-year-old Astrid signs up for a junior roller bowl derby camp. She assumes her best friend Nicole will too, but Nicole wants to attend ballet camp instead. The two drift apart, and Astrid is on her own, negotiating old and new friendships and the physical challenges of roller derby’s strange new world.

Roller Girl introduces the reader to colorful characters and a gritty, unfamiliar milieu. I knew nothing about roller derby before reading this novel, but the many concrete details ring true. The reader dives into training along with Astrid and finds out how physically demanding this sport is. You feel her exhaustion in your bones in a way that you don’t when reading about a superhero, which makes Astrid’s journey that much more satisfying. Jamieson adds spot-on dialogue and believable relationships, making this book a winner for girls and women of all ages.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Categories

    All
    Action
    Books
    Dialogue
    Editing
    Grammar
    Mechanics
    Punctuation
    Usage
    Verbs
    Writing

    Author

    Rose Ciccarelli offers writing and editing services through Rosebud Communications.

    Archives

    July 2019
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos used under Creative Commons from Camp Pinewood YMCA, ChrisL_AK, sylvrilyn, Banjo Brown, OC Always, CapCase, John-Morgan, quinn.anya, poppet with a camera, quinn.anya, Moyan_Brenn, pierre bédat, iansvendsplass, Philippe Put, Hackley Public Library, mrhayata, amslerPIX, romana klee, n_sapiens, perpetualplum, Images_of_Money, trophygeek, fontplaydotcom, Thomas Leth-Olsen, reynermedia, U.S. Army Europe Images