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webberinr's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
jenmangler's review against another edition
4.0
Roller Girl was so much fun to read! Astrid is a pretty great character, struggling with the fact that she's growing apart from her best friend while also trying to figure out who she is and who she wants to be. And I have to give a shout out to Rainbow Bite, who gives great advice and really helps Astrid through her journey.
hevreads719's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.25
lacewing's review
funny
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
reader4evr's review against another edition
5.0
This was so cute (but I think Astrid would be like "I'm not cute" lol)!! It reminded me a lot of Raina Telgemeier's books.
I am a big fan of the art work, the font and the format.
I hope Victoria Jamieson does more graphic novels!!
I am a big fan of the art work, the font and the format.
I hope Victoria Jamieson does more graphic novels!!
lisamchuk's review against another edition
4.0
Astrid is twelve, just about to go into junior high, and is in the process of losing her best friend to ballet and boys. Her life changes though after she attends her first roller derby game, and promptly falls in love with the sport! But attending roller derby camp turns out to be not as easy as it looks, and adding friend drama and pre-teen girl drama means it's going to be a rough summer for Astrid. Will she find her feet? Will she find a new friend?
Yeah, so I'm not the target demographic for this book, but I tell ya, I probably would've loved reading it when I was twelve years old! It's the story of a misfit girl, one who isn't into boys and fashion (like me as a kid), and about how she deals with jealous-girl-friend-drama issues (like me as a kid), all set around roller derby (like me as an adult!). I think the author hit the spot with the preteen girl social issues, and she did an excellent job portraying the lingo and general atmosphere of the roller derby world. You could tell she did her homework with the roller derby stuff, and I actually really liked that Astrid sucked at derby - we can't all be superstars but when she was having fun she was happy and that's all that counts and should be communicated to recreational athletes, right?! The artwork was simple, cute and colourful, and overall made it a pleasure to read.
I'd recommend this book to any young girl, especially those who aren't into boys and fashion, and/or think roller derby is neat. It will help sooth the soul, and encourage girls to play derby, which can often be a confidence booster for those who don't fit in. So pick it up for the kid in your life, or grab it from the library and spend an hour reading it to learn about the roller derby world!
Yeah, so I'm not the target demographic for this book, but I tell ya, I probably would've loved reading it when I was twelve years old! It's the story of a misfit girl, one who isn't into boys and fashion (like me as a kid), and about how she deals with jealous-girl-friend-drama issues (like me as a kid), all set around roller derby (like me as an adult!). I think the author hit the spot with the preteen girl social issues, and she did an excellent job portraying the lingo and general atmosphere of the roller derby world. You could tell she did her homework with the roller derby stuff, and I actually really liked that Astrid sucked at derby - we can't all be superstars but when she was having fun she was happy and that's all that counts and should be communicated to recreational athletes, right?! The artwork was simple, cute and colourful, and overall made it a pleasure to read.
I'd recommend this book to any young girl, especially those who aren't into boys and fashion, and/or think roller derby is neat. It will help sooth the soul, and encourage girls to play derby, which can often be a confidence booster for those who don't fit in. So pick it up for the kid in your life, or grab it from the library and spend an hour reading it to learn about the roller derby world!
bookph1le's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars
What a gem of a graphic novel. Jamieson absolutely nails the humiliation and confusion of transitioning from elementary to middle school. It's been many a decade since I personally experienced it, yet I vividly recall those days. With spot-on accuracy, Jamieson tackles the bewildering feeling of growing apart from your childhood friends and struggling to figure out your own identity.
Plus, I love this varied depiction of femininity. Initially, it seems like it's going to slant toward a stereotypical mean girl depiction in which Astrid loses her friend to popularity, boy craziness, and stereotypical feminine pursuits. But then Astrid gains some insight about herself, learning that she's been seeing the world through her own distorted lens and that she just might have a thing or two to learn. I thought this was beautifully done, because the fact of the matter is, there is no right way for a girl to break into teenagerdom. Instead of vilifying one type of femininity or another, this book shows multiple facets to being female, and I was so on board with that.
I also learned a great deal about roller derby, something about which I knew absolutely nothing. This information is woven seamlessly throughout the book in a way that never feels info-dumpy. We learn about roller derby alongside Astrid, and that path is fraught with plenty of mishaps, a healthy dose of determination, the necessity of facing some hard and ugly truths, and a lot of heart and laughs.
This is an all-around wonderful book. The art is bright and engaging, the characters are wonderful and well-realized, and Jamieson upends so many tropes. There is so much great stuff happening with middle grade graphic novels, much to my pleasure. Jamieson has definitely earned a place of my "must reads" list.
What a gem of a graphic novel. Jamieson absolutely nails the humiliation and confusion of transitioning from elementary to middle school. It's been many a decade since I personally experienced it, yet I vividly recall those days. With spot-on accuracy, Jamieson tackles the bewildering feeling of growing apart from your childhood friends and struggling to figure out your own identity.
Plus, I love this varied depiction of femininity. Initially, it seems like it's going to slant toward a stereotypical mean girl depiction in which Astrid loses her friend to popularity, boy craziness, and stereotypical feminine pursuits. But then Astrid gains some insight about herself, learning that she's been seeing the world through her own distorted lens and that she just might have a thing or two to learn. I thought this was beautifully done, because the fact of the matter is, there is no right way for a girl to break into teenagerdom. Instead of vilifying one type of femininity or another, this book shows multiple facets to being female, and I was so on board with that.
I also learned a great deal about roller derby, something about which I knew absolutely nothing. This information is woven seamlessly throughout the book in a way that never feels info-dumpy. We learn about roller derby alongside Astrid, and that path is fraught with plenty of mishaps, a healthy dose of determination, the necessity of facing some hard and ugly truths, and a lot of heart and laughs.
This is an all-around wonderful book. The art is bright and engaging, the characters are wonderful and well-realized, and Jamieson upends so many tropes. There is so much great stuff happening with middle grade graphic novels, much to my pleasure. Jamieson has definitely earned a place of my "must reads" list.
novelette's review against another edition
4.0
Really good story. A great intro into the world of roller derby