Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

 

Jamieson, Victoria. Roller Girl. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2015. ISBN 978-0-525-42967-8

Plot

Astrid and Nicole are best friends. They do everything together—they always have. The summer after they turn twelve, Astrid falls in love with roller derby. She signs up for a junior roller derby camp, expecting Nicole to do the same. But Nicole signs up for ballet camp instead. To top that off, Astrid learns that she’s actually not any good at roller skating! Astrid struggles to find her place and keep up with the other (mostly older) kids in the camp, all the while learning more about herself and who she is when Nicole isn’t by her side.

Analysis

Astrid Vasquez is bold, forceful, and energetic. She is drawn to roller derby because of how fierce and powerful the skaters are. Nicole is more reserved, or less aggressive, but readers learn how much effort and athleticism go into her primary interest of ballet. As happens with many best friends who discover they have differing interests, Astrid and Nicole find life pulling them in different directions. They have a falling out after Astrid signs up for a junior roller derby camp and Nicole signs up for a ballet camp. Astrid is angry that Nicole would choose her ballet friends over going to camp with her best friend. Nicole responds with hurt and anger that Astrid always does what she wants to do and expects Nicole to just go along with it. The graphic novel is told from Astrid’s point of view and follows her journey of self-discovery. Young readers will relate to Astrid’s tumultuous feelings—anger towards her best friend, shame and embarrassment at feeling left out, frustration that she can’t skate well, and a strong determination to overcome it all. As Astrid learns how to skate and compete, she is learning how to be independent, how to make new friends, how to be supportive of others even when things don’t go her way, and how to get back up when she gets knocked down. Astrid gradually realizes that sometimes growing up means growing apart, and that’s okay.

Jamieson infuses this story with humor and her own experiences skating on a roller derby team. The mix of narration and dialogue is conversational and direct, allowing readers insight into Astrid’s true thoughts and feelings. Jamieson set this full-color graphic novel where her roller derby team skates in Portland, Oregon. The location is made clear by accurate illustrations, mentions of key locations, and representation of distinct Portland culture, but it does not come across as exclusive. The events that take place and the characters themselves could exist in any location. The focus on roller derby means that all of the main characters are women and girls, but a true-to-life diverse mix of personalities and interests makes this an engaging and rewarding read for all.

Awards and Recognition

Roller Girl is a recipient of the 2016 Newbery Honor, a New York Times bestseller, and a named “Best Book” by Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and School Library Journal. It has also been featured on many other recommended reading lists and has received several starred reviews.

“Jamieson captures this snapshot of preteen angst with a keenly decisive eye, brilliantly juxtaposing the nuances of roller derby with the twists and turns of adolescent girls' friendships. Clean, bright illustrations evince the familiar emotions and bring the pathos to life in a way that text alone could not. […] Full of charm and moxie—don’t let this one roll past.”—Kirkus Starred Review

“[Astrid] undergoes some uncomfortable preadolescent ordeals before reconciling with Nicole, in scenes that Jamieson, in her first graphic novel, keeps blessedly free of smarminess. Jamieson’s full-color cartooning has a Sunday comics vibe, and her pacing is faultless […] Readers will want to stand up and cheer.”—Publishers Weekly Starred Review

“The bright, detailed, and colorful illustrations convey Astrid’s scrappy personality while also focusing on the high-contact aspect of Roller Derby: the girls hip check and elbow one another right out of the panels. While learning the game, Astrid learns how to be a friend and, maybe, that not all friendships are forever. A touching look at the ups and downs of following one’s dreams, in addition to introducing readers to a relatively unknown sport.”—Maggie Reagan, Booklist Review

Connections

Roller Girl introduces readers to the sport of roller derby. If you have the opportunity, try watching a roller derby bout! Also let this graphic novel serve as inspiration to get out and skate.

Discuss with children what their favorite sports or other hobbies are. Ask them if there’s something they’ve been wanting to learn, and look into ways to get started. Children may also enjoy drawing a short comic about their own friends and interests.

Readers who liked this title may also like:

• Real Friends by Shannon Hale
• Drum Roll, Please by Lisa Jenn Bigelow
• Smile by Raina Telgemeier
• Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier
• Lumberjanes: Beware the Kitten Holy by Noelle Stevenson
• All Summer Long by Hope Larson
• The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Perez

*This review was written for a youth literature class through Texas Woman’s University.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

 

Stiefvater, Maggie. The Scorpio Races. New York: Scholastic Inc., 2011. ISBN 9780545224918

Plot

Puck Connolly, a teenage girl, lives on a craggy, windswept island with her two brothers after her parents were killed by the capaill uisce, the water horses. Her older brother decides to leave their small island for the mainland to pursue a better job and flee his lingering sorrow. But the Connolly’s house is owned by a wealthy horse breeder, and they are in danger of losing it. Sean Kendrick’s father was killed by the capaill uisce years earlier in the Scorpio Races, a deadly water horse race that takes place every November. However, that hasn’t stopped Sean from developing a deep bond with one of the capaill uisce and entering the races every year. This water horse is owned by the same horse breeder, and it’ll take more than Sean owns to buy it from him. Puck has never paid much attention to the races, but Sean is a four-time champion. This year, they both have compelling reasons to enter the races and win the large cash prize.

Analysis

The Scorpio Races take place on an unspecified island in the east Atlantic Ocean in an unspecified time period in the mid-20^th century. The island is harsh and unforgiving. Some would find it bleak, but through the eyes of Puck and Sean readers discover its beauty. Stiefvater creates an immersive experience, alternating between first person point of views as told by Puck and Sean. Readers are able to smell the salt air, taste the bitter winds and the sweet festival foods, and feel the spirit of the island. Chapters are titled with the characters’ names so that it’s easy to follow along.

With Puck’s limited knowledge of the Scorpio Races, readers are introduced to the races along with Puck as she learns more about their history and unique culture. Puck has a regular horse of her own named Dove. As one would expect, Puck has a fear of and resentment towards water horses, and so decides to enter the race on Dove. Regular horses aren’t as fast as water horses, but they are more predictable and less deadly. Puck is determined to follow her own path. She doesn’t quite fit in with the others on the island, but the island is a part of her. Sean doesn’t fit in with the others on the island either, for different reasons. He has an innate ability to train both regular horses and water horses—leading to his deep bond with one of the capaill uisce and his multiple wins of the races. Sean and Puck come together as they prepare for the race. Refreshingly, they are supportive of each other rather than overly competitive, and a believable, natural romance slowly develops. Themes of perseverance, determination, roots, and home are strong throughout, set against the backdrop of an untamed island and a deadly competition. Puck and Sean discover that things don’t always go exactly as planned, but there is still hope for the future.

Awards and Recognition

Stiefvater is a best-selling author, and The Scorpio Races received a 2012 Michael L. Printz Honor. It was also named Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year and has received many positive and starred reviews.

“The water horses are breathtakingly well-imagined, glorious and untamably violent. The final race, with Sean and Puck each protecting each other but both determined to win, comes to a pitch-perfect conclusion. Masterful. Like nothing else out there now. ”—Kirkus Starred Review

“Maggie Stiefvater’s violent, stand-out fantasy, ‘The Scorpio Races,’ is set on the fictional island of Thisby […] Stiefvater’s descriptions of the small island community, from the gossipy butcher shop to the sacred hush of the Malvern stables, are poetically rendered and steeped in a belief system that feels entirely real.”—Jennifer Hubert Swan, New York Times Book Review

“Stiefvater’s narration is as much about atmospherics as it is about event, and the water horses are the environment in which Sean and Puck move, allies and rivals to the end. It’s not a feel-good story—dread, loss, and hard choices are the islanders’ lot. As a study of courage and loyalty tested, however, it is an utterly compelling read.”—Publishers Weekly Starred Review

Connections

A bright spot in life on the gray, windswept island is “November Cakes,” a festival food available each autumn as preparations and celebrations for the horse races are underway. The recipe for November Cakes is provided in the back of the book. Preparing and sharing these cakes is an excellent way to extend the experience, further immerse yourself in the culture of the book, and entice others to pick it up and read.

Read the brief author’s note, award acceptance speech, and discussion between author and editor to gain a deeper understanding of the inspiration and work that went into writing the book.

Readers who enjoyed this title may also enjoy:

• Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater
• Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
• Terrier by Tamora Pierce
• Titans by Victoria Scott
• Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

*This review was written for a youth literature class through Texas Woman’s University.

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

 

Barnhill, Kelly. The Girl Who Drank the Moon. Chapel Hill: Algonquin Young Readers, 2016. ISBN 9781616205676

Plot

Antain, an almost-thirteen-year-old, lives in a poor town full of sorrow bordered by a bog on one edge and a dangerous forest on the other. The privileged elders control the only safe passage through the forest to the towns on the other side. A witch resides in the forest, and every year the townspeople must sacrifice the youngest baby so that the witch does not destroy their town. The townspeople do not know why the witch wants the babies or what she does with them, but it has always been that way.

Xan, a kind elderly witch, lives in a forest with Glerk, a wise bog monster, and Fyrian, a Simply Enormous Dragon (or possibly a Perfectly Tiny Dragon). The forest is bordered by a town overshadowed by sorrow on one side and towns full of happiness on the other. Every year she finds a baby abandoned in the woods. She does not know why the babies are abandoned, but she brings them to loving homes on the other side of the forest.

One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight, gifting the girl with magic. Xan realizes she must raise the baby girl herself. As the girl approaches thirteen, forgotten memories resurface, worlds collide, and the true evil begins to reveal itself.

Analysis

Barnhill masterfully weaves together multiple interrelated storylines told by various characters. The reader gradually learns more about the world as townspeople share folktales and history with their children and as secrets and memories are revealed. Titles introduce each chapter, giving clues about what is going to happen next. Humor and irony is present throughout, from the tiny dragon who believes he is enormous to the entitled elders who are thwarted in their plans.

Readers will root for the myriad of characters, regardless of age, gender, or species. Luna, the girl who drank the moon, is intelligent and lively, often getting into trouble without meaning to. Fyrian, the dragon of indeterminate size, is still a baby after half a millennium and doesn’t always understand what going on, but is loving and lovable nonetheless. Xan, the good-hearted and talented witch, heals others and brings families together, but is not infallible. Glerk, the wise bog-monster turned poet, reluctantly (but deeply) loves his unique family in the forest. Antain, the young-boy-turned-man, wishes to protect his family and the rest of the town, but he struggles to find his path. Along with a madwoman in a tower who can see the truth, a new mother who can inspire others, and a flock of paper birds, they will discover the true sorrow-causing evil and come together to find the hope and love necessary to defeat it.

This timeless story shows us that growing up can mean facing difficult truths, but facing these troubles head on is possible with the support of others. Sorrow can be stifling, but hope defeats sorrow, and hope exists in the most sorrowful of places. Love does not exist without loss, but love is infinite, and it is infinitely stronger than the power of the selfish.

Awards and Recognition

The Girl Who Drank the Moon is a winner of the 2017 Newbery Medal and a New York Times Bestseller. It has been featured on many “best book” lists and received numerous starred reviews.

“Replete with traditional motifs, this nontraditional fairy tale boasts sinister and endearing characters, magical elements, strong storytelling, and unleashed forces. […] Guaranteed to enchant, enthrall, and enmagick.”—Kirkus Starred Review

“Rich with multiple plotlines that culminate in a suspenseful climax, characters of inspiring integrity, a world with elements of both whimsy and treachery, and prose that melds into poetry. A sure bet for anyone who enjoys a truly fantastic story.”—Booklist Starred Review

“Barnhill writes with gentle elegance, conveying a deeply emotional and heartrending tale with accessible, fluid prose. Characters are skillfully developed: the heroes are flawed, the villains are humanized, and they are forgiven for sins they may or may have not intended. The swamp monster and dragon provide plenty of moments of humor to leaven the pathos, while the setting is infused with fairy tale elements, both magical and menacing, and given a tragic history.”—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Starred Review

“Barnhill crafts another captivating fantasy [and] delivers an escalating plot filled with foreshadowing, well-developed characters, and a fully realized setting, all highlighting her lyrical storytelling.”—Publishers Weekly Starred Review

Connections

Paper is featured heavily throughout this book—paper birds, paper maps, and homemade paper. Children may have fun making paper of their own using scraps of used paper. The finished paper can then be used to feature a poem, a map, or a letter to a family member. Children may also enjoy learning how to fold paper birds. Resources for making paper and folding origami birds can be easily found online and at your local library!

Readers who enjoyed this title may also enjoy

• The Witch’s Boy by Kelly Barnhill
• Iron Hearted Violet by Kelly Barnhill
• Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
• Lalani of the Distant Sea by Erin Entrada Kelly
• The Thickety: A Path Begins by J. A. White

*This review was written for a youth literature class through Texas Woman’s University.