Astrid has always done everything with her best friend Nicole. So when Astrid falls in love with roller derby and signs up for a summer camp, she's sure Nicole will be right by her side - until Nicole signs up for ballet camp instead, with Astrid's biggest rival. And so begins the hardest summer of Astrid's life, as she struggles to stay on her skates, to learn who she is without Nicole . . . and to find out what it takes to be a strong, tough, awesome roller girl.
The 1950s phenomenon of Roller Derby is back in full force, and it's definitely not your grandma's game anymore. With leagues in more than one hundred cities across the country, a national tournament, and major sponsors, the new wave of the sport has gone mainstream. No one is better qualified to tell the story of Flat Track Derby's astronomic rise than Melissa "Melicious" Joulwan. As a founding member of the Texas Rollergirls -- the league that launched the sport and the reigning national champions -- she has helped redefine what it means to be stylish, sporty, and sexy. With her mouthy, tough-as-nails style, Melicious recounts her best tales from the track: her fierce rivalries with The Wrench and Ivanna S. Pankin, the scene at the annual national tournament, the thrill of a bout, and the infractions that so often bring her to the penalty box. From the minute she first laced up her skates and wrapped herself in her alter ego, Roller Derby has given her a confidence boost, and she shares the positive impact the sport has also had on girls -- young and not-so-young -- who tack posters of her on their bedroom walls and lace up their own skates. Complete with photos and suggestions on how to develop a Rollergirl name and persona, this unprecedented tell-all comes from the woman who's watched the sport evolve from an underground Friday-night event to a bona fide national phenomenon.
Recently divorced Tina Durham is trying to be self-sufficient, but her personal-training career is floundering, her closest friends are swept up in new relationships, and her washing machine has just flooded her kitchen. It's enough to make a girl cry. Instead, she calls a plumbing service, and Joanne "Joe Mama" Delario comes to the rescue. Joe is sweet, funny, and good at fixing things. She also sees something special in Tina and invites her to try out for the roller derby team she coaches. Derby offers Tina an outlet for her frustrations, a chance to excel, and the female friendships she's never had before. And as Tina starts to thrive at derby, the tension between her and Joe cranks up. Despite their player/coach relationship, they give in to their mutual attraction. Sex in secret is hot, but Tina can't help but want more. With work still on the rocks and her relationship in the closet, Tina is forced to reevaluate her life. Can she be content with a secret lover? Or with being dependent on someone else again? It's time for Tina to tackle her fears, both on and off the track.
Fifteen-(Earth)-year-old Trish "Trash" Nupindju dreams of derby stardom. When you come from a multiracial family of poor moisture farmers on Mars, making the local hover derby team seems like the only way out. But when Trish finally gets (AKA sneaks into) a tryout, will this "fresh meat" have what it takes to make the cut? And then when a half-dead Martian shows up on her doorstep, how will that change what Trish had planned for her future? Find out in the first volume of this new science fiction trilogy from award-winning graphic novelist Jessica Abel. Part science fiction, part rollicking roller derby adventure story, Trish Trash: Rollergirl of Mars is a compelling character study of a young girl who feels trapped by the circumstances of her birth and economic situation.
Calling all Raina Telgemeier fans! The Newbery Honor-winning author of Roller Girl is back with a heartwarming graphic novel about starting middle school, surviving your embarrassing family, and the Renaissance Faire. Eleven-year-old Imogene (Impy) has grown up with two parents working at the Renaissance Faire, and she's eager to begin her own training as a squire. First, though, she'll need to prove her bravery. Luckily Impy has just the quest in mind—she'll go to public school after a life of being homeschooled! But it's not easy to act like a noble knight-in-training in middle school. Impy falls in with a group of girls who seem really nice (until they don't) and starts to be embarrassed of her thrift shop apparel, her family's unusual lifestyle, and their small, messy apartment. Impy has always thought of herself as a heroic knight, but when she does something really mean in order to fit in, she begins to wonder whether she might be more of a dragon after all. As she did in Roller Girl, Victoria Jamieson perfectly—and authentically—captures the bittersweetness of middle school life with humor, warmth, and understanding.
NOMINATED FOR MULTIPLE STATE AWARDS! Calling all Raina Telgemeier fans! Introducing an irresistible new middle-grade graphic novel series about growing up, friendship, heroes, and cats (lots of cats!)--perfect for fans of Guts, Awkward and Real Friends (not to mention anyone who loves cats!) “Readers will revel in the heroic antics.” --The New York Times Katie is dreading the boring summer ahead while her best friends are all away at camp--something that's way out of Katie and her mom's budget, UNLESS Katie can figure out a way to earn the money for camp herself. But when Katie gets a job catsitting for her mysterious upstairs neighbor, life get interesting. First, Madeline has 217 cats (!) and they're not exactly . . . normal cats. Also, why is Madeline always out EXACTLY when the city's most notorious villain commits crimes?! Is it possible that Katie's upstairs neighbor is really a super villain? Can Katie wrangle a whole lot of wayward cats, save a best friendship (why is Beth barely writing back? And who's this boy she keeps talking about?!), AND crack the biggest story in the city's history? Some heroes have capes . . . Katie has cats! Don't miss the next Katie the Catsitters—Katie the Catsitter 2: Best Friends for Never and Katie the Catsitter 3: Secrets and Sidekicks! A Florida Sunshine State Reader Award nominee A South Carolina Book Award nominee A Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award nominee A Vermont Golden Dome Book Award nominee A Maine Student Book Award nominee A North Carolina Children's Book Award nominee An Indiana Young Hoosier Book Award nominee An Illinois Bluestem Readers’ Choice nominee And more!
Paige Turner has just moved to New York with her family, and she's having some trouble adjusting to the big city. In the pages of her sketchbook, she tries to make sense of her new life, including trying out her secret identity: artist. As she makes friends and starts to explore the city, she slowly brings her secret identity out into the open, a process that is equal parts terrifying and rewarding. Laura Lee Gulledge crafts stories and panels with images that are thought-provoking, funny, and emotionally resonant. Teens struggling to find their place can see themselves in Paige's honest, heartfelt story. Praise for Page by Paige “Gulledge's b&w illustrations are simple but well-suited to their subject matter; the work as a whole is a good-natured, optimistic portrait of a young woman evolving toward adulthood.” –Publishers Weekly
Roller derby is now the fastest growing sport in the world. The revival of this fast-paced female-dominated sport has seen over 1,000 leagues established internationally since it began in 2001. Roller derby is a tough, sexy and stylish contact sport that is taking the world by storm. How many other sports can you name that feature players decked out in fishnet tights and miniskirts, gold hotpants and warpaint, as well as a showcase of tattoos? Flat Track Fashion is the very first book that features stunning fashion photographs documenting the visual feast of feisty fashions from leagues all over the world and captures the spirit and style of the roller derby revival. Complete with foreword by veteran skater Virginia 'Cheap Trixie' Evans of the Texas Rollergirls, this book includes everything from the history and origin of the sport to uniforms and logos, personal styles and fashions from leagues around the world, protective gear and skates to menswear, referees, make up and tattoos. Flat Track Fashion is an exceptional publication, perfectly timed to capture the revival of the world's hottest sport.
