Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
  1. Bibliography
JamiesonVictoria. Roller Girl. Dial Books, an Imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 2015.
ISBN 9780803740167.
  1. Plot Summary
Astrid and her best friend Nicole are inseparable; they do everything together, that is
until the summer before their sixth grade year, when Astrid wants to go to Roller Derby
camp, and Nicole wants to go the ballet camp. This is a story that shows how friends can
become interested in other things and perhaps gain other friendships, but at the end of
the day can still remain friends.

  1. Critical Analysis
I am not normally a fan of reading graphic novels. I generally can’t get into the books
because the writing doesn’t seem very deep, but this book is the exception. Although the
emotions are not always on the surface, if you look just a bit below, you can see (and feel)
all the emotions Astrid goes through in this coming-of-age story. Through the use of
pictures and quick tidbits of dialogue and scene setting, the reader is able to surmise the
difficulty the narrator is going through as she grows up and grows apart from her best
friend. I believe students in middle school will be able to relate to Astrid’s character.
They will be able to relate to the fear Astrid feels starting middle school, the
strangeness of seeing her best friend on a date with a boy, and the awkwardness of
fighting with her best friend and then making up later on. 
  1. Review Excerpts
  • 2016-2017 Texas Bluebonnet Award winner
  • New York Times Bestseller
  • A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2015
  • 2016 Newbery Honor book
  1. Connections
  • Play this book trailer with students to promote the book


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