Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

Astrid and Nicole have always been best friends, and have always done everything together. That is, until, one day, when Astrid falls in love with roller derby, and Nicole... doesn't. Nicole doesn't want to sign up to the Roller summer camp, she wants to sign up for ballet (*GASP!*). Not only is ballet not roller derby, ballet camp also contains Astrid's least favourite person in the world, the mean Rachel.

With Astrid and Nicole's fall out comes a hard summer for Astrid, full of skating, falling down and bruises, and trying to learn who she is without Nicole by her side. Making new friends at roller camp, but also trying to keep the fall out a secret from her mum, means that Astrid is mentally and physically exhausted. Will she be able to keep it all together and make it through her first derby, and put her argument with Nicole behind her, and emerge a tough roller girl?

This book is such a gem - I read it in two sittings and was instantly cheered by it. Full of warmth and humour, this graphic novel is perfect. I am always on the lookout for books displaying realistic representations of friendship (and the ups and downs of it), and Roller Girl does it beautifully. I cannot recommend this book enough - it is simply wonderful.

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