Booktalks Quick and Simple

	Jamieson, Victoria. ROLLER GIRL New York : Dial Books for Young Readers, 2015 IL 5-8, RL 3.1 ISBN 0525429670 (6 booktalks)
Click on the book to read Amazon reviews	Booktalk #1 Middle school is a tough time for kids. Interests are changing and sometimes friendships change as well. When Astrid and her best friend Nicole go to their first roller derby, Astrid has found what she wants to do. She plans to go to roller derby camp in the summer and just assumes that Nicole will too. But Nicole plans to go to dance camp. Astrid loves roller derby and works hard to be the best. But the other girls have a head start on her. But she makes a new friend and finds her passion. Will this mean that Nicole is left behind? Booktalk #2 Ladies and Gentlemen! Your roller derby skaters tonight are: Thrilla Godzilla, Illegally Blonde, Rainbow Bite, Napoleon Blownapart, Braidy Punch, Slay Miserables, and… Astrid. Astrid is looking forward to another summer spent with her best friend, Nicole. They’ve done everything together since 1st grade. But when Astrid signs up for Roller Derby Camp, expecting Nicole to join her, she’s in for a shock. Nicole is already signed up for dance camp, along with their grade’s mean girl, and seems more interested in boys than skates. Now, Astrid faces a long summer of drills, training, bruises & falls, all without her best friend. But as the weeks go by, Astrid learns how not to fall over (usually), how to make a proper war face, and even makes a new friend. But former-best-friend drama and a summer of secrets from her mom catch up, and now Astrid must decide what she wants, and WHO she wants to be. (Booktalk by Great Stone Face Award Committee, 2017) Booktalk #3 Twelve-year-old Astrid has been best friends with Nicole for almost her entire life. When Astrid excitedly discovers roller derby, she assumes that she and Nicole will go to roller derby summer camp together. Instead, Nicole makes other plans and goes to dance camp. Astrid struggles with the idea that she and her best friend are drifting apart. At the same time, she struggles to master the sport of roller derby, which turns out to be more physically and emotionally challenging than she ever imagined. In this vibrant graphic novel, Astrid learns many lessons on friendship, loss, and determination while also learning how to be a Roller Girl. (Vermont DCF Book Award 2017) Booktalk #4 Twelve-year-old Astrid and her best friend Nicole have always done everything together. The summer before they start middle school, Astrid decides she wants to join the local roller derby camp. She is crushed when she learns Nicole doesn’t want to go to roller derby camp but is going to ballet camp instead. Astrid ventures into the world of roller derby on her own. Along the way she learns some important lessons including how to fall small, color her hair blue, navigate changing friendships, and how to talk open and honestly with her mom. This graphic novel follows Astrid as she learns that it’s okay to move past friendships and form new ones. (Oklahoma Children’s Sequoyah 2018) Booktalk #5 Having a friend with no similar interests as you is hard, but losing a friend because of it is even harder. Twelve-year-old Astrid is about to find this out the hard way when she develops an interest in roller derby, but Nicole, her best friend since forever, wants nothing to do with roller derby… or Astrid. Does Astrid have what it takes to be a Derby Girl and make a name for herself? Find out in Victoria Jamieson’s graphic novel Roller Girl. (Oklahoma Intermediate Sequoyah Award, 2018) Booktalk #6 Astrid and her best friend Nicole used to do everything together, until Astrid goes to roller derby camp and Nicole goes to ballet camp. In one long summer, Astrid struggles to keep up with the older girls at roller derby camp, while trying to keep her friendship with Nicole from slipping away. She realizes that being great at roller derby requires a lot of hard work, and so do friendships. This book will appeal to fans of Raina Telgemeier. (Garden State Children's Book Awards, 2018)
	SUBJECTS: Best friends - Fiction. Cartoons and comics. Friendship -- Fiction. Graphic novels. Roller derby -- Fiction. Roller skating -- Fiction. Sports -- Fiction.

Jamieson, Victoria.
ROLLER GIRL
New York : Dial Books for Young Readers, 2015
IL 5-8, RL 3.1
ISBN 0525429670

(6 booktalks)

Click on the book to read Amazon reviews

Booktalk #1

Middle school is a tough time for kids. Interests are changing and sometimes friendships change as well. When Astrid and her best friend Nicole go to their first roller derby, Astrid has found what she wants to do. She plans to go to roller derby camp in the summer and just assumes that Nicole will too. But Nicole plans to go to dance camp. Astrid loves roller derby and works hard to be the best. But the other girls have a head start on her. But she makes a new friend and finds her passion. Will this mean that Nicole is left behind?

Booktalk #2

Ladies and Gentlemen! Your roller derby skaters tonight are: Thrilla Godzilla, Illegally Blonde, Rainbow Bite, Napoleon Blownapart, Braidy Punch, Slay Miserables, and… Astrid. Astrid is looking forward to another summer spent with her best friend, Nicole. They’ve done everything together since 1st grade. But when Astrid signs up for Roller Derby Camp, expecting Nicole to join her, she’s in for a shock. Nicole is already signed up for dance camp, along with their grade’s mean girl, and seems more interested in boys than skates. Now, Astrid faces a long summer of drills, training, bruises & falls, all without her best friend. But as the weeks go by, Astrid learns how not to fall over (usually), how to make a proper war face, and even makes a new friend. But former-best-friend drama and a summer of secrets from her mom catch up, and now Astrid must decide what she wants, and WHO she wants to be. (Booktalk by Great Stone Face Award Committee, 2017)

Booktalk #3

Twelve-year-old Astrid has been best friends with Nicole for almost her entire life. When Astrid excitedly discovers roller derby, she assumes that she and Nicole will go to roller derby summer camp together. Instead, Nicole makes other plans and goes to dance camp. Astrid struggles with the idea that she and her best friend are drifting apart. At the same time, she struggles to master the sport of roller derby, which turns out to be more physically and emotionally challenging than she ever imagined. In this vibrant graphic novel, Astrid learns many lessons on friendship, loss, and determination while also learning how to be a Roller Girl. (Vermont DCF Book Award 2017)

Booktalk #4

Twelve-year-old Astrid and her best friend Nicole have always done everything together. The summer before they start middle school, Astrid decides she wants to join the local roller derby camp. She is crushed when she learns Nicole doesn’t want to go to roller derby camp but is going to ballet camp instead. Astrid ventures into the world of roller derby on her own. Along the way she learns some important lessons including how to fall small, color her hair blue, navigate changing friendships, and how to talk open and honestly with her mom. This graphic novel follows Astrid as she learns that it’s okay to move past friendships and form new ones. (Oklahoma Children’s Sequoyah 2018)

Booktalk #5

Having a friend with no similar interests as you is hard, but losing a friend because of it is even harder. Twelve-year-old Astrid is about to find this out the hard way when she develops an interest in roller derby, but Nicole, her best friend since forever, wants nothing to do with roller derby… or Astrid. Does Astrid have what it takes to be a Derby Girl and make a name for herself? Find out in Victoria Jamieson’s graphic novel Roller Girl. (Oklahoma Intermediate Sequoyah Award, 2018)

Booktalk #6

Astrid and her best friend Nicole used to do everything together, until Astrid goes to roller derby camp and Nicole goes to ballet camp. In one long summer, Astrid struggles to keep up with the older girls at roller derby camp, while trying to keep her friendship with Nicole from slipping away. She realizes that being great at roller derby requires a lot of hard work, and so do friendships. This book will appeal to fans of Raina Telgemeier. (Garden State Children's Book Awards, 2018)

SUBJECTS:     Best friends - Fiction.
                        Cartoons and comics.
                        Friendship -- Fiction.
                        Graphic novels.
                        Roller derby -- Fiction.
                        Roller skating -- Fiction.
                        Sports -- Fiction.