SLAM!

Gr 10 Up—Athletic and brainy Jennifer Chu and recently dumped and anxious Maisie Huff meet at roller derby tryouts and become best friends. While the two young women bond over the hard-hitting and rough-and-tumble struggles of making the team while balancing their personal lives, they grow more confident in their skills and appreciative of the sport. However, Jennifer and Maisie are chosen for rival teams and their relationship may not survive the competition. This volume collects the first four issues of the girl-powered comics celebrating roller derby and female friendship. Moana screenwriter Ribon's snarky humor and biting dialogue perfectly complement Fish's ("Archie") fresh, dynamic art. The design and variation of the panels bring to life the frenetic pace of the high-energy sport. The diverse cast includes women of all sizes, sexual orientations, and cultural backgrounds, and the art and text work together seamlessly to make each of the characters multidimensional. Teens who are ready to graduate from Victoria Jamieson's Roller Girls, John Allison's "Bad Machinery," and the "Lumberjanes" comics will gravitate to this series.