I fell in love with this on the first page.
It’s so fun and cute and it really makes me want to learn how to roller skate and better yet it makes me want to roller derby.
The author truly brings all the characters to life and the fact that they’re all diverse makes it so much better.
Kenzie's dad is trans!!
Tomoko is Japanese!
Kenzie has a crush on a girl named Bree who is black and has braids!!!
Representation people. Especially in children's books.
It matters.
The plot sets up the series overall. Kenzie and her best friend Shelly are trying to find three more girls so they can tryout for the local roller derby team. Of course this is easier said than done. The best friends also go through hardships in their own friendships and have to figure out how to work that out in the midst of the stress of finding the perfect fit for their team.
I originally requested this to read to my daughter but I didn’t think this would captivate me as it did. I’ll definitely be further reading this series and purchasing it for her because I believe this is something she should be indulging in. Thank you so much for writing it.

And thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this copy of my ARC.

Thank you Abrams Kids/Amulet Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. One of my favorite graphic novels is by Victoria Jamison and it is called Roller Girl. This is what started my fascination with Roller Derby (although I do remember watching some as a kid) and when I saw this cover pop up all over my Twitter, I knew I had to grab a copy! I feel so lucky that I got one too.

I gave this book 4 stars and already have it ready to order in the fall when I get back to my classroom. This book is a perfect fit for 6th graders because of it’s accessibility to a wide-range of readers and the perfect themes for middle schoolers-those of friendship, identity, and perseverance.

I can’t wait for the next book! I love that it is a series.

This book is a quick middle grade read. I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the introduction of the characters especially Camila because he character shows things don’t always work out they way we hope but they always happen the way they should! Also loved the representation of the social struggle kenzie had while shelly was making new friends. This is a true story of hard work, practice, and new friendship!

Kenzie "Kenzilla" and Shelly "Bombshell" are best friends. They have always dreamed of being on the same team doing roller derby tricks and becoming superstars. They are excited when a Roller Derby Jr. team opens up, Kenzie and Shelly's friendship will be tested.

The Derby Daredevils is a promising new series from Kit Rosewater. Kenzie Kickstarts a Team is the first book, and tells the “origin story” of this unlikely group of young derby skaters. Kenzie’s mother is a roller derby player, and when Kenzie sees an opportunity to play for a junior league, she and her best friend jump at the chance. But in order to play together, they need to form an entire team! Taking on topics such as first crushes, friendship, consideration of others and resilience, this is a terrific story. I love the normalized LGBTQ representation in the story, and the important lessons Kenzie learns, without any kind of moralizing. I have pre-ordered this book, and look forward to sharing with my students.

A middle ages book that's full of heart and dealing with difficult feelings around friendship and liking-liking someone for the first time.

As a roller derby player, I was really looking forward to reading this book. And there is a lot of roller derby in it! And while the sport is the motivating factor, the heart and soul is the relationship between Kenzie and Shelly, who have been best friends forever. The emotions Kenzie feels as their relationship changes (not better, not worse, just different) over the course of the book felt true to me. As did Kenzie's confused interactions with a person who makes her feel funny things in her stomach.

I really like the team of five they assemble - bringing three new people into their circle of friendship - and I look forward to reading the adventures of the team in the future.

I received an ARC from the publisher for review via NetGalley.

What a great middle grade novel! This book is the ultimate for reluctant readers. The writing is engaging, the illustrations keep the story moving, and the subject matter is universally appealing.

This book addresses some real situations that middle grade readers face including friendship, adversity, and having crushes. The length of the book is just read at around 150 pages.

The publisher generously provided me with a copy of the book upon request on NetGalley. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

E ARC provided by Netgalley



Kenzie and her best friend Shelley love roller derby, a sport in which they are interested because Kenzie's mother is involved. They both hope to join a team when they are in high school, so are super excited to see that there are try outs for ages 10-14 teams at the warehouse in Austin, Texas where they have been skating. The only problem is that they really want to try out together, and find that the only way they can do this is to put together a team of five. They don't have a lot of time, but look around their school and approach several people. Tomoko is fearless at basketball but not getting enough time on the court, and is willing to give it a try. Jules is involved in a Shakespeare theater group, but always getting in trouble for her sword fighting, and is also willing to give it a try. Celia, from the same theater group, is less thrilled, especially since she has never skated. Shelley wants Bree, who is in their class at school and skateboards, to try out, but Kenzie doesn't want to have her around, mainly because she has a nascent crush on Bree and doesn't know how to handle it. The girls take their team to the tryouts, and while things don't quite work out as they planned, they are ultimately successful.

Strengths: This had a lot of good drama in it-- Kenzie worrying that Shelley is becoming friends with Tomoko, the crush on Bree, and the stress of putting together a team in order to be able to skate in a league. There are a lot of illustrations, although not as many as a graphic novel. The details about roller derby moves and competition are also interesting. This was a fun, quick read.
Weaknesses: The girls are in fifth grade, and there are some details that make this seem a bit young.
What I really think: I'm not sure how interested my readers are going to be in a book about roller derby that isn't Roller Girls, but this is an unusual and innovative book about a sport, so I think I'll give it a try.

An obvious match for readers of Roller Girl. Kenzie learns how to make new friends while holding on to an old one. A good example of how young girls can learn to work together and grow as people.

Roller derby is tough. And, apparently, so is friendship.

Kenzie--AKA Kenzilla--wants nothing more than to be on a roller derby team like her mom. She and her best friend, Shelly--AKA Bombshell--practice whenever they can, waiting for the day they are old enough to join in the teen league. So they are ecstatic to learn that there is a new league, just for girls their age! There's just one problem: try-outs could mean a separation of the Dynamic Duo! When the girls learn that they can try-out as a team, it seems like the perfect solution! Except... they're a duo. And you need 5 for a derby team. Can they find three more girls in a week?

A wonderful first book in what should be a phenomenal series, "Kenzie Kickstarts a Team" is a great introduction to roller derby and has a strong focus on teamwork, friendship, and different ways to be brave. Kenzie and Shelley work through a rough patch in their friendship, while learning how to let new people into their circle, and each member of the team figures out where they fit into the team, and where they fit in in general. The series is also wonderfully inclusive with a racially and body type diverse cast, as well as LGBT themes. Perfect for girls who want more of Victoria Jamieson's graphic novel, "Roller Girl", and for sporty girls in general, I cannot wait to see more of these Daredevils!

This was a wonderful book--Kenzie was full of life and such a relatable character. I loved the beginning feelings about her crush on Bree, and how she made Kenzie nervous and how Kenzie wasn't ready to talk about those feelings, but her sexuality wasn't the point of the novel, either. I would happily hand this book to every young reader in my life. My only concern is for poor Camilla! I hope we see her shine in a future book in this series in her own way, even if that way is off the rink!