Kenzie Kickstarts a Team

FRIENDS! i just finished this WONDERFUL MG debut by Kit Rosewater and i ADORE IT!<br /><br /> THE DERBY DAREDEVILS has:<br />- a diverse cast of characters!<br />- f/f first crush!<br />- girls kicking ass!<br />- casual queerness (FEAT. A TRANS DAD!)<br /><br />seriously this book is SO SWEET and SO MUCH FUN!<br /><br />the Casual Queerness was definitely my favorite part, but this is also a great book about empowering girls, and learning how to share your best friend (WHICH IS SO HARD). this is a fantastic book for MG and HIGHLY recommend it for sporty kids who are resistant to reading!

All the shiny gold stars for an MG debut I LOVED because it hits the middle grade sweet spot in so many ways. I’m seriously excited about this book and getting it into the hands of young readers in March 2020.<br /><br />This book is PERFECT for the younger middle grade crowd, and I was thrilled to hear that it’s the first book in a series. It’s highly illustrated (by the talented #sophieescabasse), it’s a reasonable length, and it’s mature enough that readers won’t feel like it’s a “little kid” book. Kenzie has a transgender dad who is mentioned in a very clever way, but plays a small supporting role. Kenzie is questioning her own sexuality, but in a very understated way, and it’s not a main focus of the story. The competitive roller derby theme will appeal to a wide range of sports lovers. It’s a book about friendship, teamwork, compromise, finding your people, and not giving up.<br /><br />This is a must-read for 2020, and I highly recommend you preorder a copy.

Middle grade roller derby series! The main character has a crush on another girl! Also, her dad is trans. This is adorable, and I can't wait for the next in the series to come out.<br /><br />Full review at <a href="https://lesbrary.com/2020/03/20/danika-reviews-kenzie-kickstarts-a-team-the-derby-daredevils-1-by-kit-rosewater-illustrated-by-sophie-escabasse/" rel="nofollow noopener">the Lesbrary</a>.

4.5 stars!<br />What an awesome middle grade debut! This was a super fun illustrated story about two 10-year-old BFFs, Shelly and Kenzie, who are trying to put together a roller derby team. They need three more girls, but that's easier said than done. <br /><br />Complications ensue when jealousy comes up in their friendship, disagreements about who are the best candidates, and Kenzie's just discovered crush on Bree, who Shelly wants for the team. (I highly identify with her crush strategy, which is avoid talking to the person to such an extent that they think you dislike them). Then once they find girls interested, they have to teach them how to skate and play!<br /><br />All the girls have fun, distinct personalities and the derby action scenes at the tryouts at the end were so fun! I'm so glad this is the beginning of a series. This is a winner I would recommend to lots of kids at the library. <br /><br />Other queer rep inculdes Kenzie's dad, who is trans. As for the kids, Bree is Black, Tomoko is Japanese American, Camila is Latina; the other three girls are presumably white.

<a href="https://www.thenerddaily.com/kenzie-kickstarts-a-team-by-kit-rosewater/" rel="nofollow noopener">Originally published on The Nerd Daily</a> | Review by Mimi Koehler<br /><br />What do you get if you pick up a copy?<br /><br />- Girls supporting girls and standing up for themselves!<br />- Stereotypes like “girls can’t play basketball” or “girls are too weak to play derby” are kicked in the butt in this book!<br />- The most diverse and awesome group of friends you could ask for<br />- There is a quiz on Kit’s website where you can find out which of the Daredevils you are most like!<br /><br />Review:<br /><br />If I had to summarise this book in one word, it would be “wholesome”. It is entirely impossible to get rid of the cheesy smile you’ll be wearing when you read Kenzie’s story. Kenzie Kickstarts a Team follows Kenzie as she and her best friend Shelly try to find three other derby players so they can show up as a team on tryouts – and crush the other teams, obviously. Kenzie and Shelly who have always been a duo are dealing with their own doubts and insecurities as they search for new players to fit their impromptu team and the girls they find are refreshingly inclusive and diverse. From Tomoko, a shy and amazing basketball player, to Bree who is cool, confident, and knows her way around a skateboard, there is someone to relate to for everyone who picks up this book. The competitive streak that bonds them all together made the stakes higher and keeps you on your toes as you keep your fingers crossed for the girls to get what they’re working so hard for. And as is the case in roller derby, so it is in life – these girls have to figure out how to fall and then get back up again and start all over.<br /><br />This sweet book delves deep into the dynamics of friendship and the fear of growing up ultimately meaning growing apart. As new friends change the way Kenzie and Shelly interact and see each other, there are some hurt feelings and miscommunications. But this is also a tale of encouragement and a reminder that you have to stick together and let the other person expand their horizons while still having them be part of your life. It’s a story about getting out of your comfort zone and opening up to the possibility of finding new friends – and maybe even more than that. Yes, there is a hint of romance in the works for Kenzie and I am keeping my fingers crossed that readers will get to see where her crush on Bree takes her in the next instalment!<br /><br />A charming debut filled with friends supporting each other and superb illustrations, The Derby Daredevils prove what we have known all along – girls who stick together can rule the world – and derby tryouts, obviously.

This was so cute!! It’s out of my age demographic but I’d definitely give it to a middle schooler, especially fans of Roller Girl. The discussions around friendship and friends growing apart were great, as was the casual queer rep, both with Kenzie and with her dad, who’s a trans man!

Loved, loved, loved this fun middle-grade read from debut author Kit Rosewater. This book features tough, caring girls and a diverse cast and is a perfect read for adventure-loving kids. These roller derby girls are some of the coolest (and yet super relatable) kids I've seen in kidlit.

Middle Grade Book featuring LGBTQ+ Themes: #3 <br /><br />I'm half tempted to see how the rest of the series plays out. I would highly encourage middle grade readers to check this out especially the girls. I loved the team spirit and expanding your inner circle theme. Plus, roller derby is interesting as heck! The author does a fine job with LGBTQ+ representation as Kenzie's Dad is trans. Kenzie also deals with a female crush of her own. Such a great and positive story. I think this will be one of the books selected for my book talk next month!

Rosewater’s fun, sporty, and eminently relatable debut kicks off the wonderfully illustrated Derby Daredevils series with a bang, or should I say a Bomb Shell? That’s the derby name for Shelly, who together with Kenzie (that’s Kenzilla to you) dreams of becoming a roller derby superstar. But the only way the girls can guarantee getting to run together is if they try out as a team, and two girls does not a team make; getting another three on board is going to be key if they’re ever gonna have a shot. But Kenzie doesn’t love Shelly’s recruitment process and how quickly she seems to be making new besties, and it only gets more awkward when she tries to recruit Kenzie’s secret crush for the team. (Rep note: in addition to being queer herself, Kenzie’s also got a trans dad!)

This was super cute and I’m excited to read the rest of the series!!