Kit Rosewater

A highly illustrated middle-grade series that celebrates new friendships, first crushes, and getting out of your comfort zone Ever since they can remember, fifth-graders Kenzie (aka Kenzilla) and Shelly (aka Bomb Shell) have dreamed of becoming roller derby superstars. When Austin’s city league introduces a brand-new junior league, the dynamic duo celebrates! But they’ll need to try out as a five-person team. Kenzie and Shelly have just one week to convince three other girls that roller derby is the coolest thing on wheels. But Kenzie starts to have second thoughts when Shelly starts acting like everyone’s best friend . . . Isn’t she supposed to be Kenzie’s best friend? And things get really awkward when Shelly recruits Kenzie’s neighbor (and secret crush!) for the team. With lots of humor and an authentic middle-grade voice, book one of this illustrated series follows Kenzie, Shelly, and the rest of the Derby Daredevils as they learn how to fall—and get back up again.

The highly illustrated Derby Daredevils middle-grade series by writer Kit Rosewater and illustrator Sophie Escabasse continues in Book 3, Tomoko Takes the Lead , as shy Tomoko and the team attend roller derby summer camp in nearby Dallas, Texas. School’s out, and the Derby Daredevils are excited to spend all summer tearing up the track. But, the coaches have something special the Austin league is heading to Dallas for a week of roller derby sleepaway camp! Tomoko could not be more excited—she loves roller derby and her team. Plus, she’s been going camping with her uncle every summer since she can remember. She’s got all the gear and the skills she needs for two weeks in the great outdoors. But roller derby camp isn’t in the great outdoors. It’s in the middle of the city. And it means meeting a bunch of new kids, which isn’t exactly a strength for shy, introverted Tomoko. Disappointed, she puts her head down and skates hard until the team gets lost in the middle of Dallas—without a grown-up or a cell phone to guide them back to camp. Tomoko uses her wilderness skills and navigational know-how to lead them home, and her calm demeanor to keep everyone feeling safe. Also The Derby Kenzie Kickstarts a Team The Derby Shelly Struggles to Shine

Perfect for fans of Roller Girl, Book #2 in Kit Rosewater’s series about roller derby explores what is means to be a team player—now in paperback!   Now part of the official junior roller derby league, the Derby Daredevils are ready to compete in their first tournament. Kenzie writes new game plays. Bree works on her speed. Tomoko sharpens her blocking skills. And Jules fearlessly hip checks everyone in sight. But Shelly isn’t sure what she’s best at. In hopes of taking home the tournament’s Star Skater award, Shelly designs extra-special gear for the Daredevils. But not everything works as well as Shelly imagined, and she can’t get the team on board. Without the gear, how will Shelly shine on the track? With high-energy illustrations from Sophie Escabasse and lots of roller derby action, Book #2 in the series explores individuality while hitting home what it really means to be part of a team.

A high school field hockey star must choose between her love of the game and her new, distractingly beautiful rival in this queer YA romance perfect for fans of She Drives Me Crazy and Cleat Cute!Evelyn was raised to see field hockey as war.Before she could write her own name, her family’s legacy on the field was already spelled out. Every step Evelyn takes toward glory is within a footprint her mother left behind. And no step matters more than this next one, with Evelyn about to lead her varsity team into their final battle season. Evelyn is beyond ready to score the Nationals title and win the critical scholarship to her mom’s alma mater that comes with it.This year, she’s out for blood, and nothing can stand in her way......except for Rosa Alvarez, the highly talented new recruit on her biggest rival’s team.After a humiliating homecoming game and follow-up prank leave the two enemies in a stalemate, they grudgingly strike a deal to help each other overcome their weaknesses on the field. But the more time Evelyn spends with Rosa, the more she finds herself casting her hardened armor aside, until she begins to wonder what life might be like if she left the battlefield behind and fought for love instead.