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The Derby Daredevils #3
Tomoko Takes the Lead
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
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
176 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2021
6 people are currently reading
100 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 15, 2021
Kit Rosewater has done it again with this wonderfully inclusive third helping of The Derby Daredevils. These books are easy for adults and kids alike to read and are complemented by several illustrations each chapter that enhance the reading experience.
In this round, readers are in Tomoko's head as the Daredevils gear up for a summer camp in Dallas. Tomoko is precious and I would lay down my life for her. She is initially hesitant to attend the camp because she's shy. She also misinterprets the camp's setting, believing it to be in the woods, a place she's familiar with because her uncle takes her on camping trips. This misunderstanding is ultimately what prompts Tomoko to agree to attend.
But when she gets to the camp and realizes it's actually located in a big city, Tomoko must learn to adjust and step up as a leader after her teammates get lost in Dallas.
On top of the lovely storyline, there are some great messages about body-positivity and the concept of microaggressions as relate to race and cultural differences is presented in a way that should be easy to digest for younger readers.
Another wonderful book by Rosewater. I hope Amulet picks up this series for another book (or three).
In this round, readers are in Tomoko's head as the Daredevils gear up for a summer camp in Dallas. Tomoko is precious and I would lay down my life for her. She is initially hesitant to attend the camp because she's shy. She also misinterprets the camp's setting, believing it to be in the woods, a place she's familiar with because her uncle takes her on camping trips. This misunderstanding is ultimately what prompts Tomoko to agree to attend.
But when she gets to the camp and realizes it's actually located in a big city, Tomoko must learn to adjust and step up as a leader after her teammates get lost in Dallas.
On top of the lovely storyline, there are some great messages about body-positivity and the concept of microaggressions as relate to race and cultural differences is presented in a way that should be easy to digest for younger readers.
Another wonderful book by Rosewater. I hope Amulet picks up this series for another book (or three).
June 16, 2021
Super cute. Tomoko is still my favorite!!
June 3, 2021
Still cute, with good lessons for young readers. There are a couple of conflict storylines here—one involving the team getting lost and one involving bullying—and they overlap in a 'find your voice' sort of message. I could have used a bit more depth from the bully character (who really is only ever seen as a bully), but I think the book did about as well as could be expected given the length constraints.
There's a teeny tiny romance developing over the series, and I'm torn—partly I'm happy to see normalisation of queer romance in middle grade fiction, but most of me thinks there's already too much romance in YA fiction, and I'd so much rather not see it encroaching on MG too. It's in the background, though, so as long as the whole series doesn't devolve into romance I guess I can't complain too much. Here's hoping for continued fun in the series.
There's a teeny tiny romance developing over the series, and I'm torn—partly I'm happy to see normalisation of queer romance in middle grade fiction, but most of me thinks there's already too much romance in YA fiction, and I'd so much rather not see it encroaching on MG too. It's in the background, though, so as long as the whole series doesn't devolve into romance I guess I can't complain too much. Here's hoping for continued fun in the series.
October 3, 2021
Another winner in this highly illustrated middle grade fiction series about a roller derby team. I found the content about racist and fatphobic bullying / microaggressions painfully real. Tomoko is such a shy sweetheart it's hard to read about her going through that. But it's wonderful to see her, well, as the title says take the lead eventually. It's so great to have a queer inclusive series about girl teammates working together and finding their voices.
June 4, 2021
In the third book of the Derby Daredevils series it's Tomoko's turn as narrator. This story didn't interest me as much as the previous two. It seemed really short and predictable. I did like seeing Tomoko get out of her comfort zone and be a leader but I would have liked more to the story than just the one main event. 3.5 stars.
June 12, 2021
Another great entry in this charming, action-packed series. Tomoko is such a distinct, lovable character, and it was fun to watch her take the spotlight in Book #3.
June 24, 2021
5 stars
July 4, 2021
Loved it!
June 1, 2022
Could not put this one down! Tomoko/The Tomonator is my favorite of The Daredevils. I wanted to give her so many hugs throughout this story.
March 11, 2024
worst one so far
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews