Book: 256 paged short story, Whip It

Shauna Cross’s young adult novel Derby Girl has hit theaters with the renewed title of Whip It.  Written by a roller derby athlete, Cross published the book in 2007 and then adapted it for the big screen.  She was the primary screenwriter of Whip It which was released in theaters in early October of 2009.

Derby Girl is the short story of Bliss Cavendar, a blue-haired indie-lover, born and raised in the small town area of Bodeen, Texas.  The sixteen-year-old girl finds herself struggling to live under the watchful eye of her pageant-obsessed mother who, more than anything, would love to see her daughter in the Miss Bluebonnet’s Pageant—Bliss’s absolute worst nightmare.

For the time being, Bliss discovers a whole different world when she comes upon the eccentric sport of roller derby in down town Austin.  As an escape from reality becomes a place to belong to, she begins to take more risks such as crazy parties, hard-core boys in bands, and a few rules of independence that allow her to take fate into her own hands.

Roller derby brings out the teen’s stronger side until Bliss has to decide whether to follow her own dreams or those of her mother.  But other obstacles stand in her way like tolerating mean pageant-queen girls, handling her friendship with everlasting Pash Amini, suffering through a cheesy job at the Oink-Joint, keeping her real age under wraps,  and a few other challenging lessons that even Bliss (derby name: Babe Ruthless) has to learn.

Shauna Cross weaves a hilarious short-story filled with music and the world of roller derby as it is seen through the eyes of a true misfit.

8/10