Dorothy's Derby Chronicles: Rise of the Undead Redhead

This has been, hands down, the best book for girls nearing the middle school grades. As for my bias: I have a daughter who is starting middle school next year and my wife skates derby - so we are familiar with the sport.

That being said, this book was basically a love letter to the lessons kids this age need to learn and with which they will struggle:

Cliques
Bullying
Not judging someone by their looks
Standing up for yourself
Families with absent parents
Friends with different backgrounds (cultural or SES)
Being raised by a grandparent
Taking responsibility for mistakes
Perseverance
Being ok with being an outsider
Older siblings taking care of younger ones
Having an interest in a boy
Non-traditional families


Now whether a child of the target age would pick up on all the themes is something else entirely. But as far as I am concerned this is the best JF I have read in years. Highly recommended.