The Jammer by Nova Weetman

Publisher blurb: Fred has moved around her whole life, one small town after another, and never minded starting over. She’s always had her mum, her dad, and her love of roller derby. On the track she’s Fred or Dead, the star jammer, a gun at smashing through a line of bodies and scoring for her team. But Fred’s life has fallen apart, and now she can’t imagine ever putting her skates on again. On a road trip to Melbourne with her dad, Fred meets a bunch of people who think they know what’s best for her. And although Fred tries to avoid it, roller derby has a way of barging back into her life. A true jammer could push through anything, but Fred doesn’t know who she is anymore. What do you do when the thing that could save you is the thing that hurts the most? This moving story of broken bones and healing hearts is a must-read for Nova Weetman’s fans and will find her many new ones.

I found this blurb a little bit strange - most the story takes place in Melbourne and that is where Fred meets people who want to help her - not "on the road".  Also in the story Fred catches a tram with her new friend Sammy. The book says they pull the cord on the tram but if this book is set in 2022 (which I think it is) I'm confused. I thought I used a button on a Melbourne tram on my recent visit to the city, but Nova Weetman is from Melbourne so perhaps I am wrong. 

This is sweet story of self discovery. Fred is a memorable character. I have read stories exactly like this in the past with a grieving father and angry confused child so there is nothing especially original here but readers aged 10+ will enjoy this book. As an adult reader I was not especially interested in the roller derby scenes but readers who play sport - especially roller derby - are sure to really enjoy these references and games. 

Here is Nova Weetman's web site. And here are a set of teachers notes for The Jammer. Read more of the plot here in the Reading Time review. And here is an extensive author interview by Joy Lawn on her blog Paperbark Words.

There are plenty of words that seem appropriate to describe this story; heart-breaking, heart-warming and poignant being amongst them. But the two words that sprang to mind for me were real and raw. Weetman has spoken about hers and her children’s grief after the death of her partner, and how that grief fed into this book. This story gives a palpable sense of that period in Weetman’s life. However, at no stage does the story feel morbid or hopeless. Story Links

I have previously talked about these books by Nova Weetman.

Sick Bay

The Secrets we Keep