''Derby Girl'' is a 2007 novel by

Shauna Cross Shauna Cross is an American screenwriter, novelist and former roller derby athlete. She skated for the Los Angeles Derby Dolls under the pseudonym "Maggie Mayhem", and subsequently wrote the 2007 novel ''Derby Girl'', a fictionalized version of ...

. It tells the story of Bliss Cavendar, a girl from the fictional town of Bodeen, Texas, whose mother wants her to compete in beauty pageants, and seeks escape in the world of

roller derby Roller derby is a roller skating contact sport played by two teams of fifteen members. Roller derby is played by approximately 1,250 amateur leagues worldwide, mostly in the United States. Game play consists of a series of short scrimmages (jam ...

. The book was named an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults and a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age. The novel was made into the movie '' Whip It'' directed by

Drew Barrymore Drew Blythe Barrymore (born February 22, 1975) is an American actress, director, producer, talk show host and author. A member of the Barrymore family of actors, she is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and a ...

References

2007 American novels Roller derby mass media American young adult novels American novels adapted into films Novels set in Texas {{2000s-ya-novel-stub