Leave It on the Track

After surviving the tragic roller rink fire that killed her parents—rhythm skater Dad and artistic skater Papa—16-year-old Moose reluctantly leaves her Moab, Utah, hometown to live with her estranged half sister Eden in Portland, Ore. Dad and Papa were the only out-and-proud gay couple in Moab, and Moose kept her growing understanding of her queer identity to herself; now, surrounded by Portland’s freely-waving rainbow flags, Moose doesn’t feel “queer enough.” And her classmates’ reactions to her “resting bitch face,” PTSD-induced panic attacks, and scars from the fire don’t help Moose fit in either. What does help is joining the roller derby team Eden coaches, because “if anything will make me feel less like a victim, it’s putting on skates and crashing into someone.” Through derby, Moose bonds with Eden and finds emotional healing and a supportive community—until a league rule prohibiting dating between members stalls her unexpected developing romance with a teammate and compromises Eden’s budding trust. As authentically, endearingly flawed Moose muscles through the fallout of her missteps, Fisher’s debut romance whips its way out of the pack with smart first-person narration that smoothly balances heartfelt grief with droll humor, plentiful sports action, and meaningful discussions about queer identity. The cast is intersectionally diverse. Ages 14–up. Agent: Faye Bender, Book Group. (Nov.)