Skating Wilder

Skaters Dumais and Dungo present an outstanding celebration of skateboarding in this exuberant graphic novel that reflects on their friendship and chronicles the sport’s history. Both creators came of age in 1980s Southern California at the height of skateboarding’s popularity. Orange-hued flashbacks burst with kinetic energy and fluid movement as the collaborators recount their own introductions to the sport—a young Dumais gawks as a group of skaters “KICK PUSH KICK PUSH” past his house—and highlight the pastime’s beginnings dating back to 1959, when the world’s first mass-produced skateboard was manufactured. Alternating present-day events, conveyed in muted purple, follow adult Dumais as he packs up his childhood bedroom, with help from adult Dungo. Each found object unearths memories of their time spent skating. Thick line art and stark shadows make action-packed sequences pop across dynamic, frame-breaking and -bending compositions that reflect the exhilarating feel of a skate run. Passion radiates from every page of this educational love letter that emanates hope for the continued globalization and evolution of the sport. Extensive back matter includes tricks, photos, a glossary, and more. Ages 16–up. (Mar.)