LEAVE IT ON THE TRACK

In the wake of devastating loss, a queer teen finds a home on a roller derby team.

Sixteen-year-old Morgan “Moose” Shaker has grown up skating alongside her dads at their local roller rink in Finney’s Mesa, Utah. When a fire breaks out at the rink one night, Moose narrowly survives, but the fire claims the lives of both Papa and Dad. She’s forced to move to Portland, Oregon, to live with Eden, the older half sister who’s a near stranger. Moose always felt too queer for small-town Utah; she now worries that she isn’t queer enough for Portland. She and Eden struggle to adjust to their new lives together, but they tentatively find common ground when Eden introduces Moose to roller derby. Moose finds an unexpected sense of community on her team and explores a romantic connection with Mercury, the team captain, despite dating among teammates being frowned upon. Moose’s path to healing as she copes with the physical and emotional aftermath of the fire feels authentically raw and includes positive depictions of therapy. The developing relationship between Moose and Eden is particularly compelling as the two reconcile their past and forge a new sisterhood. Fast-paced roller derby sequences lighten an otherwise heavy story and are easy to follow even for those unfamiliar with the sport. Moose reads white, Mercury is white and Korean American, and there’s some racial diversity in the supporting cast.

A hopeful, tender debut about grief, healing, and finding community.