Rise of the Undead Redhead

In Dougherty and Birnbach's debut, 11-year-old Dorothy and her younger sister have been sent to stay with their costume-wearing, fun-loving grandmother, who lives in a funeral home and has a warm heart beneath her nutty exterior. It turns out that Grandma was a roller derby queen in her day, a story that includes the mysterious death of a teammate who haunts Galactic Skate, the place Dorothy and her new friends begin training for their own roller derby team. They are coached by Grandma and assisted by Max, the cute worker who becomes Dorothy's crush. Meanwhile, the popular Pompoms tease the misfits on Dorothy's team, though lead mean girl Alex has secrets that set her apart. Birnbach's spot illustrations and comics sequences pepper the story, showcasing skating action and hinting at the characters' vivacious personalities. Speaking to the insecurities of middle school, parental abandonment, and the thrill of a crush, this first book in the Dorothy's Derby Chronicles series should easily drum up excitement among readers who aren't afraid to get their elbows bruised. Ages 9%E2%80%93up. (July)