The Stripe and the Star

Between her parents' divorce and being dragged to rural Arizona to help clean her grandpa's house, fifteen-year-old Stella Shaw knows she's in for a miserable summer break. But when her grandpa takes her to watch a roller derby bout, she can't help but be amazed by the hard-hitting sport. And when her mom agrees to let her join the junior boot camp, Stella is eager to start.

Even though roller derby is harder than she thought it would be, Stella is determined to succeed. With the help of her new crush, Quinn, Stella prepares to try out for the scrimmage at the end of boot camp. The more she practices, the better she gets-and the closer she grows to Quinn. But when tryouts go disastrously wrong, will Stella be brave enough to confront her fears both on and off the track?

Characterized by exciting, fast-paced plots and themes that are relevant for high school students, Horizon's Hi-Lo books are both engaging and easy to read. Short chapters, simple sentence structures, and an accessible format make these books perfect for teen reluctant readers. Horizon books are written at a 2nd- to 3rd-grade reading level with an interest level of ages 14 and up.