How We Roll

by Natasha Friend

Overview

A gentle young adult romance for fans of Sarah Dessen about two teens, each of whom has lost something irreplaceable, finding one another.

Quinn is a teen who loves her family, skateboarding, basketball, and her friends, but after she's diagnosed with a condition called alopecia which causes her to lose all of her hair, her friends abandon her. Jake was once a star football player, but because of a freak accident—caused by his brother—he loses both of his legs. Quinn and Jake meet and find the confidence to believe in themselves again, and maybe even love.

Praise for How We Roll:

"Friend has crafted a heartwarming story that tackles some heavy issues. It will appeal to teens who enjoyed The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen, Paper Things by Jennifer Richard Jacobson, or The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. A strong choice for all YA shelves." —School Library Journal, starred review

“In a story about the challenges of being different and the difficulty in learning to trust, Friend (The Other F Word) shows great sensitivity in depicting differently abled characters. Small acts of kindness balance the cruelty Quinn has suffered, and the message that single characteristics don’t define who people are, invites contemplation.” —Publishers Weekly

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250308818
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	06/04/2019
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	515,655
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Natasha Friend is the award-winning author of Where You'll Find Me, Perfect, Lush, Bounce, For Keeps, My Life in Black and White, and The Other F-Word. She lives in Madison, Connecticut, with her family.

Editorial Reviews

04/30/2018
Quinn McAvoy had a horrible eighth-grade year. She developed a skin condition that caused her hair to fall out, and then, after a disastrous party, untrue rumors about her spread, making her life miserable. Tired of being the target of mean-spirited jokes, Quinn is glad her parents have decided to move to a new city so that her brother, who has autism, can attend a special school. Armed with two expensive human-hair wigs, Quinn just wants to fit in at her new school, and she succeeds when she’s immediately embraced by a group of popular girls. Nobody suspects Quinn is bald, but holding on to her secret is becoming a strain, especially after she befriends Nick, a boy in a wheelchair, who’s bitter about losing his legs and could use her support. In a story about the challenges of being different and the difficulty in learning to trust, Friend (The Other F Word) shows great sensitivity in depicting differently abled characters. Small acts of kindness balance the cruelty Quinn has suffered, and the message that single characteristics don’t define who people are, invites contemplation. Ages 12–18. Agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (June)

Publishers Weekly

"Friend has crafted a heartwarming story that tackles some heavy issues. It will appeal to teens who enjoyed The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen, Paper Things by Jennifer Richard Jacobson, or The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. VERDICT A strong choice for all YA shelves."
—School Library Journal starred review

“In a story about the challenges of being different and the difficulty in learning to trust, Friend (The Other F Word) shows great sensitivity in depicting differently abled characters. Small acts of kindness balance the cruelty Quinn has suffered, and the message that single characteristics don’t define who people are, invites contemplation.”
—Publishers Weekly

“As Quinn and Nick’s prickly relationship deepens, so do their characters; Friend’s (The Other F-Word, 2017, etc.) attention to physical and emotional detail brings readers into their anxious, itchy skins as both learn to trust and forgive. Frank discussions of phantom pain and post-traumatic stress add nuance to Nick’s bitterness. Alopecia support chats provide insight into Quinn’s sense of isolation, worsened by Julius’ demands on her parents . . . an unusual, uplifting take on self-discovery and starting over.”
—Kirkus Review

"The novel sheds light on unusual but important issues and the effects they have on families. Quinn’s fear and Nick’s anger are equally genuine and moving. Friend cleverly finds the sweet spot in both characters to help them gain confidence and understanding in a world that neither believes cares about them."
—Booklist

"Friend does a great job of unpacking Quinn and Nick’s emotional complexities, while also conveying the physical issues of both characters’ losses. Readers will understand the challenges each character faces. Although both Quinn and Nick have bodies that are different from most other teens their age, this story is first about friendship and compassion, resulting in a sweet romance between two ninth graders who are learning about forgiveness and trying to trust other people again. Fans of problem novels who do not want a too-heavy-handed story will appreciate this sweet, unique story." —VOYA

"How We Roll is a lovely and affirming heart-warmer. Vivid, sympathetic characters propel a story about identity, friendship, forgiveness, and trust. Friend paints a picture of the stresses and strains on a family with a disabled child and how that disability impacts other siblings. Above all, Quinn’s wry voice shines." —The Booklist Reader

From the Publisher

★ 06/01/2018
Gr 7 Up—Most girls have to select which outfit to wear on their first day of high school. Quinn McAvoy, who has the autoimmune disorder alopecia, must decide which wig to choose. Should she be the red-headed Guinevere or the bolder, dark-haired Sasha? While Quinn's family moved to Gulls Head, MA, for a better education for her brother Julius, who is on the autism spectrum, it is also a much-needed new start for Quinn. Over the course of the past year, she lost all of her hair and then all of the people she thought to be friends. Now her alopecia can be her own little secret. However, when Quinn meets Nick, a boy with a difficult past, she wonders how long she can keep it hidden and whether she should be doing so at all. Friend has crafted a heartwarming story that tackles some heavy issues. It will appeal to teens who enjoyed The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen, Paper Things by Jennifer Richard Jacobson, or The Fault in Our Stars by John Green VERDICT A strong choice for all YA shelves.—Ellen Fitzgerald, Naperville Public Library, IL

School Library Journal

2018-04-10
After losing her hair—and friends—to alopecia, a high school freshman struggles to find her identity in a new school.When Quinn's family moves from Colorado to Massachusetts to address her autistic little brother Julius' challenging "special needs," Quinn vows that this will be a fresh start. No one will know that her beautiful hair is a wig. No one will know about that One Stupid Night, an uncomfortably realistic incident of sexual harassment that haunts her. Soon, her slate is full of friends, but Quinn's popularity feels as precarious as the wig taped to her head—especially when she meets Nick, a bitter, artistic former football player who lost his legs to his brother's drunken driving. As Quinn and Nick's prickly relationship deepens, so do their characters; Friend's (The Other F-Word, 2017, etc.) attention to physical and emotional detail brings readers into their anxious, itchy skins as both learn to trust and forgive. Frank discussions of phantom pain and post-traumatic stress add nuance to Nick's bitterness. Alopecia support chats provide insight into Quinn's sense of isolation, worsened by Julius' demands on her parents. Unfortunately, Julius' portrayal is jarringly distant; despite Quinn's seeming acceptance, his clever flashes of personality are reduced to obsessions or therapeutic progress. Quinn and her family are white, her friend Carmen is Dominican, and other friends are ethnically ambiguous.An unusual, uplifting take on self-discovery and starting over. (Fiction. 13-16)

Kirkus Reviews