Roll for Initiative - Hardcover

Formato, Jaime

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0762481064 ISBN 13: 9780762481064

Publisher: Running Press Kids, 2022

Synopsis

Perfect for fans of Dungeons & Dragons, Raina Telgemeier, and Jessica Kim, a heartfelt coming-of-age middle grade novel about finding your voice and believing in your best geeky self.

Riley Henderson has never taken a bus to school in her entire life. Or made an afterschool snack, or finished her homework on her own, or—ewww—done her own laundry. That’s what her older brother Devin was for.

But now Devin’s gone. He’s off in California attending a fancy college gaming program while Riley is stuck alone in Florida with her mom. That is, until a cool nerd named Lucy gives Riley no choice but to get over her shyness and fear of rejection and become friends. The best part is . . . both girls are into Dungeons & Dragons. In fact, playing D&D was something Riley and Devin used to do together, with Devin as the dungeon master, guiding Riley through his intricately planned campaigns. So, of course, Riley is more than a little nervous when Lucy suggests that she run a campaign for them. For the chance at a friend, though, she’s willing to give it a shot. Soon, their party grows and with the help of her new D&D friends, Riley discovers that not only can she function without Devin, she kind of likes it. She figures out that bus thing, totes the clothes down to the laundry room and sets up her D&D campaigns right there on the slightly suspect folding table, makes her own snacks and dinner— the whole deal. But when Devin runs into trouble with his program and returns home, it's pretty clear, even to Riley, that since he can’t navigate his own life, he’s going to live Riley’s for her. Now she has to help Devin go back to college and prove to her mom that she can take care of herself . . . all before the upcoming Winter-Con.

It's time to Roll for Initiative.

About this title

About the Author

Jaime Formato is a third-grade teacher from northern Florida. Her days are spent hanging out with kids and reading, and the nights are for musicals, hockey, and writing. She lives in a little house by the woods with her husband, their four beautiful children, two cats that don’t love her enough, two dogs that love her a little too much, and a whole lotta nature.

Reviews

Gr 3–7—Nowadays Dungeons and Dragons isn't just socially acceptable, it's cool! Formato's debut rises to the occasion with a thoughtful tale of self-acceptance set against the backdrop of multisided dice. Riley is a dorky sixth grader, left to manage life alone when her older brother goes off to college. She's mousy and scared. Her fears echo those of her peer group: making friends? Advocating for herself to a teacher? Talking on the phone? These are giant hurdles for tweens, and they're handled with proper gravitas. Riley creates a friend group and helps her family in believable ways. She doesn't wake up knowing how to communicate and demonstrate independence—she makes conscious choices to work harder, practices her skills, messes up, and commits to being better. Formato effortlessly weaves in kids from different social situations, as Riley's new friends showcase the bonding power of nerdiness. There's also admirable plotlines about overcoming insecurity and imposter syndrome at every age. The cherry on top is the magical in-text D&D gameplay, unlocking the game's fantastical escapism and bonding opportunities. VERDICT A rollicking RPG romp through pre-teen communication and relationships.—Cat McCarrey

Edition details

• Publisher: Running Press Kids
• Publication date: 2022
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0762481064
• ISBN 13: 9780762481064
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 320