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Jiu-Jitsu Girl
What’s more terrifying than being forced into a coed combat wrestling martial art by your own mother? Sixth grade.
Angie Larson hates Jiu-Jitsu. Like many twelve-year-old girls, she fails to find the glamour in a martial art that embraces zero personal space and choking as an end goal. Seriously, people choke her, drip sweat on her face, and even wrap their legs around her neck. It’s the worst. Instead, she idolizes the seemingly perfect kids at her school who do “normal” activities like dance or soccer. But just when it seems like Angie is about to be accepted by them, her mom enrolls her in a Jiu-Jitsu tournament and begins a relationship with the sweatiest coach on the planet. And to make things more complicated, Angie develops a close friendship with a boy who is definitely not part of the “cool” crowd.
Angie must decide who she is while making some painful decisions both on and off the mat. Is she a dance girl, a soccer girl, a nothing girl . . . or a Jiu-Jitsu girl?
Angie Larson hates Jiu-Jitsu. Like many twelve-year-old girls, she fails to find the glamour in a martial art that embraces zero personal space and choking as an end goal. Seriously, people choke her, drip sweat on her face, and even wrap their legs around her neck. It’s the worst. Instead, she idolizes the seemingly perfect kids at her school who do “normal” activities like dance or soccer. But just when it seems like Angie is about to be accepted by them, her mom enrolls her in a Jiu-Jitsu tournament and begins a relationship with the sweatiest coach on the planet. And to make things more complicated, Angie develops a close friendship with a boy who is definitely not part of the “cool” crowd.
Angie must decide who she is while making some painful decisions both on and off the mat. Is she a dance girl, a soccer girl, a nothing girl . . . or a Jiu-Jitsu girl?
256 pages, Paperback
Published January 24, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
November 25, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I absolutely adore this book! I can't think of a single thing I disliked about it.
Angie was such an awesome main character. I really liked how she was written as such a normal kid. She messed up multiple times before finally finding her path and I loved it. So many times you see young characters do not-so-childlike things or have these weirdly grownup attitudes, but Angie is a simple kid. She's a wonderful character for kids of all ages to read about and relate to. Heck, even as an adult I still found her relatable at times.
As a reader I was overjoyed to be reading this. As a kid who was a bit of a loner I felt empowered while reading this. As a mom, I'm so happy writers like Dutton exist to create characters like Angie that my own daughter can grow up with.
I absolutely adore this book! I can't think of a single thing I disliked about it.
Angie was such an awesome main character. I really liked how she was written as such a normal kid. She messed up multiple times before finally finding her path and I loved it. So many times you see young characters do not-so-childlike things or have these weirdly grownup attitudes, but Angie is a simple kid. She's a wonderful character for kids of all ages to read about and relate to. Heck, even as an adult I still found her relatable at times.
As a reader I was overjoyed to be reading this. As a kid who was a bit of a loner I felt empowered while reading this. As a mom, I'm so happy writers like Dutton exist to create characters like Angie that my own daughter can grow up with.
February 3, 2024
4.5 stars. Middle grade students need more of these kind of books! I read this in a few hours and it was so good. I laughed, I cried, I cheered. Angie is new to the area and is starting 6th grade. Her mom has her in jiu jitsu, which Angie is not a fan of and has quite a list of reasons why it is horrible. As she tries to move from invisible girl to popular girl at school, she learns some hard life lessons about true friendship and bullying. I loved the body image element, of how she is shamed for her strong body and legs and then comes to appreciate them and not hate them. I endorse the message that you can be smart, like science, and have muscular thighs and love yourself and have true friends.
October 21, 2022
I really liked this book. We have the protagonist Angie, who is a girl going through 5th grade being an "invisible" person, trying to fit in and get noticed.
Also dealing with her mother who insisted on making her daughter like jiu-jitsu even though she initially hates it. Along the way we see Angie growing her confidence.
You might even end up identifying with Angie at some point, I did. The book sends a very good message about self discovery and friendship.
And to finish, thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
Also dealing with her mother who insisted on making her daughter like jiu-jitsu even though she initially hates it. Along the way we see Angie growing her confidence.
You might even end up identifying with Angie at some point, I did. The book sends a very good message about self discovery and friendship.
And to finish, thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
October 25, 2022
Dutton, Lauren. Jiu-Jitsu Girl
January 24, 2023 by Jolly Fish Press
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Angie Larson and her mother have just moved to a new town for her mother's job, and Angie has determined that she is going to fit in with the popular kids and not have the same sort of experience as she did at her last school. This is made harder by the fact that her mother is FORCING her to take jiu-jitsu classes. While Angie's mother thinks it will help her build confidence, she's determined that it will not, and has even posted a list of reasons why it is a horrible sport on the chalkboard in their kitchen. She's hopeful that Olivia, a popular girl in her science class, will be her key to popularity, but she gets paired with Carter instead. Carter is a science geek, doesn't care what people think about him, and passed out because of low blood sugar last year, something which people like Olivia don't let him forget. He has a blood glucose monitor and pump that set him apart. Angie likes working with him, and when she goes to his house to work on their project, has fun talking to his scientist mother, and even wonders why talking to Olivia can't be this easy. Meanwhile, at jiu-jitsu, she continues to struggle with a sport she doesn't like and deems unpleasant (to be fair, being choked sounds less than appealing), and is not happy when her mother enters her in a competition. She's also not happy that her mother seems interested in Coach Sweaty Paws (aka Paul), since it's only ever been her and her mother. When one of Olivia's minions, Mina, joins the jiu-jitsu class, Angie is afraid that she will tell Olivia, but Mina also wants to keep her involvement a secret. Angie thinks that being invited to Olivia's birthday party means that she has finally arrived, but Olivia shows her true colors. Of course, Angie has already denied her friendship with Carter, which hurts his feelings. How will Angie be able to balance her friendships, relationship with her mother, and involvement with jiu-jitsu?
Strengths: Friend drama is a subject often requested by my students. I maintain that it's nearly impossible to get through middle school without losing at least one friend, so tweens love to see how other people handle the difficulties of finding and maintaining friends. Carter is a great character who is comfortable in his own skin, and I'm always glad to meet characters like this. Olivia is a typical mean girl, who still manages to have everyone wanting to be her friend. Addie's relationship with her mother is described just enough; middle schoolers are still heavily reliant on their parents but don't really want to be, so the fact that her mother is making her miserable by forcing her to take a class and then embarasses her by befriending one of the teachers is perfect. I was glad to see that Angie warmed to jiu-jitsu eventually. I can't say that there are any other middle grade novels involving this sport, and very few involving any martial arts!
Weaknesses: I'm not a huge fan of children being forced to do a sport, either in books or in real life. It's a common theme in books, and certainly sets up a nice conflict, but it was painful to coach children who really weren't interested. The middle school students I am around don't seem to be as invested in popularity as Angie was, but this does add lots of drama.
What I really think: I'm a big fan of sports books with girls as the main character, and I haven't seen any involving jiu-jitsu. Offer this to sporty readers along with Maraniss' Inaugural Ballers, Blumenthals' updated Let Me Play, Jones' Jayla Jumps In, or Shovan's Takedown to offer a broader view of sports for girls. Now I feel like I need a book with lacrosse!
January 24, 2023 by Jolly Fish Press
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Angie Larson and her mother have just moved to a new town for her mother's job, and Angie has determined that she is going to fit in with the popular kids and not have the same sort of experience as she did at her last school. This is made harder by the fact that her mother is FORCING her to take jiu-jitsu classes. While Angie's mother thinks it will help her build confidence, she's determined that it will not, and has even posted a list of reasons why it is a horrible sport on the chalkboard in their kitchen. She's hopeful that Olivia, a popular girl in her science class, will be her key to popularity, but she gets paired with Carter instead. Carter is a science geek, doesn't care what people think about him, and passed out because of low blood sugar last year, something which people like Olivia don't let him forget. He has a blood glucose monitor and pump that set him apart. Angie likes working with him, and when she goes to his house to work on their project, has fun talking to his scientist mother, and even wonders why talking to Olivia can't be this easy. Meanwhile, at jiu-jitsu, she continues to struggle with a sport she doesn't like and deems unpleasant (to be fair, being choked sounds less than appealing), and is not happy when her mother enters her in a competition. She's also not happy that her mother seems interested in Coach Sweaty Paws (aka Paul), since it's only ever been her and her mother. When one of Olivia's minions, Mina, joins the jiu-jitsu class, Angie is afraid that she will tell Olivia, but Mina also wants to keep her involvement a secret. Angie thinks that being invited to Olivia's birthday party means that she has finally arrived, but Olivia shows her true colors. Of course, Angie has already denied her friendship with Carter, which hurts his feelings. How will Angie be able to balance her friendships, relationship with her mother, and involvement with jiu-jitsu?
Strengths: Friend drama is a subject often requested by my students. I maintain that it's nearly impossible to get through middle school without losing at least one friend, so tweens love to see how other people handle the difficulties of finding and maintaining friends. Carter is a great character who is comfortable in his own skin, and I'm always glad to meet characters like this. Olivia is a typical mean girl, who still manages to have everyone wanting to be her friend. Addie's relationship with her mother is described just enough; middle schoolers are still heavily reliant on their parents but don't really want to be, so the fact that her mother is making her miserable by forcing her to take a class and then embarasses her by befriending one of the teachers is perfect. I was glad to see that Angie warmed to jiu-jitsu eventually. I can't say that there are any other middle grade novels involving this sport, and very few involving any martial arts!
Weaknesses: I'm not a huge fan of children being forced to do a sport, either in books or in real life. It's a common theme in books, and certainly sets up a nice conflict, but it was painful to coach children who really weren't interested. The middle school students I am around don't seem to be as invested in popularity as Angie was, but this does add lots of drama.
What I really think: I'm a big fan of sports books with girls as the main character, and I haven't seen any involving jiu-jitsu. Offer this to sporty readers along with Maraniss' Inaugural Ballers, Blumenthals' updated Let Me Play, Jones' Jayla Jumps In, or Shovan's Takedown to offer a broader view of sports for girls. Now I feel like I need a book with lacrosse!
December 26, 2023
Okay, I'll be honest. An adult may give this 3 stars due to all the middle school angst and thinking that as adults we're saying, "Why?!". However, the reason I gave it 4 stars is that I personally think it really nails the middle school dynamic that many kids that age struggle with especially girls. This is the age where they're trying to figure out who they are, what real friendship is, and what is most important . . . being popular or being true to themselves? This is a time when kids are still figuring out relationships and what makes a good one and bad one and this book really does a good job on portraying how and why some kids choose bad friendships and because they have some preset ideal in their heads are ignoring the red flags. It also shows how quickly some make judgements in regards to people based on their social standing or in certain environments, such as the jiu-jitsu gym. When you only see one side you are likely not getting the whole picture and may be misjudging someone for good or ill. Add in the single parent dynamic that is doing what they deem best for their child even if they child doesn't agree especially when it comes to a child's fear that a possible 3rd party entering it could disrupt everything. This book really shows how important it is for a parent to be tuned in and listening to their child but yet showcases the child's point of view as well pointing out how if things aren't explained clearly that it could promote resentment. I think this is a good book to remind us adults what it was like to be a middle school kid trying to find where they fit and how hard that struggle is sometimes.
Angie Larson really hates that her mom makes her take Jiu-Jitsu. It's smelly, people are getting in your personal space, and really she feels she wasn't given a choice. She has no idea why her Mom is insisting on it. Plus she's going to a new school and she's tired of being the "invisible kid". What is it gonna take to be seen and popular? Now's the time to use her "new kid" status where she's not known as a dork and hopefully make it into the in crowd headed by the popular girl, Olivia. She believes that if she does everything right things will be much better for her social life. However, this may mean that other more true friendships may be negatively impacted if Olivia deems them unworthy. Add in all this angst of trying to fit in while worrying that her Mom has signed her up for a Jiu-jitsu tournament that she's not sure she's ready to do. Angie must learn what a true friendship is like, how trying to hard to fit in may endanger good relationships, and ultimately how to be true to herself . . . even if that means admitting that maybe, just maybe, Jiu-Jitsu is not that bad.
Angie Larson really hates that her mom makes her take Jiu-Jitsu. It's smelly, people are getting in your personal space, and really she feels she wasn't given a choice. She has no idea why her Mom is insisting on it. Plus she's going to a new school and she's tired of being the "invisible kid". What is it gonna take to be seen and popular? Now's the time to use her "new kid" status where she's not known as a dork and hopefully make it into the in crowd headed by the popular girl, Olivia. She believes that if she does everything right things will be much better for her social life. However, this may mean that other more true friendships may be negatively impacted if Olivia deems them unworthy. Add in all this angst of trying to fit in while worrying that her Mom has signed her up for a Jiu-jitsu tournament that she's not sure she's ready to do. Angie must learn what a true friendship is like, how trying to hard to fit in may endanger good relationships, and ultimately how to be true to herself . . . even if that means admitting that maybe, just maybe, Jiu-Jitsu is not that bad.
November 3, 2022
Thank you so much to Jolly Fish Press and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.
Angie is an invisible girl who has just moved to a new place, is being forced by her mom to take part in a sport she doesn’t enjoy Jiu-Jitsu. Then at her new school she is assigned partners with a popular girl Olivia who she desperately wants to impress.
This book deals with a lot of issues that are written and handled well, doing something you hate, trying to fit in, being bullied and learning self confidence. There is a lot of bullying in this story which is a bit much at times. Our protagonist uses all she knows and has been taught to protect herself.
She is forced by her mom to do a what his known as a male centric sport that she detests. Jiu-Jitsu is something she really hates and creates a long list of reason she wants to stop doing it. Her mom ignores her feelings knowing over time she will need it and love it. Over time within the book she realises that it was vital and it helped her when she needed it. I do love that she grew to appreciate the sport, it’s good representation for a sport not wildly known about and especially not with girls.
She goes through such a big change within this book from her being invisible at her previous school and unhappy with it, to being given a chance to change everything about who she is wanting to upgrade herself with new clothing just to belong. The girls she idolises and thought could be her best friends end up just being bullies. She learns a lot of life lessons through these changes in her life, mostly about who she really is.
I loved that over time she over comes so many obstacles, she learns so much about herself, does make a good best friend and realises there was so much more to her than changing herself for the popular girls. Her self-confidence grows so much from the invisible girl we meet in chapter one to the girl we see by the end of the story. It was really great character progression.
This book will teach readers a lot and they will certainly find themselves within the pages of this book. Angie is a relatable voice to the middle grade age group as she learns so much about her self, who she truly is. It is told in a very heartfelt way but with some humour mixed in too. I think it will be a book readers will enjoy a lot.
Angie is an invisible girl who has just moved to a new place, is being forced by her mom to take part in a sport she doesn’t enjoy Jiu-Jitsu. Then at her new school she is assigned partners with a popular girl Olivia who she desperately wants to impress.
This book deals with a lot of issues that are written and handled well, doing something you hate, trying to fit in, being bullied and learning self confidence. There is a lot of bullying in this story which is a bit much at times. Our protagonist uses all she knows and has been taught to protect herself.
She is forced by her mom to do a what his known as a male centric sport that she detests. Jiu-Jitsu is something she really hates and creates a long list of reason she wants to stop doing it. Her mom ignores her feelings knowing over time she will need it and love it. Over time within the book she realises that it was vital and it helped her when she needed it. I do love that she grew to appreciate the sport, it’s good representation for a sport not wildly known about and especially not with girls.
She goes through such a big change within this book from her being invisible at her previous school and unhappy with it, to being given a chance to change everything about who she is wanting to upgrade herself with new clothing just to belong. The girls she idolises and thought could be her best friends end up just being bullies. She learns a lot of life lessons through these changes in her life, mostly about who she really is.
I loved that over time she over comes so many obstacles, she learns so much about herself, does make a good best friend and realises there was so much more to her than changing herself for the popular girls. Her self-confidence grows so much from the invisible girl we meet in chapter one to the girl we see by the end of the story. It was really great character progression.
This book will teach readers a lot and they will certainly find themselves within the pages of this book. Angie is a relatable voice to the middle grade age group as she learns so much about her self, who she truly is. It is told in a very heartfelt way but with some humour mixed in too. I think it will be a book readers will enjoy a lot.
December 12, 2023
There's a lot to like about this contemporary children's novel. For one thing, it revolves around a sport that I've never seen highlighted in fiction. Also, most children's books about sports seem to star boys, so it's nice to see a girl in the lead, especially since she has to work hard to master the sport and to appreciate what her strong, athletic body can do. Her BFF has Type 1 diabetes, a medical condition that while fairly common, is rarely discussed in fiction (except when it leads to a convenient emergency to heighten drama). As a T1D myself, I appreciated the rep. The book depicts the condition as something that's a normal, everyday part of life. Dutton obviously did her research about what it's like to wear an insulin pump and CGM, another thing I appreciate. (I do have to say, though, that there's a really easy way to deal with a "screaming" pod that takes just 30 seconds and a paper clip). These unique themes make JIU-JITSU GIRL stand out, which is good because the rest of the novel is pretty humdrum with themes that are familiar (even overdone) in children's fiction: bullying, the quest for popularity, trying to impress the mean girls, fitting in, etc. The book doesn't offer anything new or different in those realms, although it does tackle the issue of violence (martial arts) being used in self-defense against a bully.
Although Angie has a strong voice, I actually found her over-the-top in the sass department. For me, she comes off sounding like a hypercritical, judgy brat. She also feels very self-centered. Over the course of the novel, she does learn to be a more thoughtful and discerning friend, but I would have liked to see her do a little more for others. It would have made her both more appealing and more sympathetic. I did like watching her transformation with jiu-jitsu. Through her experience, the book illustrates the value of sports for building confidence in children and for helping them appreciate what strong, well-conditioned bodies can do (even if a muscular physique doesn't happen to be "in style").
Overall, I enjoyed this upbeat sports novel, even if I wasn't wild about the main character. If I could, I would give this book 3 1/2 stars; since I can't, I'm rounding up.
Although Angie has a strong voice, I actually found her over-the-top in the sass department. For me, she comes off sounding like a hypercritical, judgy brat. She also feels very self-centered. Over the course of the novel, she does learn to be a more thoughtful and discerning friend, but I would have liked to see her do a little more for others. It would have made her both more appealing and more sympathetic. I did like watching her transformation with jiu-jitsu. Through her experience, the book illustrates the value of sports for building confidence in children and for helping them appreciate what strong, well-conditioned bodies can do (even if a muscular physique doesn't happen to be "in style").
Overall, I enjoyed this upbeat sports novel, even if I wasn't wild about the main character. If I could, I would give this book 3 1/2 stars; since I can't, I'm rounding up.
January 31, 2023
This book is a perfect read for middle graders, teaching important lessons about confidence, dealing with bullies and finding true friends.
Social developmental stages are all hard in their own way. When we are toddlers, we learn that the world doesn't revolve around us. As young children, we learn to include and get along with other children by finding compromises and showing patience. The years we enter puberty bring a whole lot of new challenges. We thought we'd learned by now how to make friends, and all of a sudden, the rules have changed. Now it's all about status. It's about discovering who we are and what roles we will play later in life. Are we leaders, caretakers, followers etc.? And it's hard when everyone tries to find that out simultaneosly.
Jiu-jitsu Girl follows one of these challenges in an authentic and relatable way. Angie moved to a new town and started at a new school. She's always been the invisible one, but this will change. She will become popular, and who is better to get her that status than the most popular girl in school, Olivia. What could possibly go wrong, right? Well, everything. And it definitely doesn't help that her mom signed her up for Jiu-jitsu which is the worst! Through a series of events, Angie finds out what it feels like to be bullied, but she also makes a lot of mistakes and learns some important life lessons.
I loved how relatable the story was, though the title made it sound like not in a million years would I see myself in this story. I totally did. There is some amazing character development in this book. And a couple of scenes were so comedic I had to laugh out loud. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I recommend it to any tween trying to figure out who they want to be.
Social developmental stages are all hard in their own way. When we are toddlers, we learn that the world doesn't revolve around us. As young children, we learn to include and get along with other children by finding compromises and showing patience. The years we enter puberty bring a whole lot of new challenges. We thought we'd learned by now how to make friends, and all of a sudden, the rules have changed. Now it's all about status. It's about discovering who we are and what roles we will play later in life. Are we leaders, caretakers, followers etc.? And it's hard when everyone tries to find that out simultaneosly.
Jiu-jitsu Girl follows one of these challenges in an authentic and relatable way. Angie moved to a new town and started at a new school. She's always been the invisible one, but this will change. She will become popular, and who is better to get her that status than the most popular girl in school, Olivia. What could possibly go wrong, right? Well, everything. And it definitely doesn't help that her mom signed her up for Jiu-jitsu which is the worst! Through a series of events, Angie finds out what it feels like to be bullied, but she also makes a lot of mistakes and learns some important life lessons.
I loved how relatable the story was, though the title made it sound like not in a million years would I see myself in this story. I totally did. There is some amazing character development in this book. And a couple of scenes were so comedic I had to laugh out loud. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I recommend it to any tween trying to figure out who they want to be.
September 25, 2022
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this digital ARC.
Initial impression: Really liked this book! I appreciated the overall message/theme, thought it was realistic and believable, and thought that Angie was a terrific main character who reminded me a lot of my own middle school aged daughter.
It's not easy being new at school, and Angie has made a habit of always being invisible. She's isn't able to stay under the radar at her new school though, as mean girl Olivia and her friends soon start picking on her. On top of all that is going on at school, Angie's mom has signed her up for Jiu-Jitsu lessons, and she's training for an upcoming tournament. Angie desperately wants to quit Jiu-Jitsu, but as time goes by and she starts liking it, Angie keeps with it and learns some valuable lessons about true friendship, acceptance, standing up to bullies, and the power that comes with being able to defend yourself.
As a mom, the bullying was tough to read. Angie tried so hard to fit in, even buying new clothes and jeopardizing a real friendship due to peer pressure. Her mom was so supportive! But bullies are everywhere, and it hurt my heart to see what Angie went through.
Luckily, she had Jiu-Jitsu, which gave her the tools to stand up to the bullies and defend her friend. I loved seeing Angie's feelings about Jiu-Jitsu evolve throughout the book. I was cheering for her throughout!
Initial impression: Really liked this book! I appreciated the overall message/theme, thought it was realistic and believable, and thought that Angie was a terrific main character who reminded me a lot of my own middle school aged daughter.
It's not easy being new at school, and Angie has made a habit of always being invisible. She's isn't able to stay under the radar at her new school though, as mean girl Olivia and her friends soon start picking on her. On top of all that is going on at school, Angie's mom has signed her up for Jiu-Jitsu lessons, and she's training for an upcoming tournament. Angie desperately wants to quit Jiu-Jitsu, but as time goes by and she starts liking it, Angie keeps with it and learns some valuable lessons about true friendship, acceptance, standing up to bullies, and the power that comes with being able to defend yourself.
As a mom, the bullying was tough to read. Angie tried so hard to fit in, even buying new clothes and jeopardizing a real friendship due to peer pressure. Her mom was so supportive! But bullies are everywhere, and it hurt my heart to see what Angie went through.
Luckily, she had Jiu-Jitsu, which gave her the tools to stand up to the bullies and defend her friend. I loved seeing Angie's feelings about Jiu-Jitsu evolve throughout the book. I was cheering for her throughout!
February 23, 2023
Review from my daughter Paige (12)
An early middle schooler is trying to learn the ropes of middle school life.
Angie Larson has many reasons to dislike jiu-jitsu, a martial arts combat form (close physical contact, sweating, choking, EWWW:-).). Angie wants to live an ordinary middle schooler life with friends, have fun, and play a typical sport like dance or soccer. But her mom decided differently and enrolled her in a Jiu-jitsu tournament. When the most popular girl in the school, Olivia, invites her to her birthday party, Angie is thrilled. But Angie now faces many challenges that she must overcome on and off the Jiu-Jitsu mat.
Fun fact: I used to do taekwondo, another martial arts form. It was fun for my little sister and me.
Olivia is the self-proclaimed queen of middle school. She is two-faced at times and very calculating. Angie is trying hard to fit in, much like I am at school now. I can relate to her challenges and middle school with all the drama. With the obstacles middle school tries to put forward on Angie, she tries to tackle them with her very best.
Friendship is one of the core parts of fitting in at school, but Angie will soon find the true meaning of true friendship.
The theme of Jiu-Jitsu Girl is to tackle your challenges head-on. I recommend this book to middle schoolers who try hard to fit in at school and love sporty realistic fiction.
Thanks to @jollyfishpress for sharing this book with me! Freshly published in January 2023.
An early middle schooler is trying to learn the ropes of middle school life.
Angie Larson has many reasons to dislike jiu-jitsu, a martial arts combat form (close physical contact, sweating, choking, EWWW:-).). Angie wants to live an ordinary middle schooler life with friends, have fun, and play a typical sport like dance or soccer. But her mom decided differently and enrolled her in a Jiu-jitsu tournament. When the most popular girl in the school, Olivia, invites her to her birthday party, Angie is thrilled. But Angie now faces many challenges that she must overcome on and off the Jiu-Jitsu mat.
Fun fact: I used to do taekwondo, another martial arts form. It was fun for my little sister and me.
Olivia is the self-proclaimed queen of middle school. She is two-faced at times and very calculating. Angie is trying hard to fit in, much like I am at school now. I can relate to her challenges and middle school with all the drama. With the obstacles middle school tries to put forward on Angie, she tries to tackle them with her very best.
Friendship is one of the core parts of fitting in at school, but Angie will soon find the true meaning of true friendship.
The theme of Jiu-Jitsu Girl is to tackle your challenges head-on. I recommend this book to middle schoolers who try hard to fit in at school and love sporty realistic fiction.
Thanks to @jollyfishpress for sharing this book with me! Freshly published in January 2023.
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December 7, 2022First off, let me just say that I love jiu-jitsu. And I want my daughter to learn it as well.
At first all the talk of sweat and grossness and bodily contact almost made rethink about signing my daughter up. But I’m glad the book ended the way it did, because I still will probably enroll my daughter!
The book started off quite typical… your typical kid who doesn’t want to be invisible, but wants to be cool. But of course, she doesn’t realize the true friend that’s right in front of her. It was all a bit cliche, but it got better and more compelling. Still a little bit too idealistic (because really, what kid figures this out quickly, while still in their youth!) But when things started getting interesting and the plot was moving forward, I definitely read the second half much faster than the first half.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! I was so happy to see a book about a girl AND joy-jitsu!!!
At first all the talk of sweat and grossness and bodily contact almost made rethink about signing my daughter up. But I’m glad the book ended the way it did, because I still will probably enroll my daughter!
The book started off quite typical… your typical kid who doesn’t want to be invisible, but wants to be cool. But of course, she doesn’t realize the true friend that’s right in front of her. It was all a bit cliche, but it got better and more compelling. Still a little bit too idealistic (because really, what kid figures this out quickly, while still in their youth!) But when things started getting interesting and the plot was moving forward, I definitely read the second half much faster than the first half.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! I was so happy to see a book about a girl AND joy-jitsu!!!
August 28, 2022
I recieved a free eARC of this book, and quite enjoyed reading it. Thank you for the opportunity,
Angie is an invisible person...or so she thinks. So invisible that neither her 5th grade teacher, nor her Jiu-Jitsu coach call her by the correct name. She wants to fit in, to take dance or gymnastics instead of Jiu-Jitsu, to have the right clothes and devices. When after moving, she is assigned to be science partners with Olivia, the queen bee, she feels that her life is turning around.
This is the kind of middle grade book where you know what will happen as soon as you pick it up. And you know what? It doesn't matter. Because it's also the kind of middle grade book that young readers will find something to relate to and connect with, and will enjoy reading, and will likely reread. It would be a fine addition to school and classroom libraries, as well as at home.
Angie is an invisible person...or so she thinks. So invisible that neither her 5th grade teacher, nor her Jiu-Jitsu coach call her by the correct name. She wants to fit in, to take dance or gymnastics instead of Jiu-Jitsu, to have the right clothes and devices. When after moving, she is assigned to be science partners with Olivia, the queen bee, she feels that her life is turning around.
This is the kind of middle grade book where you know what will happen as soon as you pick it up. And you know what? It doesn't matter. Because it's also the kind of middle grade book that young readers will find something to relate to and connect with, and will enjoy reading, and will likely reread. It would be a fine addition to school and classroom libraries, as well as at home.
October 21, 2023
As someone who used to teach martial arts, I loved Angie’s journey with jiu jitsu. I remember the kids that were there because their parents were making them. And watching as they slowly came to love the sport and open themselves up to what they were learning.
I do also think this book has the potential to empowering for middle schoolers. It’s ok to be a bit different and nerdy. And it’s ok to leave toxic friends behind.
The sarcasm from Angie made the book realistic. As did the slow journey of growth in her character.
I do also think this book has the potential to empowering for middle schoolers. It’s ok to be a bit different and nerdy. And it’s ok to leave toxic friends behind.
The sarcasm from Angie made the book realistic. As did the slow journey of growth in her character.
November 1, 2023
Angie’s mom has moved them again to a new town which means she’s the new kid again. Her mom has also decided Angie needs to study jiu-jitsu. Angie hates the smells, the sweat, and the touching involved in jiu-jitsu. She keeps trying to convince her mom to let her quit but to no avail. Meanwhile, Angie is determined to use her new kid status to reinvent herself as a popular kid and she sets her sights on becoming friends with popular Olivia. Angie is so obsessed, she doesn’t see that Olivia is not really who she seems to be and Angie ends up hurting her one true friend.
August 27, 2022
Jiu-Jitsu girl is such a fun story about Angie trying to find her place in her world. She thinks she knows what she wants her life to be like, but through some trials and hard truths Angie will find out just what she is made of.
Full of humor and heart, Jennifer has crafted a charming debut that tweens will easily connect with.
Love Angie so much!
I’m so lucky to have been able to see an early copy of this story.
Add this one to your TBR right now!
Full of humor and heart, Jennifer has crafted a charming debut that tweens will easily connect with.
Love Angie so much!
I’m so lucky to have been able to see an early copy of this story.
Add this one to your TBR right now!
January 1, 2023
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. At first, Jade wants to fit in with the cool crowd but learns along the way that they’re not really cool but bullies instead. She learns that her new friendship isn’t what she thought it’d be and that’s it’s making her a worse friend. At first, she’s not crazy about jui jitsu but learns along the way, that it’s very helpful. Jade learns along the way that it’s okay to be yourself.
January 27, 2023
This was such a cute middle-grade read! I loved the main character, Angie and how she grew and learned throughout this book. I think many kids will be able to relate to Angie in this book and the challenges she faces. This book was very well written as we followed Angie through Jiu-Jitsu lessons, school classes and as she made friends. Overall this was a great middle-grade read that I can see many kids enjoying and relating to.
January 16, 2023
What an enjoyable, life-affirming story. Angie hates Jiu-Jitsu and just wants to fit in at her new school, but she learns that popularity isn't all that it's cracked up to be. She also learns that true friendship might not be as hard to come by as she may think. Part Karate Kid, and part Doug (Yes, the '90s cartoon). I loved this book!
June 14, 2023
Angie was forced into jiu-jitsu by her mom when she really wants to do something that makes her fit in with the girls she’d like to be friends with.
I really enjoyed reading about Angie figuring out what it is she wants and finding the right kind of friends. I liked that the sport was important in the story but not overwhelmingly so.
I really enjoyed reading about Angie figuring out what it is she wants and finding the right kind of friends. I liked that the sport was important in the story but not overwhelmingly so.
June 28, 2024
I had to give this book at least a three star rating. Among sports novels, you never see anything about jiu jitsu. I appreciated that the mean character was also a girl in jiu jitsu. However, it's a pretty typical story about finding yourself and forming friendships that you'd expect to find in middle grade fiction.
July 29, 2025
Eh...I wasn't super impressed by this book. My two oldest girls enjoyed it, but I felt like the main character was extremely whiny, pretty disrespectful to her mom, and really she didn't figure things out until the last like 2 chapters which was frustrating. I was hoping for a book that would show growth and have a little more positive outlook than this. On jiu jitsu and life in general.
March 18, 2023
Great book. Angie was so relatable as the new girl trying to fit in with the popular crowd. I had some uncomfortable Jr. high flashbacks while reading this book, and the author wrapped the story up beautifully. Very relatable characters- 4 1/2 stars
April 2, 2023
Angie must decide if she wants to be a Jiu-Jitsu girl or a dance or s0ccer girl.
September 13, 2022
I received a free eARC of Jiu-Jitsu Girl from Jolly Fish Press, and I'm so glad I had a chance to read this book before it is released next January.
After moving for her mom's job, Angie wants to reinvent herself at her new school, but that will be hard to do when her mom forces her to take jiu-jitsu classes as her after-school activity. She has always considered herself to be one of the "invisible kids" and it's easy to understand her desire to change and be noticed. As she strives to be accepted by the girls she most admires, she finds out a lot about who she really is and what is most important to her. This book is full of humor and heart, as well as so many interesting interactions between Angie and her peers, both on and off the jiu-jitsu mat. There is also excellent representation of juvenile diabetes. It's great to see a new book that's about a girl doing a sport more traditionally practiced by guys, and it's also great to see Angie's growth and change throughout the story.
After moving for her mom's job, Angie wants to reinvent herself at her new school, but that will be hard to do when her mom forces her to take jiu-jitsu classes as her after-school activity. She has always considered herself to be one of the "invisible kids" and it's easy to understand her desire to change and be noticed. As she strives to be accepted by the girls she most admires, she finds out a lot about who she really is and what is most important to her. This book is full of humor and heart, as well as so many interesting interactions between Angie and her peers, both on and off the jiu-jitsu mat. There is also excellent representation of juvenile diabetes. It's great to see a new book that's about a girl doing a sport more traditionally practiced by guys, and it's also great to see Angie's growth and change throughout the story.
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