Shred or Dead

Gr 4-7–Claris Hills is the capital of skateboarding culture, where kids and teens hone their skills to climb the ranks and help their skate gang compete for territory. Sam can pull off some cool tricks, but she is still new to the skateboarding world. Her new friends lead her on a course of chaos to improve by skating through a local grocery store, a dangerous construction site, a haunted house managed by Goth skaters, and the Claris Hills Mall—all while being pursued by the local Porkily Workily security guard, who is not a fan of skating antics. While the story is consistently chaotic, it takes a particularly unexpected turn when Sam is kidnapped by forest animals that teach her how to embrace her inner skateboarding powers. With a cartoony feel to the artwork and story, this book is a perfect pick for fans of animated shows like The Loud House. The high jinks soar throughout, reaching a peak when the town is taken over by a giant supernatural bird named Tony Hawke, and all the battling skateboarders must learn to work together to save their city.