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The crew creating this newsletter every month rules (see the biographies below). It wouldn’t happen without them. To be honest, I’ve been slacking, and they are making it happen. Adam Abada has a book-related piece on Quartersnacks that you should check out, too. – Freeborn
Book reviews from back then and today
The Fly That Flew The Speed of Sound by Andrew C. Meredith$18.95
8.5" x 8.5" When Fuzz, a freshly hatched fly, disturbs the Hungry One, the great beast who patrols the pizza shop alley Fuzz and his friends call home, he embarks on an adventure to find the Hungry One’s lost child and free the alley from oppression. Writer, illustrator, and publisher Andrew Meredith (head honcho at stalwart indie skate brand Less Than Local) unfolds the story of Fuzz the Fly in full-color illustrated graphic novel form. His illustrations are simple and starkly composed, employing a pleasingly muted palette to tell this tall tale of courage, friendship, and gusto. Skaters will
find kinship in the dumpster-diving, back alley locale and ethos of the story; the tenacity to complete what you started, the drive to prove oneself as worthy, and the devotion to your community; but like any good children’s book, its morals tell a lesson that can be valued by all. – Abada
Skateboard Scramble (1979)
by Barbara DouglassIn 1980, the after-school crowd was blessed with a CBS skateboarding special on TV called “A Different Kind of Winning,” featuring a pre-teen Cara-beth Burnside as the protagonist “Jody Flynn” who had moved to California from Ohio. The story follows Jody and her friend, “Carmen Mandella,” performed by Edie Robertson. You’ll likely have heard of Cara-beth, but Edie was also a competitive skater, sponsored by Sims, and known as the first female to perform a flatland “gorilla grip” (an ollie substitute that relied on your toes gripping the board!) back in 1975. What I didn’t know was that the television production was based on a book! Of course, it was. Shout out to Colin Bane, an adventure journalist for ESPN and X Games, who gave me the heads up. Barbara Douglass wrote Skateboard Scramble in 1979 for young readers, which included animated, tattoo-worthy ink designs by illustrator Alex Stein.
I adored the story’s premise because it centered on the friendship of these two girls, which was under threat because Jody’s Dad was so insistent that his daughter regard Carmen solely as a competitor. Jody and Carmen were the best skaters at the park, regardless of gender, and while there was one mention that Jody was “good for a girl,” it was generally just an accepted fact that they were the best. The story ends with friendship overruling Dad’s competitive nature when Jody gives up her board so that Carmen can compete in the bowl contest. Even though Skateboard Scramble is rooted in the Seventies, the plot still resonates today, especially as we see an increase in parents imposing competitive aspirations on their skateboarding children,
undoubtedly destined for sponsorship and the Olympics, or so they like to hope.
On occasion, the collectible children’s book has popped up on Ebay and Etsy, so keep your eyes peeled for this gem, and in the meantime, watch the TV show and bask in the long legacy of Cara-beth, especially the final showdown scene when she’s busting out hand-plants and airs in the bowl at age 11! – Porter
A few more books old and new
Who’s putting this together, and why?John Freeborn, Natalie Porter & Adam Abada
John Freeborn began skateboarding in 1986 and still tries to do tricks today. He is the publisher of Tails Of… an art and skateboarding zine that features a rotating curator for each issue. In the early days, John published The Media Locals Zine, The Kill Rocco Zine, Milkcrate Digest, and several others. During college, he founded Good&Evil skateboards. Later, he co-founded the artist co-op SPACE1026 in Philadelphia. In 2012, he self-published Big Kids/Little Kids which showcased the emerging art scene in Philadelphia.
Natalie Porter began skateboarding in 1995 and continues to skate today. She is a public librarian and founder of the Womxn Skate History archive and Instagram account @womxnsk8history. In 2003, she wrote the thesis, Female Skateboarder and their Negotiation of Space and Identity and has been collecting resources on women’s skate history ever since. Natalie also contributed to the skate zines Armpit (2002-2004) as an OG member of
the Skirtboarders crew in Montreal, and Idlewood (2009-2014) with Michelle Pezel of Antisocial skateshop in Vancouver. ECW Press will publish her book Girl Gangs, Zines, and Powerslides: a history of badass women skateboarders in Fall 2025.
Adam Abada is a skateboarder, artist, filmmaker, and writer from New Jersey who is currently living in Los Angeles, CA. Along with lifelong friend Zach Baker, he has directed the travel skate documentaries Backstreet Atlas and The Backstreet Atlas Guide to New Jersey. He’s also a contributing writer at Quartersnacks and has done commercial work for Vans, ESPN, Sundance TV, Bon Appétit, Pepsi, Nickelodeon, MTV, Adidas, and too many more to name.
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Tails of...
