Skate Book Club: October 2024

Late September: A Novel
by Amy Mattes

ISBN: 9780889714564

When writing a work of fiction for a general audience which includes skateboarding in the text, a skateboarding author sometimes faces an expectation by an editor or publisher to explain the activity or hash out a common trick so that an outsider can visualize the action. This often results in compromise because the author must sacrifice some of the magic that goes along with skateboarding. In Amy Mattes’ debut, Late September I was grateful that, while skateboarding was present as an outlet for the lead character named Ines, it wasn’t so dominant that it required a glossary. Skateboarding was simply part of her identity and social network.

I have an inside scoop about this book because Amy and I were the anglophone members of the Skirtboarders girl gang in Montreal, in the early 2000s. Amy often contributed poetry to our communal zine called Armpit and she has been cultivating her writing craft ever since, in particular, this manuscript. While Late September is still a work of fiction, Amy has mined her past for anecdotes which makes this book feel incredibly authentic. It reads like a classic coming-of-age story, where a young woman is forging an independent path in a new city, seeking out new friendships and relationships, yet struggling to survive, and plant new roots.

There are some heavy topics addressed in the book involving mental health and sexuality, and as a young person, Ines doesn’t have all the answers, but that’s a good thing. Ines is a likable character. She’s trying to process past pain and feelings of alienation by her family but can’t always determine the best path, and this is relatable. I ripped through Late September and would recommend it for a mature skateboarding audience.

Drop In
The Gender Rebels Who Changed the Face of Skateboarding
By Deborah Stoll

ISBN: 9780358653073

As a librarian, I’ve ordered thousands of books for my library’s collection, and I’ve never doubted that there could be multiple books on a topic like skateboarding because everyone has their own unique experiences and background. And yet, in the past, I’ve been skeptical about outsiders, such as non-skateboarding academics and journalists publishing their observations on skateboarding. 

This protective attitude comes from the long-standing debate skateboarders have around who is authentic and letting go of one’s sense of authority and identity to be more welcoming. Deborah Stoll, as a journalist was likely aware of this tension, and during her research and interviews she pursued skateboarding with intent. Deborah immersed herself in the scene, even participating in skateboard camp and took some hard hits, like fracturing her shoulder in the process.

The result of Stoll’s labour is the book, Drop In: the gender rebels who changed the face of skateboarding, which centres around four individual skaters being Vanessa Torres, Victoria Taylor, Alana Smith and Marbie Miller. I was so impressed by how each individual was presented, their willingness to be vulnerable, share their truths and inspire future generations of skaters. Stoll balanced her core features with great commentary from Kim Woozy, Amelia Brodka, Mimi Knoop, Alex White, Kristin Ebeling, Jessie Van Roechoudt and Cara-beth Burnside, among many others who contributed. 

Stoll’s narrative was descriptive, accessible, energetic, and at times, it was scathing and unfiltered in its critique of skateboarding. In her conclusion, Deborah said, “nothing has ever brought me greater joy, faster friendships, or a more consistently satisfying sense of accomplishment than skateboarding,” and I think we can all relate to that experience. This title is a worthy addition for your own library, providing evidence for how skateboarding is evolving to become a more inclusive community and some of the epic battles and adversity that non-traditional skaters have faced and overcome.

Let’s Go! haw êkwa!
by Julie Flett

ISBN: 9781771646109

For skateboarders, June 21^st is our big day, when we hit the streets en masse and celebrate our collective insanity and passion for skateboarding. If you follow Colonialism skateboards, you’ll also notice that Indigenous skaters up north are even more stoked because June 21^st is also National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada. I’m offering this preamble because Let’s Go! haw êkwa! by Cree-Métis author/illustrator, Julie Flett is the perfect book for celebrating both these elements and Indigenous pro skater, Rose Archie from Nations Skate Youth with Colonialism as her board sponsor, has vetted the publication.

If there are any young kids in your life, definitely consider this book as a gift because the illustrations alone are divine, and the story is heart-warming. The protagonist, a little boy observes a bigger kid cruising past his home on a skateboard and dreams of doing the same. His mom then unearths her old skateboard and the process of learning to skate, to fail, and to make friends quickly follows. There’s also a glossary of Cree words, and Julie shares how the Cree translation of “flow state” also means “it keeps on beginning,” like liquid or a river, and how that relates to skateboarding and life. Flett was also inspired by her son’s journey to embrace skateboarding. The best line in the book is, “The more I watch and the more I skate, the more I become a part of something… and myself.”