Description
Tessa McPhail has a bad habit—tagging—that lands her at New Directions, an alternative school in Montreal’s toughest neighborhood. The school is far from Tessa’s home and full of troubled kids. To make matters worse, half of every school day is devoted to boxing. The other students think boxing is cool. Not Tessa, who cannot handle violence of any kind. But when a neighbor starts a petition to have New Directions closed down, Tessa discovers something worth fighting for, both in and out of the ring.
Author Bio
Monique Polak is the author of over 30 books for young people including Remember This: The Fascinating World of Memory, Open Science: Knowledge for Everyone and What World is Left. She is a three-time winner of the Quebec Writers’ Federation Prize for Children’s and YA Literature, now called the Janet Savage Blachford Prize. Her work has also been nominated for prizes such as the Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction and the Arthur Ellis Award. She lives in Montreal.
Prizes
- Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the YearCommended 2015
- Stellar Book Award nomineeShort-listed 2015
- YALSA Quick Picks selectionCommended 2015
- Quebec Writer's Federation nomineeShort-listed 2014
- CCBC Best BooksCommended 2014
- Junior Library Guild selectionCommended 2014
Review Quotes
"Tessa’s backstory is fully fleshed out and explains her aversion to violence following an out-of-control hockey brawl that left her scarred. Tessa’s character represents how many feel about violent sports and as she grows to the sport and embraces it, readers will too."
— Southwestern Ohio Young Adult Materials Review Group
"Polak excels at portraying her characters...[She] also provides a behind-the-scenes look at boxing and some of the dynamics involved when two people must be trained to fight each other. Issues of teen pregnancy and homosexuality are handled with care...Fans of Playing with the Boys...will enjoy this book, as will anyone looking for strong relationships without romance."
— VOYA
"Polak keeps her prose simple and straightforward, providing her readers with a suspenseful, insightful story that ticks off some hot buttons. The high-interest graffiti/boxing combo is supported by real affection for throwaway teens, resulting in a story that should have broad appeal. Though simple, the story provides both insight and entertainment."
— Kirkus Reviews
"A unique story...It was well written and I loved how Tessa grew as a person throughout her rough experiences."
— Bethesda Teen Reads
