SuitabookStraight punch
Monique Polak
- Reading
- Before reading, discuss what makes a school worth defending. Afterwards, compare Tessa’s initial reaction to boxing with her later reasons for taking action, without assuming the ending resolves every issue.
- Themes
- Second chances and alternative education: Tessa is sent to a last-chance alternative school after being caught tagging. The premise places a young person in an institution associated with punishment or limited options, but does not show whether the story ultimately validates or challenges that framing.
- Belonging and defending a community: A neighbour’s petition threatens New Directions, while Tessa discovers something worth fighting for in and outside the ring. The premise suggests a developing connection between Tessa and the school, without establishing whether her defence succeeds or whether the book presents the institution uncritically.
- Boxing and identity: Boxing makes up half the curriculum, but Tessa initially disagrees with its place at school. The book?s stance on this remains unclear.
- Worth knowing
- Boxing is central to the school’s curriculum, and the setting is described as a rough neighbourhood. Consider whether a child would welcome a story involving organised fighting and a troubled school context.