• Age: 12
• Grade: 8 to 12
• Reading age: 12

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.

MONIQUE POLAK écrit régulièrement pour le Montreal Gazette et a été publiée dans de nombreux autres quotidiens de renom tels que le Globe and Mail, le National Post et Newsday. Dans la collection SideStreets, elle a écrit All In et On the Game, ainsi que Flip Turn pour la collection Sports Stories. D’ailleurs, ces deux derniers ouvrages ont figuré sur la liste des meilleurs livres pour enfants du Centre du livre jeunesse canadien. Monique enseigne l’écriture ainsi que la littérature anglaise. Elle vit à Montréal, au Québec, avec son mari et sa fille.

MONIQUE POLAK is the author of 26 novels for young readers, as well as two non-fiction titles and a board book. Her books Hate Mail, Room for One More, and the historical novel What World is Left, which was inspired by her mother’s experience during the Holocaust, were all winners of the Quebec Writers’ Federation Prize for Children’s and YA Literature.

Her books have also been nominated for the Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People and the Arthur Ellis Award, and several have been selected as Best Books for Children and Teens by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre.

She is also a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in The Globe and Mail, Macleans, and Postmedia newspapers across the country, and is a columnist on ICI Radio-Canada’s Plus on est de fous, plus on lit Monique lives in Montreal, Quebec, where she teaches English and Humanities at Marianopolis College.

Monique Polak's profile page

• Commended, Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year
• Commended, YALSA Quick Picks selection
• Short-listed, Stellar Book Award nominee
• Short-listed, Quebec Writer's Federation nominee
• Commended, CCBC Best Books
• Commended, Junior Library Guild selection

"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

"A unique story...It was well written and I loved how Tessa grew as a person throughout her rough experiences."

Bethesda Teen Reads

"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

"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