Wrestling Sturbridge

Wallace, Rich. Wrestling Sturbridge. New York: Random House, 1996.



Children's Literature Annotation:

Stuck in a small town where no one ever leaves and relegated by his wrestling coach to sit on the bench while his best friend becomes state champion, Ben decides he can't let his last high school wrestling season slip by without challenging his friend and the future.

Awards and Honors:

• ALA Best Books for Young Adults, 1997
• ALA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, 1999 Good Sports
• ALA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, 2008 Anyone Can Play
• ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, 1997

Review:

C. Allen Nichols (VOYA, June 1997 (Vol. 20, No. 2))

On the surface this book is about a high school wrestler who just can't crack the surface and beat his best friend for a spot on the team. Beneath the surface, however, is where the real action takes place. Ben is stuck in the small town of Sturbridge, where the year is spent waiting for the high school wrestling season and everyone works for the cinder block factory. Ben's best friends all are starters on the team, and he so happens to be in the same weight class as one of them. That friend is looking for another trip to the state championship, and Ben, a very good wrestler in his own right, has been labeled the best workout partner one could possibly have. Ben's frustration on the mat is only one of the challenges he is facing; others are determining his place in life (hopefully away from Sturbridge and the cinder block factory), figuring out his new girlfriend (an intelligent young woman if there ever was one), and trying to decide how badly he wants to be a state champion. Don't let the idea of wrestling turn you off this exciting and well-done story. Wallace has written a gem that deals with the gritty emotions of being a teenage boy who matures into a man. VOYA CODES: 5Q 4P M J S (Hard to imagine it being any better written; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 1996, Knopf, 133p., $16.00. Ages 11 to 18.

Collection Suggestion:

While this novel is recommended to middle and high schools by many reviewers, I think it may be enjoyed more by high school students. While young girls might read books about baseball or basketball, I do not think many would want to read about wrestling. High school female athletes, though, may have the maturity to appreciate that what is valued in athletes trancends the specific sport and be able to look past any aversion they may have towards wrestling. Older male students would also be more likely to pick up a book about wrestling since few are introduced to the sport before high school. That said, I do not think there is anything in the novel that would be inappropriate for middle school students.