The companion to Rex Ogle’s award-winning Free Lunch is a searing account of adolescence in a household torn by domestic violence.
Punching Bag is the compelling true story of a high school career defined by poverty and punctuated by outbreaks of domestic abuse. Rex Ogle, who brilliantly mapped his experience of hunger in Free Lunch, here describes his struggle to survive; reflects on his complex, often paradoxical relationship with his passionate, fierce mother; and charts the trajectory of his stepdad’s anger. Hovering over Rex’s story is the talismanic presence of his unborn baby sister.
Through it all, Rex threads moments of grace and humor that act as beacons of light in the darkness. Compulsively readable, beautifully crafted, and authentically told, Punching Bag is a remarkable memoir about one teenager’s cycle of violence, blame, and attempts to forgive his parents—and himself.
Topics Rex Ogle. Childhood and youth. Poor teenagers. Low-income high school students. Domestic violence. Abusive relationships. Child abuse. Family.
Lexile 490L
Trim Size 8 3/5" x 5 4/5"
JLG Span Spring
Language English
Rights type Print
Publication date 2021-10-04
JLG Release Date Mar 2022
Minimum grade 9
Maximum grade 12
Reading level High
Format Print
Biography High Plus (Grades 9 & Up)
Biography High Plus
Biography High Plus (Grades 9 & Up)
For Grades 9 & Up
This 14 book collections offers young adult readers fascinating biographies and compelling personal stories that provide a view into history or perspective on the issues of our times.
Crime: Punishment/Execution,Discrimination: Reference/Discussion,Discrimination: Religious,Discrimination: Sexism,Discrimination: Sexuality,Language: Moderate Language,Sexual Content: Contact Between Adult and Minor,Sexual Content: Mild Sexual Content/Themes,Violence: Gun Violence,Violence: Suicide,Violence: War/Harsh Realities of War