ASK ANYBODY AROUND East Scranton High School: Michael Kerrigan is almost too good to be true. Dedicated athlete, captain of the track team, editori...
read full description
reviews
Mar 20, 2009
Kyle
rated it: 
One Good Punch is a good book about a teen who has always been a good kid he was captain of the track team then one day he gets introuble really big trouble and it might ruin his life. At the end he is left with a choice that changes his life for ever. The author uses good setting in this story but he could of used alot more detail for the cachters but it is still a good book
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Feb 21, 2009
Cornmaven
rated it:
I really like Rich Wallace's way of weaving a sport with a serious moral issue. He presents an interesting and timely moral dilemma in this book - HS track star asks the going nowhere kid who has drug connections to score him some joints so he can smoke with his girlfriend. The kid delivers them to the track star's locker without telling him, and they are discovered during a weekend drug sweep. The dilemma - the cops know the track star can lead them to the dealer, so they offer him the choic
More...
May 01, 2010
Alicia
rated it:
With equal blends of sports, humor, and realism, this SHORT book would gets kids interested in knowing what the main character will do. Will he admit that the weed in his locker was for him or will he (because he's "the good kid") pass the blame to someone else?
I took that one good punch, and it finished me. That's not something I'd want to be telling people thirty years from now. I've got too much in myself to let that happen.
I took that one good punch, and it finished me. That's not something I'd want to be telling people thirty years from now. I've got too much in myself to let that happen.
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Jun 30, 2008
Fluxbrarian
rated it: 
(shelved in Teen)
Michael Kerrigan is almost too good to be true. He’s a dedicated athlete, captain of the track team, editorial assistant at the local newspaper, and he’s never been in trouble. Until the day the school does a random drug search of lockers, and they find 4 joints in his locker. But the authorities aren’t interested in Michael, and they want him to give up someone else – the person who put those drugs in there, a drug dealer. And so Michael finds himself with a difficult choi More...
Michael Kerrigan is almost too good to be true. He’s a dedicated athlete, captain of the track team, editorial assistant at the local newspaper, and he’s never been in trouble. Until the day the school does a random drug search of lockers, and they find 4 joints in his locker. But the authorities aren’t interested in Michael, and they want him to give up someone else – the person who put those drugs in there, a drug dealer. And so Michael finds himself with a difficult choi More...
Dec 24, 2011
Jennifer
rated it: 
Reviewed by Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
ONE GOOD PUNCH is a sure-fire winner for any teen. Just short of 120 pages, it is a fast-paced, page-turner with suspense and humor. I predict it will end up on most Best Teen Books and Quick Reads lists soon.
Michael is a senior. An ambitious cross-country and track runner, he is hoping to use his talent as a stepping stone to a decent college. His part-time job at the Scranton Observer writing ob More...
ONE GOOD PUNCH is a sure-fire winner for any teen. Just short of 120 pages, it is a fast-paced, page-turner with suspense and humor. I predict it will end up on most Best Teen Books and Quick Reads lists soon.
Michael is a senior. An ambitious cross-country and track runner, he is hoping to use his talent as a stepping stone to a decent college. His part-time job at the Scranton Observer writing ob More...
Dec 11, 2007
Jonathan
rated it:
One Good Punch is a book about a young high school student,Michael Kerrigan who decides to participate in something illegal. By accident, Michael involves myself with the wrong people and with the wrong thing. He is arrested and banned from his school because of his involvement with drugs. With drugs being an active problem at the school, it was especially hard for Michael to avoid his fate.
Michael comes off as a good kid, he is a track star and is active in his school. H More...
Michael comes off as a good kid, he is a track star and is active in his school. H More...
Nov 08, 2011
Janet
rated it:
I enjoyed this book, it was a short easy read, but couldn't put it down. It kept me so interested just waiting to see what happens next.
Micheal is in school good grades, great athlete, writes for the newspaper, has friends but gets in to a little trouble, when Marijuana
turns up in his back pack. Is It His Or Not?
Micheal is in school good grades, great athlete, writes for the newspaper, has friends but gets in to a little trouble, when Marijuana
turns up in his back pack. Is It His Or Not?
May 31, 2010
Chris
rated it:
I've always liked Wallace's novels, sporterroman in the best sense. It's not always easy to write about athletes without making sports the center of the plot. ONE GOOD PUNCH focuses on the ethical dilemma of a promising athlete that dramatically alters his high school career.
Nov 25, 2008
Alissa
rated it:
A quick read, great tight prose, and an interesting dilemma. Also a great example of how we can be knocked down but how to get back up. This is also about telling the truth - your truth, not what people sometimes make up as the truth. All in all an excellent novel.
Jan 22, 2010
Brock
rated it:
This book was really great to me. Sure, it started off kind of awkward with the book being away from the story and more in depth on Micheals job working at the observer but over all this book was pretty good.
Apr 01, 2010
Sue
rated it:
a very fast read that deals with honesty and integrity and consequences of our actions - a good lesson, one that i'm afraid that kids today won't learn or follow
Dec 17, 2008
Ashtinh
rated it:
this book was alright too. it was a tough choice that the character had to make. i was suprised at his decision.
Jan 07, 2010
Nick
rated it:
i give this book a five star awesome book if you have read crackback you will love this book
Apr 13, 2008
Toni
rated it:
I actually read this book before I had a chance to put it on my to-read list. It's really short so it's a very quick read. I like the way the author wrote it too. Good book for teens, boys especially. If you have a young guy (middle school) who doesn't like to read this may be a good book to get him. It has a really surprise ending and the subject matter is something that young adults can relate. I'm not saying much about the book, except that I liked it a lot; telling much about the book
More...
Feb 13, 2008
bjneary
rated it:
Michael Kerrigan is a great guy, liked by all, who has principles and drive. During a random drug sweep in his high school, four joints are found in his locker. Mike has a decision to make and it is not any easy one. Mike works for the Scranton Observer newspaper writing obituaries and each chapter in this spare novel is a section in a newspaper, either an obituary or a news article. Written in short, rapid sentences, author Wallace dead on captures one teen's fight to be honest, still hold
More...
Oct 07, 2011
Charlene
rated it:
At one time or another all of us make choices that affect our life in one way or another, yet how we choose to handle the possible outcome of those choices says something about our character.
Oct 01, 2008
Chanel
rated it:
This book made my fingers burn from turning all the pages.
For me this book started when Joseph gives Kerrigan 4 joints.
Now this idiot gives it to him in school and he takes it. Anyway Kerrigan was bound to get in trouble and you can figure out the rest.
This is all the info I will give you, you have to read it on your own to know the rest. But if you read you will not regret reading it. Hope this review works for you later.
For me this book started when Joseph gives Kerrigan 4 joints.
Now this idiot gives it to him in school and he takes it. Anyway Kerrigan was bound to get in trouble and you can figure out the rest.
This is all the info I will give you, you have to read it on your own to know the rest. But if you read you will not regret reading it. Hope this review works for you later.
Apr 05, 2008
Cyndi
rated it:
Michael Kerrigan is almost too good to be true. Dedicated athlete, captain of the track team, editorial assistant (obituary writer) at the Scranton Observer, he's never been in trouble, and he doesn't associate with troublemakers. This is the most important track season of his life - and he's ready. Yet he makes some choices along the way that could have it all crashing down around him. How will he get out of this sticky situation?
Jul 04, 2008
Shaya
rated it:
This is a really interesting book about a boy who gets caught with drugs in his locker. Other people think he is "too good to be true." He gets amazing grades, wants to be a journalist, on the track team. It's only 100 pages and not really my subject. But, the way the plot develops is really cool. In a very short time period you learn enough about the boy and what goes into his thought process.
Feb 17, 2008
Marya
rated it: 
Wow, what an atmospheric book of the burnt-out dead-end industrial Great Lakes region! Thrill as our hero goes nowhere! But keeps trying! Only to find it's even harder than he ever imagined!
On the other hand, if you don't think of the Great Lakes as a burnt-out shell, this might be not only a depressing, but disappointing read.
On the other hand, if you don't think of the Great Lakes as a burnt-out shell, this might be not only a depressing, but disappointing read.
May 07, 2009
Kerri
rated it:
Very quick read about a choice a boy has to make about doing the right thing. In my opinion, he chose wrong. That is why there are only three stars. The format is interesting, though. He writes obits for a newspaper and the book is set up in a similar format.
May 03, 2008
Gina
rated it:
This was a good book for High School age kids. It's about a boy and the choice he has to make between telling the truth or staying loyal to a friend. I would say it appeals to boys more than girls. 9th grade and up.
Mar 07, 2008
Priscille
rated it:
A very short read perfect for reluctant teen readers. Rich Wallace always has that authentic voice--with male protagonists you root for.
Oct 13, 2008
Kelly
rated it:
Scranton, PA. Track team captain and obituary writer before his senior year gets caught up in a drug deal.
Apr 21, 2008
Maggie
rated it:
This is on a YA reading list for a fall conference I will be attending. I was greatly disappointed with it.
Apr 29, 2008
kelly
rated it:
YALSA recommended 2008 best books for YA; booklist top YA for reluctant readers
