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Wrestling Sturbridge
Welcome to Sturbridge, Pennsylvania, a small, dead-end town with nothing to do and no way out. At least that's how Ben, a high school senior and the second-best 135-pound wrestler in school, sees it. But Ben's fed up with being stuck on the bench, watching as his friend Al, the state champion, gets all the glory. If Ben doesn't get his life in gear, he could end up like his father and the other men in Sturbridge--working on the line in the cinder block factory. Spurred on partly by a wise, intense young woman, and partly by a strength found deep within himself, Ben looks for a way out--his whole life depends on it. In the words of Newbery medalist Jerry Spinelli, " Wrestling Sturbridge isn't just an outstanding first novel; it's an outstanding novel, period."
133 pages, Hardcover
First published June 11, 1996
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214 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
November 9, 2008
Another interesting sports and character book; small town wrestling team out East is the obsession of the whole town (like football in Odessa/Midland). The place is the kind of town most kids can't wait to leave, and the teenage behavior is pretty accurate - lots of drinking by athletes and cheerleaders, and infatuation between boys and girls. What else is there to do in this town, anyway? ;-)
Ben 'wrestles' with everything in his life, and the story comes down to a defining moment in a match to determine who advances to the state competition. If you don't know wrestling, you will by the end of the book. The control and strength needed for the sport is what Ben must find in his life. He, incidentally, honors the conduct code, unlike most of his teammates. And his girlfriend is the voice of wisdom, showing him the better path, and the way to be oneself without loss of face. HS and up.
Ben 'wrestles' with everything in his life, and the story comes down to a defining moment in a match to determine who advances to the state competition. If you don't know wrestling, you will by the end of the book. The control and strength needed for the sport is what Ben must find in his life. He, incidentally, honors the conduct code, unlike most of his teammates. And his girlfriend is the voice of wisdom, showing him the better path, and the way to be oneself without loss of face. HS and up.
September 27, 2019
This book I likes because the characters in the book are in highschool. It might have been better if they were actually freshman but they are seniors. I also like it because it is about the sport of wrestling (my favorite sport). I also like how it is small town enviroment. My least favorite character was Al because he was stuck up and he was taking Al's spot. I really don't think it was right that in the last quarter or so in the book the coach told Al to let Ben take him down so he could work on reversals. I think it is funny how Ben and all the high school boys have a crush on the gas girl at the gas station. I wish Ben could have got the spot on the wrestling team. But Al was the better wrestler at the end of the day. But I like how Ben is still happy and doesn't beat on himself because he lost the match. He is happy with what he has.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2017
Personal Response :
Wrestling Sturbridge was a very relatable book for me. It shows how you can do anything if you put your mind to it. Keeps you going on how Al will do at state or if Digits will go with
Plot Summary :
It starts out with this kid named Al and how he is one of the best or is trying to be the best in the state in wrestling. Al has to beat someone for his spot on the team in order to get on the varsity spot but there is a senior that has beat him by one point in the last wrestle off on the team and Al is pisssed so bad he says to his coach that he would like another chance because he took a cheap shot at him in the last couple of seconds in the wrestle off. AL wins the wrestle off by a mile and now is going to regionals to go to state and if he wins that and goes to sectionals places 1st he goes to state. AL gets through everything easy peazy till his last match at sectionals he lost by one point for locked hands when he never had it but he still on his way to state. Read this book to find out if Al wins state or if he goes home a loser.
Recommendation :
I would recommend this book to former wrestlers that would be able to understand the book because of all the wrestling parts in it in scoring during the match but if your not a wrestler I definitely would not mind if you reed it or even gave it a try. If you have ever been to state its a cool exprencise to go and see just like Al is going to. People that are ages 11 or even 9 and under probably shouldn't read this because there is some drug and alcohol parts.
Wrestling Sturbridge was a very relatable book for me. It shows how you can do anything if you put your mind to it. Keeps you going on how Al will do at state or if Digits will go with
Plot Summary :
It starts out with this kid named Al and how he is one of the best or is trying to be the best in the state in wrestling. Al has to beat someone for his spot on the team in order to get on the varsity spot but there is a senior that has beat him by one point in the last wrestle off on the team and Al is pisssed so bad he says to his coach that he would like another chance because he took a cheap shot at him in the last couple of seconds in the wrestle off. AL wins the wrestle off by a mile and now is going to regionals to go to state and if he wins that and goes to sectionals places 1st he goes to state. AL gets through everything easy peazy till his last match at sectionals he lost by one point for locked hands when he never had it but he still on his way to state. Read this book to find out if Al wins state or if he goes home a loser.
Recommendation :
I would recommend this book to former wrestlers that would be able to understand the book because of all the wrestling parts in it in scoring during the match but if your not a wrestler I definitely would not mind if you reed it or even gave it a try. If you have ever been to state its a cool exprencise to go and see just like Al is going to. People that are ages 11 or even 9 and under probably shouldn't read this because there is some drug and alcohol parts.
December 18, 2019
The story was too short and the story line wasn't set up as well as other books I have read. Other than that the books wasn't "really" hard to understand, as long as I put more effort into the reading.
August 21, 2018
This book shows many characters points and has a strong topic
June 6, 2019
Beginning my reading for the Festival. This one was hopeful and an easy read
April 13, 2024
Maybe the only book I picked up and read in one day. I was a junior in high school and I could relate to this story so much. Great read for any wrestler
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October 29, 2019I want to read it
March 25, 2012
Sturbridge, Pennsylvania is one of those little blue-collar plant towns where people pour all their energy into living vicariously through a high school sport, sometimes football, sometimes basketball, here wrestling. The premise is simple: Ben is a senior and his three best friends—wrestling at 130, 135, and 140, respectively—stand squarely in the way of his wrestling dreams. His dreams after high school? There isn’t much of that to go around in Sturbridge. Time not spent in class or wrestling is spent on those quintessential small town vices: cruising, drinking, and cruising a slightly different route.
The essence of small town America, the heart of the sport of wrestling, the growing pains of adolescence—Wallace pins each perfectly. I enjoyed and appreciated it as much rereading it over a decade later as I did first reading it as a high school wrestler. It’s a book any high school wrestler (or former high school wrestler) should appreciate, but the themes are universal and Ben provides enough info to avoid confusion by non-wrestlers (we’re informed a takedown is worth two points early on). It avoids the mistake I think too many YA novels (written by adults) make of assuming teenagers spend all their time thinking about adults.
Wrestling Sturbridge is written in first person entirely from Ben’s perspective. It’s an ideal POV for a YA novel because, by showing us what our protagonist thinks but not anyone else, we can better grasp the inherent confusion to be a teenager. It doesn’t hobble the author’s prose the way it can in adult fiction because the language needs to be kept simple anyway. Wallace does so, and in a very short novel makes every word count. The prose sometimes comes ever so close to being trite, but it is always spot on. E.g., “Sturbridge is almost like a stadium—there’s a flat two-block-wide valley down the spine of the town, then it rises up on both sides. It’s a pit only the strongest crawl out of.”
The essence of small town America, the heart of the sport of wrestling, the growing pains of adolescence—Wallace pins each perfectly. I enjoyed and appreciated it as much rereading it over a decade later as I did first reading it as a high school wrestler. It’s a book any high school wrestler (or former high school wrestler) should appreciate, but the themes are universal and Ben provides enough info to avoid confusion by non-wrestlers (we’re informed a takedown is worth two points early on). It avoids the mistake I think too many YA novels (written by adults) make of assuming teenagers spend all their time thinking about adults.
Wrestling Sturbridge is written in first person entirely from Ben’s perspective. It’s an ideal POV for a YA novel because, by showing us what our protagonist thinks but not anyone else, we can better grasp the inherent confusion to be a teenager. It doesn’t hobble the author’s prose the way it can in adult fiction because the language needs to be kept simple anyway. Wallace does so, and in a very short novel makes every word count. The prose sometimes comes ever so close to being trite, but it is always spot on. E.g., “Sturbridge is almost like a stadium—there’s a flat two-block-wide valley down the spine of the town, then it rises up on both sides. It’s a pit only the strongest crawl out of.”
February 3, 2009
As a wrestler, Ben puts a lot of pressure on himself. He is the second-best 135-pound wrestler at his school and wants nothing, but to be the best. However, one of his best friends is stealing the limelight away and making his chance at becoming number one more difficult. Benny gives the weekly match everything he has got. Will he be number one? As a result, Ben learns a lot about life and stops worrying so much about little things that don't matter.
The fact that it's about wrestling would appeal to many teen readers, especially boys. As far as developmental markers, Benny and his friends go through major competition causing their friendship to become pushed aside. I would say the characters voices are somewhat believeable, but I was not drawn into Wrestling Sturbridge like I have other books.
I enjoyed reading this book--it was a quick read that showed the emotions of boy surviving his senior year of high school. This is an excellent "boy book." This book taught me that possibilities are endless when one works hard and keeps motivated. I would recommend this book to a high school wrestling team because most teammates are friends with each other. Adolescents need to learn how to maintain their friendships and keep their cool during competitions with friends. During wrestling season, a school media specialist might display this book in a separate section under seasonal sports.
3Q3PM
The fact that it's about wrestling would appeal to many teen readers, especially boys. As far as developmental markers, Benny and his friends go through major competition causing their friendship to become pushed aside. I would say the characters voices are somewhat believeable, but I was not drawn into Wrestling Sturbridge like I have other books.
I enjoyed reading this book--it was a quick read that showed the emotions of boy surviving his senior year of high school. This is an excellent "boy book." This book taught me that possibilities are endless when one works hard and keeps motivated. I would recommend this book to a high school wrestling team because most teammates are friends with each other. Adolescents need to learn how to maintain their friendships and keep their cool during competitions with friends. During wrestling season, a school media specialist might display this book in a separate section under seasonal sports.
3Q3PM
October 15, 2014
I really enjoyed this book and if you are a wrestler you will really enjoy the book even if you aren't a wrestler it's still a great book to read. It describes wrestling so well about all the matches and the struggle you go through with cutting weight, school, and being varsity or JV. I couldn't stop reading this book it explains everything and actually makes me feel like I was in wrestling season now. It made me want to go out on the mat and wrestle. The way it explained the feelings just makes me not want to wait for wrestling to get here. Any chance I got to read I was reading this book and I didn't want to stop. I didn't go a day without reading this book because it was good.
This book is about a small town that has a great wrestling team. There are four guys that have been friends for a long time. Their dream for each one of them was to win the states. Ben the main character feels a little left out of the group of friends. Since they all weigh around the same weight 130, 135, and 140 it only allows three of them to be varsity and the guy is Ben. Ben is around the 135 weight class and one of his best friends Al is also there and he's the best in the state. Ben struggles with wanting to beat Al for the varsity spot all year. Eventually he catches up to Al, but is it enough to get him the varsity spot and win the state? If you wanna find out you'll have to read the book.
This book is about a small town that has a great wrestling team. There are four guys that have been friends for a long time. Their dream for each one of them was to win the states. Ben the main character feels a little left out of the group of friends. Since they all weigh around the same weight 130, 135, and 140 it only allows three of them to be varsity and the guy is Ben. Ben is around the 135 weight class and one of his best friends Al is also there and he's the best in the state. Ben struggles with wanting to beat Al for the varsity spot all year. Eventually he catches up to Al, but is it enough to get him the varsity spot and win the state? If you wanna find out you'll have to read the book.
March 6, 2012
Summary:
Wrestling is a way of life in Sturbridge, Pennsylvania, and Ben and his three best friends, Al, Hatcher and Digit, have been training to be state champs for the past six years. The only problem is that Ben and Al are at the same weight class, and they both can't represent Sturbridge at State Wrestling.
Rating 3.5 out of 5
This book is about going for your dreams, and understanding what you want out of life isn't always the path that is the easiest. I think that this book would appeal to anyone who has ever been fully immersed in a sport, striving to be the best, but it would especially appeal to wrestlers. The story does not deal with the pressures that come with balancing school work and sports training, but it does briefly venture into the realm of relationships, with the opposite sex and with parents.
Characters:
Ben~ 135 lbs
Al~ 135 lbs
Digit~130 lbs
Hatcher~ 145 lbs
Kim~ a runner and Ben's girlfriend
Keywords: Wrestling, Friendship, Small Town, Father/Son & Boy/Girlfriend Relationships
Wrestling is a way of life in Sturbridge, Pennsylvania, and Ben and his three best friends, Al, Hatcher and Digit, have been training to be state champs for the past six years. The only problem is that Ben and Al are at the same weight class, and they both can't represent Sturbridge at State Wrestling.
Rating 3.5 out of 5
This book is about going for your dreams, and understanding what you want out of life isn't always the path that is the easiest. I think that this book would appeal to anyone who has ever been fully immersed in a sport, striving to be the best, but it would especially appeal to wrestlers. The story does not deal with the pressures that come with balancing school work and sports training, but it does briefly venture into the realm of relationships, with the opposite sex and with parents.
Characters:
Ben~ 135 lbs
Al~ 135 lbs
Digit~130 lbs
Hatcher~ 145 lbs
Kim~ a runner and Ben's girlfriend
Keywords: Wrestling, Friendship, Small Town, Father/Son & Boy/Girlfriend Relationships
March 5, 2008
This book caught my attention when i was actually looking for something about wrestling. what a coincidence. anyway, its about wrestling...obvoiously, but its about how this one guy named ben, and he is a wreslter in high school. throughout the book, all he wants to really do is pin down al, a freindof his that is going to state wreslting champoionships.. but enough baout tht, he faces problems about love cause he tries hard to be with one girl named kim, in the end, he does get with her but nothing sexual..just pronouncing his love with her.
i thought the book was okay, it wasnt neccesarily great, but it was okay. i liked some of the action i guess because i was cheering for ben to win, him being the story's protagonist. so everytime he was talking about him facing some other guy, it was pretty interesting for him to say things like he escaped out of a pin that i alomost had him in,and things like that, but he story ws pretty okay. =)
i thought the book was okay, it wasnt neccesarily great, but it was okay. i liked some of the action i guess because i was cheering for ben to win, him being the story's protagonist. so everytime he was talking about him facing some other guy, it was pretty interesting for him to say things like he escaped out of a pin that i alomost had him in,and things like that, but he story ws pretty okay. =)
March 9, 2009
The rank I give this book is a definite 5 of 5. It’s not just a simple story of all about wrestling, although those are my favorite parts, the narrator goes through troublesome times with his father. Also he has a girlfriend Kim, he met her at school and she takes a lot of interest in him and the sport wrestling, but she doesn’t wrestle.
The number one part of the book is the concluding part of the novel. The narrator and his long time best friend, Al, go head to head for the title of varsity in one hundred thirty five pounds. But unfortunately loses to him in the last round.
What makes me think real hard is what does he have against his father? He is always in these awkward conversations with him. But it never says what happens.
The ending is effective in a variety of ways. First is that it’s a meaning that you can’t always be the best. Second is some times you have to lose and your friends and family can support you.
The number one part of the book is the concluding part of the novel. The narrator and his long time best friend, Al, go head to head for the title of varsity in one hundred thirty five pounds. But unfortunately loses to him in the last round.
What makes me think real hard is what does he have against his father? He is always in these awkward conversations with him. But it never says what happens.
The ending is effective in a variety of ways. First is that it’s a meaning that you can’t always be the best. Second is some times you have to lose and your friends and family can support you.
August 28, 2016
This entertaining novel follows a classic sports formula: hard-luck underdog accepts an impossible challenge and discovers the true meaning of victory/love/life.
Ben is a high school senior in a small Pennsylvania town. He may be one of the top wrestlers in the state, but he’ll never know unless he beats his uber-talented friend Al to earn a spot on the first team. Teenage glory, college scholarships and a lifetime ticket out of Sturbridge may ride on the outcome.
Then there’s Kim, the fresh-faced girl who seems to know Ben better than he knows himself, and yearns to help him see beyond the mat.
It takes a strong story to stand out against that kind of boxed-in plot. There’s a good range of flawed characters, including Ben himself, to give the plot depth. And there’s an honest emotional buildup to the big match. That’s enough to make this book a winner.
Ben is a high school senior in a small Pennsylvania town. He may be one of the top wrestlers in the state, but he’ll never know unless he beats his uber-talented friend Al to earn a spot on the first team. Teenage glory, college scholarships and a lifetime ticket out of Sturbridge may ride on the outcome.
Then there’s Kim, the fresh-faced girl who seems to know Ben better than he knows himself, and yearns to help him see beyond the mat.
It takes a strong story to stand out against that kind of boxed-in plot. There’s a good range of flawed characters, including Ben himself, to give the plot depth. And there’s an honest emotional buildup to the big match. That’s enough to make this book a winner.
December 21, 2011
I thought it was a pretty bad book, simply because the plot and characters didn't interest me at all. With the protagonist being a guy that wrestles and is at 135 pounds, it made it not very connective to him at all. I didn't fit into any of that. I don't wrestle. I don't weigh 135 pounds. Wrestling has always been a topic that is controversial to me. It's either you like it, or you don't. To me, i'm in the middle of that. After reading this, it made me dislike wrestling even more. I wouldn't really recommend this book to anyone other than people who even wrestling. However though, people that aren't so biased while reading books might enjoy the book more than me, simply because i'm just a picky reader.
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January 7, 2016Really good book, I really enjoyed reading this book. The story of this kid it was so interesting all the time it had me thinking whether he was gonna beat the number one guy in the state or he wasn't when they were both teammates. The lacking of care of the number one guy when he was drinking and missed a whole week of practice, the hard work that he was putting into his training and the mind set that he had set up. All the matches that they wrestled, each time getting close to winning but it was a little bit of disappointing at the end because he didn't get to beat him but I feel like that was original because the end I was expecting didn't happen so I'll say this book is a very unpredictable and original book
November 9, 2008
This book was pretty good. It is about a senior wrestler named Ben. He wants to be the best wrestler that he could be but he faces many obstacles throughout the book. he and his friend Al make it through to the Championships. He eventually has to face his best friend in front of a girl that he really likes. throughout the book, he gets very nervous before his matches and does not want to compete; but he does it any way. I recommend this book to a wrestler that is having troubles in high school.
November 18, 2007
This is a great book for anyone who likes a good story. The book tells a story about a wrestler who is having trouble making it to the top. There is one guy standing in his way and it his job to be better then him. On top of trying to be the best wrestler, their is a girl he really likes and he has to worry about her well. This book is very good and tells an adventure story about a senior in High School, wrestling life.
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December 4, 2007About a kid from Sturbridge that wrestles at 135, and he is behind Al, his good friend. If he goes to 130, Hatcher is there and will beat him. If he goes to 140, Digit will beat him, so he is stuck where he is. He ends up getting mad because he is a senior. He works on beating Al. Near the end he almost beats him but loses. In the end, he gets the girl he is talking to throughout the book. Her name is Kim.
March 9, 2009
This book was a great book. Its about a highschooler named Rich and his friends who all start varsity on there schools team. Theirs only one problem Rich and his friend Al weigh the same and Al has always been better. In the very end Rich and Al wrestle for the last time to see who will wrestle in the state tournament. If you want to know what happens in the match read the book. Also its very short.
October 6, 2012
So I just finished this. I picked it up because it's about wrestling and I wrestle. I picked it up because it looked short. I picked this up and fell into a similar mindset of Ben. It wasn't just a sport for him, it wasn't just "lets go win!" He had to win. Since he was considered JV he had to fight his way up to be the best and I really like that. His normal life was incredibly real, simple thoughts that go through most guy's heads. I liked that too.
May 11, 2009
I wanted to like this book more than I did. I didn't like how the main character was never quite good enough and he had to find peace with that. I did like that the book did have a positive message about life and about how important it is to find something besides sports to base your future upon.
August 27, 2012
A YA novel I had to take back for a program. About a small-town high school kid who didn't make the wrestling team, primarily because his friends are all the same size as he is & they made the team. It's about the nature of friendship, depending on & believing in yourself, and discovering what's important. Lots of discussion topics here.
December 17, 2012
I really liked this book. It was one of my favorites because it was about wrestling. My favorite part was when the main character and his friend always had to wrestle off for a varsity spot. It reminded me of my friend Cain and I. It was a very good book. And it was one of the only books that I have actually enjoyed. I would recommend this book too my wrestling friend named Cain.
February 11, 2016
I liked the book WRESTLING STURBRIDGE by Rich Wallace. What I like about this book is that it is about wresting. The book might teach you a lot of things that you might not already know about wrestling. The boy in this book is trying to get beat a state champ to try and go to college. If you like sports books, then you should definitely read this book.
November 26, 2012
Wrestling Sturbridge is a good book because it is about three friends who all wrestle and have a good time and this suits me because i have friends that i like to be around and love to wrestle with if you don't wrestle read this book and you will want to
May 2, 2013
I liked this book because even though the kid lost everyone was proud of him. He put up a good match agaisnt a undefeated champion on his team. Ben is a good kid who cares about girls and wants to be good in sports.It is one of my favorite books.
February 15, 2008
I liked this one. What was with the thieving dad? Interesting character defect.
November 19, 2008
It is a really good book. i think its good cause i love wrestling. and ive gone through some of the same stuff he went through. it keeps you on the edge of your seat. VERY GOOD BOOK
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews