Punching Bag

The Author’s Note at the beginning of this book immediately struck a chord with me and perfectly set the tone for the entire story. Rex went through terrible, disturbing, traumatic events throughout his childhood and teens, but he survived. Barely, at times, but he still survived. Survival doesn’t diminish the awfulness and the violence, but it is possible and that is important to know, especially when you are young, and there are moments of happiness and laughter mixed in.The most important part of this story, to me, is when Rex describes a moment when he is alone on a quiet night and he has a panic attack…he is afraid and has no idea what what is happening to him. He feels like he wants to die, but he finds a way (in his case, through the memory of his baby sister) to list the good things he has, to distract and calm his mind and his breathing . It may have been a short list, but it did the trick. Changing his brain’s focus, like a mantra he could run through when he needed to be reminded of even the tiniest happy moment, a sliver of hope, even just a moment with friends, a bird or a song…anything to distract him from the self hate or the physical and emotional pain. I think that’s a lesson we can all take and use in our lives, regardless of our struggles. Find a way to talk yourself down from the ledge. It’s worth it and it can get better, it more than likely will get better, eventually.The humor in the story takes the edge off and it really is a full story that deserves a read. I think it’s important for everyone, young and old, to know the stories of those that made it through. I’m 43 and I needed to be reminded. I love this story and even though it was hard to read, at times, the lessons are worth it. We are all stronger than we think. We are all worth it. Love you, Rex! ❤️❤️❤️

My middle school son is a reluctant reader, but this book (and the previous one, Free Lunch) had him glued to the book! We can't wait for more from this author!

The trigger warning is real. If you’ve lived through something similar, Rex’s story will bring it back. But, I say this with admiration for the bravery it took to put all the painful words on paper and share them with the world. This is a wonderful work of art that needs to be read and shared. Worth every word.

Another powerful story by Rex Ogle, this time about his experiences dealing with the physical and emotional abuse he experienced as a teen. It's heartbreaking, but also inspirational.

The style here is very similar to Free Lunch but I feel like the author tried a little too hard with the vernacular. One example is ‘Cause used instead of ‘because’. Kids talk like that, I get it. Use it once, maybe twice- ok but it’s used five times on one page for example. Stylistic choices like this took me out of the story because the narrator’s voice suddenly seems so fabricated.

Thanks to W. W. Norton & Company, Norton Young Readers, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Punching Bag.About 2 years ago, a former co-worker recommended Free Lunch to me. Although I never got around to reading it, I recognized Rex Ogle's name when Punching Bag appeared on NetGalley and I requested it. I read that it's sort of a sequel to Free Lunch so I was finally spurred on to read Free Lunch.Both of these books are heartbreakingly true accounts of Ogle's childhood living in poverty and suffering verbal and physical abuse by both his mother and step-father. As difficult as they were to read, I am so glad they are available both for the kids who need to see they are not alone in these situations as well as for the kids who need to see that not everyone has things so easy. I wish the endnotes would have told what happened to Rex's younger brother, Ford, but thanks to Google, I found my answer! Both of these books were 5-star reads for me. Free Lunch is suitable for upper elementary, but I would recommend Punching Bag for high school-age readers.

What a mesmerizing, heart wrenching, sad but hopeful book this was about domestic violence based on the author’s life. Rex has a very angry mom and step dad who are always mad at him, it seems, all the time. His stepdad ridicules Tex for being Mexican which makes Rex wonder why is he with his mom. His mom blames Rex, who was away, for his baby sister dying before she was born. Rex carries this guilt for a long time but thinks about her a lot, and it gives him hope at times when he needs it. As his mom constantly berates and beats Rex over nothing, he realizes this cycle of pain is a bond between he and his mom. At the end, Rex does survive it all with hope and tells us life can be dark but it will get better,

Trigger warning: domestic violence and abuseSo many types of abuse. Verbal: Rex’s mother shows him photos of his stillborn sister after Rex comes home from a three-month visit. She tells him “Your fault.”Physical abuse: even though the world is gray, his mother’s thigh has vibrant colors—-deep purple eggplant, dark red cranberry, yellow sunflower. Bruises, evidence of another fight.Social abuse. Embarrassing. Screaming and fights at a family reunion and at a neighborhood barbecue.Emotionally wrecked. That’s Rex. Something bad is always around the corner. His stomach is always heavy with nausea. He cannot believe he’s a good person, because if he were good, God wouldn’t let him live this way.Rex is often comforted by his dead sister Marisa, who silently calms him during moments of stress.