My Corner of the Ring

by Jesselyn Silva

The Middle Grade Memoir of a Girl Boxer and Future Olympian.

In this Lean-In style inspirational memoir, twelve-year-old Jesselyn Silva offers a ringside seat to girl power and what it takes to win in the ring and in life: punch by punch. My Corner of the Ring shows kids what it means to be true to yourself and stick with your dreams even when facing adversity and ridicule. Supported by her single dad, Jesselyn (JessZilla in the ring) first donned her boxing gloves at seven years of age, making her one of very few female boxers in the country. My Corner of the Ring charts Jesselyn's oft times exhilarating and heartbreaking journey to success in a male dominated sport where she struggles to find partners to spar with and combats the viewpoint that no one wants to see a girl fight. Despite an inhospitable environment, Jesselyn still has her sights set on the Olympics. With the help of her very dad, Pedro, who has instilled in her a strong work ethic, she just might make it. It is an exciting and motivational read that will provide kids with the roadmap and encouragement to accomplish whatever goals they set for themselves. Jesselyn's positive can-do attitude and determination make this a must read.

Genres: Middle Grade, Nonfiction, Memoir, Sports, Childrens, Biography Memoir, Family

256 pages, Hardcover

First published June 4, 2019

Reviews

[Laura Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jesselyn Silva, a Latinx girl from New Jersey, is only 12 years old, but she has DREAMS, all of which relate to her dream of being a strong female boxer. Jesselyn tells her story with passion and heart, but most of all determination. She knows exactly what she wants out of life and she's not afraid to put in the hours and hard work to get there. Jesselyn started boxing at the age of 7 with the support of her father who raises she and her brother. Her mother is supportive, but only recently moved back to the area. Jesselyn's father and his sacrifices are a highlight of this book; Jesselyn clearly understands what her father has given up for her and doesn't take any of it for granted. Jesszilla, as she is called in the ring, has a deep love for boxing, which helps her stand up to those who don't think she belongs there because of her gender. She is committed to breaking boundaries and proving that girls CAN and should box -- and they should be supported. The book follows her training, her early competitions, the ups and downs of learning the sport, and how she learns from her losses. At the start of the book as a 7 year old, she claims her dream of going to the Junior Olympics, which she achieves by the end of the book. She immediately sets a new goal: going to the 2024 Olympics!

I found this book inspirational and fun to read; Jesselyn has heart and drive that is uncommon for someone her age. The biography comes across as written by a young person, which I think students will like. There are some uneven parts where the reader may be confused or left with questions, but for the most part the writing is straightforward and clear. The book also draws a direct correlation between her character and boxing; while some may see the sport as violent, Jesselyn actually comes across as very mature and in control of her emotions. A main focus of the book is the support Jesselyn has from her father and her coach. While some of her friends don't always understand her commitment to the sport, she has 100% support from her family and coaches.

Must buy for all elementary and middle school libraries! I predict this will fly off my biography shelf.

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[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book because I noticed it really wasn't getting checked out at our school's library. I thought it looked intriguing--a girl boxer!--but no one was giving it a chance. I wanted to read it so I could recommend it.

I really liked it. It's super-topical; it was published this year! It's about an ambitious girl who plans to be in the 2024 Olympics. Having read what she's done so far, I'm now really gunning for her. This is a girl with more than a dream--she has a plan.

The writing feels authentic. I realize there's a ghost writer involved but that's irrelevant because I think her personality shines through. I've begun to follow her on Instagram. I want to learn more about this mighty girl.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a cool story! It wasn’t my favorite to read a memoir in the voice of a ten-year-old because sometimes the story was pretty hard to follow. But I am such a sucker for a feminist sports book!

[madi grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

2⭐️
school book. i don’t remember a single thing that happened

[Josue Mancera · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Corner of the Ring is a memoir about a 12 year old girl who was inspired to start boxing when she first saw her father box. She hopes one day to reach the Olympics. "I swear you see their soul. I swear." This quote shows how powerful boxing is to Silva. When she first saw her father box she said it was beautiful but magical. Jesselyn Silva started boxing at the age of 7. she wishes to soon be in the Junior Olympics but it isn't as easy as it seems. She cannot find girls around her age to fight. She has to first spar a certain amount of girls so she can qualify and sparring boys doesn't count. I used inspirational to describe this book because even though she had many obstacles, she overcame them and is now on her way to the Junior Olympics. One of her obstacles was not being qualified for the Olympics because she couldn't find girls her age to spar with but soon found some and managed to qualify. Imagine wanting to join a basketball team in a small town but not being able to join because there isn't any basketball shoes in stock until next year. This is what Jesselyn Silva felt when she couldn't find anyone to spar with. I would like to read this book to a person who is ready to give up on their dreams. Even though Silva faced many problems and hurdled many obstacles she manged to find ways to accomplish her dreams.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Review: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The following is my honest opinion. I honestly went into this book not knowing anything about boxing but I was intrigued by Jesselyn's story. She certainly does have an inspiring story, starting from a young age and surrounded by a supportive family. I appreciated having a glossary of all the boxing terms, I learned a lot about not only the sport but also the history of women in boxing. I liked seeing that there are so many role models for young girls wanting to get into boxing. This is a book written by a ghost writer, my first experience reading a ghost written book and I did feel at times that it was not quite Jesselyn's own words, at several times throughout the book I felt like these are not the thoughts or words of a 7, 8 or 9 year old girl. She may have more maturity than other kids her age but it felt overly mature for the age at the time in the book. With that said, it is something I noticed as an adult reader, a younger audience may not pick up on that as much and will enjoy her journey.

[Amanda Shepard (Between-the-Shelves) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Penguin for a copy of this book to read and review! It wasn't necessarily something I'd pick up on my own, but I'm really glad I read it. Overall, I thought Jesselyn's voice really shined through the novel. Her story also gives readers a unique look into the boxing culture. She makes a lot of great points about the gender barriers in the sport, and her story is super inspirational. I can't wait to see what she'll do next!

[Alicia · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Reverse readathon book)

I wanted to like it more but in part because it was written by another about Silva who still has so much more life to live, it's certainly a topic that will be inspirational and interesting to pre-teens and teens especially as it relates to their dreams of playing a sport.

Silva wasn't that good then she became good and became a champ and talks about what work and things must be overcome to get there. Nothing explosive or well-written enough to be memorable.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked it even though I don't follow boxing or other combat sports at all. It was so motivating that I wanted to gift copies to every middle school aged girl I know. The book ends with Jesselyn identifying the 2024 Olympics as a goal.

Since the 2024 Olympics just concluded, and I don't follow boxing, I searched for Jesselyn to see if she made the team, and if so, how she performed. I was not expecting the gut punch I found online. 😭 While I'm generally not one for spoilers, if you're going to gift this to children be prepared for them to search for her and have a difficult conversation.

[Sherri · Rating 4 out of 5]

“So I boxed because even if I felt like I didn’t belong there, I could fight to prove there was a place for me.”

“I was fighting to belong in a world that sometimes seemed strange and cold and unwelcoming.”

An interesting look at female boxing from a 12-year-old Latinx girl’s journey to try to compete in the Junior Olympics.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great memoir about a young wrestler. It was easy to read and included a glossary at the back for anyone not as familiar with wresting. The focus was mostly on having a great support system and being able to overcome the difficulty that comes with many people questioning your ambition. A solid pick for any middle grade reader.

[Kathy Iwanicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC. I wasn’t quite sure how I would feel about it but I really enjoyed it! It wi make a great addition to my classroom library. Such an inspiration for kids everywhere!

[Shauna Yusko · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

Author narrates the audio

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

An inspiring preteen biography that emphasizes the need for hard work and dedication to accomplish your dreams.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hated it

[Tiffany Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jesselyn is a beast. - Judah age 10 :)

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I read this in 2019, but I remembered a blur saying that she was on track or aiming to be in the 2024 summer Olympics. So when I just looked her up to see if she’s gonna be in the Olympics year I am gutted to learn that she has brain cancer