Sharon Salluzzo (Children's Literature)
A six-month stint in prison for illegal boxing turns out to be a fortunate occurrence for fifteen-year-old Johnny Woods. It is there that he meets Michael O'Shaunnessey who sees promise in Johnny and teaches him how to box correctly. It has been three years since his father deserted the family, and Johnny sees this as an opportunity to provide a better life for his mother and siblings. His hard work pays off, and he soon rises to the top. But there are other personal challenges, such as the dilemma he faces when offered a lucrative sum to intentionally lose a match, and how to contend with the return of his father. Life in 1880s New York City comes to life, complete with historical details such as sweatshops, tenement housing, a whooping cough epidemic, smoky back rooms and political graft. Descriptions of Johnny's training and boxing matches are vivid. Johnny is a likeable and memorable character and readers will cheer him on as he learns the strength of his convictions and literally fights his way out of poverty. 2000, Farrar Straus Giroux, $16.00. Ages 9 to 12.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, September 15, 2000 (Vol. 68, No. 18))
In 1880s New York, a young lad with inadequate means but an abundance of character uses his head, heart, and fists to battle his way out of the tenements. Johnny Woods works 12 hours a day at a sweatshop ironing men's shirts. Since his father deserted his mother and five younger brothers and sisters, this 15-year-old youngster has valiantly toiled to help put bread on the table. Desperate for some extra cash, he signs up to box in a bar, only to get arrested--fighting was then illegal--and thrown into prison. In an unexpected twist, it's the best thing that ever happened to him. There he meets Michael O'Shaunnessey, "Professor of the Science of Boxing," and a "born teacher." Returning home fit and trained, Johnny finds a paucity of job opportunities for politically unconnected and uneducated youths like himself, except in the boxing ring. There he soon piles up an impressive string of victories. Hard-working and kind, Johnny returns to school, spending his meager spare time with his five siblings, giving them by turn the treat of his undivided attention. Karr's first-person narrative is fast-paced and instantly engrossing, and she captures her character's dreams and dilemmas as well as the rhythm and excitement of the boxing matches, and the scenes, scents, and squalor of tenement life. Although Johnny is a little too good to be true, readers should be rooting for the kid with the killer punch and the soul of a Boy Scout both in and out of the ring. 2000, Farrar Straus & Giroux, $16.00. Category: Fiction. Ages 12 up. © 2000 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Paula Rohrlick (KLIATT Review, September 2000 (Vol. 34, No. 5))
Johnny Woods, age 15, has been supporting his mother and his five little brothers and sisters ever since his father left the family two years before. Slaving away at a sweatshop barely gives him enough for the rent for their cramped tenement apartment in New York City in 1885, so when Johnny passes Brodie's Saloon and sees a sign offering a prize of $5 to the winner of a boxing match, he's eager to try his luck--only to be arrested almost immediately, as boxing is illegal. Johnny is sent off to prison for six months. There his luck changes, as he meets O'Shaunnessey, a former boxing champion who teaches Johnny the correct way to box, and after prison takes him under his wing and grooms him as a lightweight. Johnny becomes known as "the Chopper" and is undefeated in his many bouts, meanwhile struggling to complete his high school degree and support his family, working hard to achieve his dream of moving them to a house in Brooklyn. Karr, author of such other YA novels as The Great Turkey Walk (reviewed in Paperback Fiction in this issue) and Man of the Family, writes a fast-moving, absorbing tale that conveys the difficulties of life a century ago as well as the pluck of a brave young boxer. The fight action here, as well as Johnny's determination to make something of himself and take care of his family, will engage readers. KLIATT Codes: JS--Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2000, Farrar Straus & Giroux, 144p, 99-54794, $16.00. Ages 13 to 18.

Sheila Gullickson (The ALAN Review, Winter 2001 (Vol. 28, No. 2))
Before Johnny Woods, fifteen, gains the name, "The Chopper," he finds himself in jail for boxing illegally at Brodie's Saloon in at Brodie's Saloon in the New York City's Lower East Side of the late 1800s. In jail, he meets Mr. O'Shaunnesey who teaches Johnny how to train and box when he sees Johnny's natural ability and determination. Once out of jail, Johnny struggles to provide for his mother and younger siblings, until as promised, O'Shaunnessey contacts Johnny. Johnny begins training at the New York Athletic Club. When Johnny finally wins a challenging professional fight arranged as the sport of boxing is gaining some prominence and regulation, he realizes the challenges in this sport include more than defeating one's opponent. This "rags to riches, turn of the century American dream" story provides believable and positive role models for young people struggling in today's world. Genre: Sports/19th Century. 2000, Farrar Straus & Giroux, 160 pp., $16.00. Ages 9 to 12.Moorhead, Minnesota

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Spring 2001)
Narrated by fifteen-year-old John Aloysius Xavier Woods, the measured plot traces his boxing career, from saloon bouts to his first prizefight, against a vivid backdrop of 1880s Manhattan. Johnny emerges as a sympathetic, admirable character who, in between matches, cares for his siblings, pursues an education, and saves money to move his family from their crowded tenement. Category: Older Fiction. 2000, Farrar, 169pp, $16.00. Ages 12 to 14. Rating: 2: Superior, well above average.

Nancy Zachary (VOYA, October 2000 (Vol. 23, No. 4))
John Aloysius Xavier Woods, a.k.a. Johnny, or "Chopper," is an appealing young boxer, reminiscent of Rocky, as he fights his way out of The Tombs in 1885 New York City. Fifteen-year-old Johnny has his mother and five siblings to care for, and he is smitten with the thrill of the fight, a certain street savvy, and the power to raise his family out of the tenements. Readers will cheer as Johnny learns the necessary maneuvers, triumphs over injustice, and brings his boxing talent into the featherweight ring at the New York Athletic Club, courtesy of his friend, the "Perfessor." Gritty, powerful fight scenes are coupled with loving family drama and the desire to pursue education to fulfill dreams. Historical details give depth to the story as the cost of food, rent, and clothing are primary concerns for this teen, who wholeheartedly assumes the role of the father who deserted them years before. Touching scenes of sibling relationships include a day's outing with his sister, Maggie, who naïvely asks, "What's a museum?" Upon visiting the Met, she decides she will become an artist. When a whooping cough epidemic overtakes the neighborhood, Johnny is able to pull his family through, help his neighbors, and sidestep flirtatious advances from Maureen. Finally, as Johnny approaches his big fight in Canada, readers will be particularly enchanted with his awestruck look at Niagara Falls. Johnny Woods is a charming role model for this century's boys and girls who believe in making dreams come true. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P M J (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2000, Farrar Straus Giroux, 144p, $16. Ages 11 to 15.