Author: Jennifer Mathieu

Moxie girls fight back!

Small town, Texas. High school football rules and everyone, from the schools to the local businesses, rally behind the team. And this is where the issues arise.

Although Mathieu picked, what I could consider, a stereotypical setting, the atmosphere of this book can relate to almost any place. Swap out football star for hockey captain and you now have a completely Canadian setting.

In this book, all the attention, money and respect, goes to the football players. They get away with sexist remarks, offensive clothing and everything just under murder.

Well, the girls had enough and it’s time to fight back.

This is a fantastic foray into the mindset and perspective of what it feels like to be a in a young woman’s shoes today (and yesterday for that matter). It addresses the serious concerns we still face.

Most important, for the male readers, it gives an emphatic viewpoint that we just don’t get. I’m looking specifically at the, “not all guys are like that,” crowd. As a student, I look back and realize how awful some situations really were and as a teacher, I try to be hyper aware of what’s happening. From someone who grew up with three very tough, and intelligent, sisters, I get why they had to be solid as a rock.

This book really dives into the serious consequences of what are seemingly innocent remarks and what they escalate into. I applaud Mathieu for delivering such a powerful story in a way that is relatable to anyone reading through it.

It was a text that sat dormant in my classroom library for a year now, but will now be at the forefront for my students to explore. My hope is that more will hear the call of Moxie and continue the fight.