What does it take to establish one’s self in an inner city St. Louis school – as the new girl, the overweight new girl with bright curly red hair? Erica wants to be accepted like all kids, but she’s also brash. She wouldn’t get pushed around and when she’s not afraid to speak her mind, it lands her in a fight with one of the “tough girls” in the school. But the opportunity comes to save face while in the principal’s office and it’s there that Alicia makes her first new friend. This friend is in a rough crowd though. The outside activities of this crowd include assaulting random people for fun. Called the “Knockout Game”, Erica gets caught up in it for two reasons. First, she’s a good videographer and people like that love to watch themselves even more than doing the evil deed. Second, the gang leader takes a liking to her. But video of these assaults could never lead to something good. This novel is for the student who thinks tough acts are the way to go and for those who probably watch that on TV. G. Neri’s Knockout Games is not for the faint of heart. This story is somewhat sickening, but it will get circulation in most high school libraries.