Navigating high school isn't easy for Melinda Radford...

She’s the lone girl on the Ashton High wrestling team, grappling with opponents who refuse to compete against her, a few who want to crush her, and a coach who's less-than-pleased having a female in his practice room. At home, Mel’s parents forbid her from seeing her new boyfriend, her grandmother insists she start preparing for her future by taking a dreary office internship, and her infuriating older brother, who’s the varsity team captain, flirts with her best friend, Jade.

Just when it seems things can't get any more complicated, an off-handed comment puts Mel at odds with her teammates, her brother, and, worst of all, her coach.

But through a twist of tragedy and fate, Mel is given an unexpected opportunity to accomplish something no girl in her school's history has ever done—something that just may redeem her in the eyes of her detractors.

Selected Reviews

  • “Perfected by Girls will do its part to bring more young people--male and female--to the benefits of wrestling, and a greater appreciation of those of both sexes who compete in it."--InterMatWrestle.com

  • “There’s always a need for more sports stories for girls, and this is a solid addition to the genre."--Kirkus Reviews

  • “ Mel is a great role model for girls who take sports just as seriously as their male counterparts."--Teen Lit Rocks

  • "The protagonist has an authentic voice, and readers will empathize with her isolation throughout the school day. Some may gloss over the detailed wrestling descriptions, but the romance and other aspects of Melinda’s life will strike a chord with girls, even those who don’t participate in athletics."—School Library Journal

  • "I encourage all wrestling families and coaches to buy the book, you’ll be glad you did."--WIN Magazine
 
  • “If you're looking for a great contemporary young adult novel, then look no further than PERFECTED BY GIRLS by Alfred C. Martino. It's a great read that'll wrestle you to the page and keep you reading until the end."--Surrounded By Books Reviews, Cherie Reich
Perfected By Girls is discussed and quoted in the Summer 2020 issue of Aethlon: The Journal Of Sport Literature, pages 33-50.