Stupid Fast by Geoff Herbach

I AM NOT STUPID FUNNY.

I AM STUPID FAST.

My name is Felton Reinstein, which is not a fast name. But last November, my voice finally dropped and I grew all this hair and then I got stupid fast. Fast like a donkey. Zing

Now they want me, the guy they used to call Squirrel Nut, to try out for the football team. With the jocks. But will that fix my mom? Make my brother stop dressing like a pirate? Most important, will it get me girls -especially Aleah?

So I train. And I run. And I sneak off to Aleah's house in the night. But deep down I know I can't run forever. And I wonder what will happen when I finally have to stop.

I have been meaning to write this review for a long time. I read this book months ago and loved it. Felton is such a great character, real and typical teen boy. Reading about his growth spurt reminded me of my own boys (who are growing like weeds) and I’m wondering what puberty will be like for them.

Anyway, Felton went from tiny to titanic seemingly overnight, eating everything in sight, and then the football coach noticed how fast he could run and recruited him. On top of it all, his best friend Gus went to Caracas for the summer, leaving him with his other best-friend-who-really-isn’t-a-friend, and a really hot girl rents Gus’s house while he’s gone. His mom isn’t exactly stable and hasn’t gotten over the death of Felton’s father (ten years ago), and his brother practically has a mental breakdown. Basically, his whole life has been turned upside down. Everything Felton has perceived to be true suddenly isn’t, and he has to relearn who he is, who his friends are, and how to function in his family.

These are extraordinary circumstances, but I think teens experience this through ordinary things. So, they will be able to relate in a big way. Felton feels like a real teen boy with real thoughts and feelings and is a natural at denial (as are many teens). The story is funny and engaging, and I read it in a day. It's about football, but you don't need to be a football fan. I'm not, and I loved it.

If you like books about teens who feel authentic and real, this is for you. Definitely recommended.