Stupid Fast by Geoff Herbach

From Good Reads: Fifteen-year-old Felton Reinstein has always been on the smallish side, but in his sophomore year he starts growing...and growing. During gym one day he smokes the football jocks in a 600-yard race. Felton has never been interested in sports, but there's no doubt-he is "stupid fast." As he juggles his newfound athletic prowess, his mom's sudden depression, an annoying little brother, and his first love, he discovers a shocking secret about his past which explains why he's turning out the way he is.

My thoughts: WOW! This is an incredible book! To start with, I love the title and the cover-- the football player in front of the bank of lockers is very appealing to guy readers, a demographic I am always happy to find a new title for. This is not just a football book though... this is a book about growing up physically and emotionally. Fifteen year old Felton has just gone through an amazing growth spurt. Seemly overnight Felton is over 6 feet tall and has become, as he puts it, "stupid fast". These physical changes bring positive and welcome opportunities to Felton in the form of sports, friends and a girlfriend. These same physical changes bring confusing and upsetting changes at home, however. As Felton grows up it seems his mother is changing too-- and in a way that makes Felton and his younger brother question her sanity. As Felton nears his 16th birthday it becomes clear that his family needs help and that he needs to learn more about his father, who committed suicide when Felton was only 5 years old. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a great realistic fiction story about family dynamics and coming of age. While this is a great sports book , it is also so much more! Run "stupid fast" to your library or bookstore to get a copy of this book- you won't be disappointed!