Speed Demon

Fred Bowen Sports Story Series

by Fred Bowen

Eager to find his place at his elite new school, ninth-grader Tim Beeman is torn between running track and trying out for football. Where will he feel most comfortable and be able to put his fast running skills to best use?

When Tim sets a new school record for the fifty-yard dash during the first week of classes, he reveals his special speed. Before long, the track and the football teams are both urging him to join their sport. Tim is torn. He feels he has a lot to offer the football team and is eager to join this popular group, but he can't shake a lingering fear of being injured. He would definitely be an asset to the track team, but he is drawn to the more prestigious football team. How can Tim put his talent to the best use and at the same time satisfy his own needs?

The afterword offers relatable athlete struggles about making choices and developing friendships as well as an important conversation about player safety.

Genres: Sports, Realistic Fiction, Football

144 pages, Hardcover

Published September 3, 2019

About the author

Fred Bowen is the author of Peachtree’s popular Fred Bowen Sports Story and All-Star Sport Story series. A lifelong sports fanatic, he has coached youth league baseball, basketball, and soccer. His kids’ sports column “The Score” appears each week in the KidsPost section of the Washington Post. Bowen lives in Maryland.

Reviews

[Lorie · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Tim breaks the school record for the fastest time in the 50-yard dash during gym class as a freshman, he is courted by both the JV football team and by members of the track team to play on their squads for fall sports. He decides to try football as he is interested in learning how to play the game, but by the end of the season he is questioning his choice as he is not enjoying the games where full contact puts him in danger as the team’s star wide receiver. He honors his commitment to the team but must make the decision to play next year or focus on track which will allow him to run with the speed which is what he loves most about his running ability.

The central part of this sports novel for middle school readers is Tim learning how to play football. The action, fast paced plot, and major content is him learning football play patterns and play by play summaries of the games. Sports fans will enjoy this fast pace and libraries looking to satisfy young readers interest in sports fiction will want to include this book and possibly Bowen’s other titles in his Sports Story series. The non-game and practice parts focus in on his dilemma about continuing to play and the author handled this very well. He explores how Tim made this decision and did not give in to peer pressure even though others might have a different view. Book extras at the end include a summary of some of the real athletes and sports trivia that the author used when writing the book which adds to the understanding of Tim’s choices.

I would recommend this book for purchase by any school or public library for inclusion.
This book was provided by the publisher for professional review by SWON Libraries.

[Ryder C]

This book is called Speed Demon and is by Fred Bowen. Timothy (Tim) Beeman is the fastest kid in the school breaking the school record for fastest running time. He is the new kid and sits by Marquis and Sophia at lunch and The Hawk comes over the Varsity football coach and talks to him. Tim signs up for football instead of track and is the best receiver having the most receiving yards. Then he gets injured and is out for the season toward the end of the book. He ends up signing up for track.
Like the other books I've read this is a third person point of view. The author gives Tim the fast speed and makes him sign up for football because The Hawk talked to him. This affected the book by making him on the JV team which gave him a lot of receiving yards.
I loved this book I would give it a 10/10 rating because Tim doesn't get bullied, he is popular, all the kids love him. This book was not confusing. It is really easy to read. This book isn't predictable which I love. The ending I kinda didn't really like because Tim gets injured and is out for the season and ends up quitting football and signs up for track. My favorite part of the book is when Tim makes a miracle catch against Franklin Prep to keep them in the game on fourth down. I had a connection. Tim is fast and plays football. Im fast (not school record fast) and plays football.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perfect for reluctant readers because of its subject matter and fast pace, this book focuses on one young man's dilemma. Tim Beeman, a ninth grader, has recently started high school at Hilton Prep. Tim is fast, and his physical education teacher brings his speed to the attention of the school's football coach. Although Tim is unsure about playing the sport for various reasons, he also sees it as a way to fit in and be a part of the popular crowd. He also recalls how his mother, who died three years ago, was not a fan of the sport since she had seen many of the injuries its players suffered. Tim's father is all excited about it, though. At first, Tim enjoys playing and delights in gaining yardage and scoring touchdowns. But he is not thrilled with the physical aspect of the sport and starts avoiding being hurt. There is much in this book that is realistic, and Tim is torn about what to do. But I'm not so sure those coaches and other players would have let him go so easily, especially in a football fanatic town. I appreciated the author's efforts to show that just because someone is good at something doesn't mean he/she has to use those particular gifts the way others expect them to.

[8th Grade Views on Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was great. This story is about a high school boy, Tim, who moves schools and is
struggling to fit in until

{SPOILER} he breaks the record for fastest 50 yard sprint in school
history. After he does this the school's head football coach asks him to join the team and he
does. Tim is a great football player and the best receiver on the team but as the season goes on
he starts to realize that he does not like football as much as he thought he would because of the
high contact. Although he wants to quit, Tim decides to play for the rest of the season, but a
season ending injury makes it so that he cannot play the rest of the games. After his injury Tim
decided that he no longer wanted to play football and he instead joined the track team where he
was also very successful, but more importantly he liked doing track. This story had a very good
moral of making your own decisions. The reason I did not give this book 5 stars is because I
wish it was longer and more detailed.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tim is a new student at Hilton Prep and is worried about fitting in. When he sets a school record with his time on the 50 yard dash during the first week of school, he's got it made. Now he just needs to decide if he wants to join the football team or the track team. However, one of these sports is a better fit for him - he just doesn't know which one yet.
This is based (somewhat) on the true story of Olympian and NFL star Bob Hayes. It also mentions other famous speedy athletes in the story such as Deion Sanders. Students who are looking for a quick and engaging sports book will find it here but nothing exceptional.

[American Mensa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Speed Demon by Fred Bowen is a sports chapter book with almost 20 chapters for both girls and boys from when they can independently read to age 10. It is especially good for football players or track runners. My favorite part was at the start of the book when the main character Tim Beeman sets the school track record. I think other boys and girls would like this book during the football games. I also think it was cool when Fred Bowen wrote about the football games and practices. I liked reading Speed Demon, and I hope you will, too! I can’t wait to read Fred Bowen’s next book!
Review by Dominic D., age 9, Tampa Bay Mensa

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars - more than just another football book

[Klyon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice to have another sports author to refer my readers to.

[Trevor C]

This book was pretty good

[Brayden]

It was a good book

[Noah · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a book about a kid named tim that was new and set the school record for 50 yard dash and joined the football team and became one of the best on JV

[Liam Patel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book one of my favorites. Has a very nice story and background.