Freaky Fast Frankie Joe

Really, it is 4 and 3/4 stars. Yes, it is THAT good. I could not put this down. Everything else had to suffer until I finished. It has been my goal lately to read more realistic fiction featuring male characters and I grabbed this one after reading a review. Oh, boy. This is one of those books in which you, as the reader, just want to reach into the book and give this kid a hug.
I am not going to recap the plot here, but I will add my thoughts. I will not get spoilery.
Frankie Joe is a sympathetic character that you adore right away. He is drawn to older folks, and that is very refreshing to see. In fact, one of the first new “friends” he makes is an older woman who is considered odd because of a birthmark on her face. The town itself is very charming.
One of the BEST parts of this story is the positive relationship between Frankie and his stepmom and father. Great male role models are missing from many of the stories I read. The birth mom is a whole other kettle of fish. The school system seems to really care about the kids in this story as well.
The only thing I was a little disappointed in was the ending, because I thought it was wrapped up really fast (a little too fast). I would have liked to have seen the process in which Frankie makes the choice to move in the direction he decides to move on in.
Otherwise, this one is near perfect.