F.I.T. Files

Meet Finn Tilley, a successful life coach, who just happens to be 13 years old. Finn gets a panicked call from his drama-loving best friend Charlie and he knows something big is up. Whenever Charlie is stressed, his voice goes up, right now he sounds like a chipmunk on Red Bull. Charlie needs Finn's help. Charlie went to the doctor and found out his BMI is too high and he's overweight. Now his mom is threatening to take him to ICLI (I Can Lose It) meetings. Charlie is picturing himself in a room with a bunch of hungry old ladies, and he's mortified. And what the heck is BMI anyway? Can he just take some vitamins or something? Charlie needs Finn to help him sort things out. Sure, Charlie has put on a few pounds lately, he has a scooter for his mansion, and his chef bakes oversized cookies, daily. And while, Finn and the rest of their friends love being active, Charlie's new favorite activity is reclining. Still, this ICLI thing seems a little drastic. Finn is on the case. After all, with a mom who's a granola-loving yoga teacher, a dad who's a coach, and a sister, who dances all the time, health and fitness is a big deal in his house. He loves helping his friends when it comes to physical activity. Finn's cool as he starts investigating Charlie's situation...So why does he find himself being, weighed in front of the entire high school girls' volleyball team? Falling backwards onto his butt in front of the coolest girl ever? Or, getting thrown onto some shrubs by his friend Chris (yes, she's a girl) at Charlie's mansion? Meanwhile, why has Finn's sister become so, picky and grumpy? (Yikes.) Finn's that guy that everyone wants to hang out with, probably because he's fun and non-judgy. He's also great at reaching out to people around him for help. He starts picking up clues as to why Charlie has, uh, put on a few pounds, and helps him realize that it's not hard to be healthy. It's actually pretty fun!

Our favorite 13 year-old life coach is back! In this unique, fitness-themed story by exercise physiologist and wellness, advocate Sue Comeau, Finn Tilley and his friends make getting active fun: Finn loves all kinds of sports and activities, but his friend, Charlie? Not so much. Finn's helping Charlie find an activity that he'll love, so he'll stick with it. (Hint: It definitely won't be yoga!) Meanwhile, Finn and his friends are going stir crazy in class. The new teacher is super strict. She won't let them move around in class! Finn's pal, Xavier, is especially, stressed. Finn knows that Xav's fired up about something besides school. Is it related, to what he and his basketball teammates have to do? (Wait 'til you hear what it is!) Finn's going to find a way to get everyone moving. From the tennis court to the dance studio (with a few runaway bowling balls in between), Finn's all in! (At the end of the book, check out Finn's Notebook, filled with tips and info on physical activity, and keeping fit and healthy.)

Our favorite teenage life coach is back, but this time he's got his own problems. Finn loves tennis, but when he plays at his first major tennis tournament, he freezes. Not only is he super mortified, he feels like he's disappointing everyone. Maybe he's not that good after all...? Meanwhile, the rest of his gang is also stressed: Tom is an awesome tennis player, but doesn't even seem like he's even trying. Chris thinks she's a soccer 'has been' at 13. And, the only thing more jumpy than Xavier is the basketball he dribbles nonstop. The only calm one is Charlie, but everyone is so caught up in their own drama, they're not listening. Meanwhile, Finn's sister, Fiona, is having a rough time from a pint-sized bully. After earning the top spot in the gala dance show, Fiona's 'best friend' snubs her. Then it gets worse. She takes to social media to embarrass Fiona, and turns her class against her. Finn and his friends (okay, mainly Chris) provide some protection and help Fiona get through this rough time. Finn, who's usually the one helping everyone else with their problems, has to figure his life out. He loves tennis! (And, he loves the fact that he gets to see CC, the captain of the high school tennis team, and Finn's crush, at tournaments!) But, these days, he's not so sure... Does he really hate doing tournaments? By talking to teammates and friends, and hearing Charlie talk about performing in plays, Finn starts to put together a 'toolbox' of ways to cope with stress, expectations, and anxiety. He also learns his biggest lessons from an unlikely source: his Labrador retriever, Ralph. Also, Finn and Tom's coaches have a cool idea that makes the guys have a lot more fun. Just as Finn starts to feel like he's conquering his stress and having fun competing, something happens to Chris. It puts everything in perspective, even Xavier's big announcement. Finn and his friends have to come together and help each other out if they're going to get through this. And, they do!