Gut Check

A darkly comic high-school drama about brotherhood, body image, concussions, and toxic masculinity from Eric Kester, the Boston Globe bestselling adult author of That Book About Harvard.

Wyatt has wanted nothing more than to play football on Grayport's championship-winning team. But not for the fame, glory, or girls. It's his last chance to build a relationship with his older brother Brett, the star quarterback, before he leaves for college. Now that their team has gained national attention, a big win could be just what the small town needs in order to rebound from a fishing season that has been devastated by Red Tide. But when Brett suffers a terrible concussion, Wyatt must decide if keeping his brother's secret is worth risking his scholarship future.

Told with irreverent humor reminiscent of Carl Hiaasen, and a stark honesty about brotherhood and masculinity for fans of Andrew Smith, Gut Check explores the struggle of grappling with uncomfortable truths.

Eric Kester’s writing can be found in The New York Times, The Huffington Post, The Boston Globe, and other publications. Eric used to work as a ball boy for the NFL and he played football at Harvard. He teaches and lives in Boston with his family. Gut Check is his debut children’s novel.