Warp speed / Lisa Yee.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Entering 7th grade is no big deal for Marley Sandelski: Same old boring classes, same old boring life. The only thing he has to look forward to is the upcoming Star Trek convention. But when he inadvertently draws the attention of Digger Ronster, the biggest bully in school, his life has officially moved from boring to far too dramatic . . . from invisible to center stage.

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Publishers Weekly Review

Yee (Bobby the Brave [Sometimes]) offers another empathetic portrayal of an outsider with unique attributes in this story about seventh-grader Marley Sandelski, an admitted geek, who loves Star Trek, old movies, and his Technical Sciences class. Having been spit on, punched, and stuffed in his locker, he spends a lot of time running from trouble; when Coach Martin notices his speed, Marley receives an enticing offer to join the track team. Becoming a runner would earn him popularity points in a school where "jocks rule," but Marley isn't sure he has the killer instinct to compete ("Being on the track team is all about winning, which means that someone would have to lose"). Featuring appearances from some of Yee's previous heroes and heroines-Millicent Min, Stanford Wong, and Emily Ebers-this slice-of-life novel focuses on themes that will likely hit home with readers. If Marley's athletic ability appears too large for life (given the fact he has earned the reputation of being a klutz in P.E. and is usually picked last for teams), his internal conflicts and emotions ring true. Ages 10-13. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal Review

Gr 5-9-Marley Sandelski is invisible. At Rancho Rosetta Middle School, he's chased by bullies, threatened into sharing his homework, and ignored by everyone else. An admitted geek, he loves Star Trek, AV Club, and the Rialto, an old movie theater that serves as both his home and his parents' business. His empathetic nature shines through, and he's not without allies, including his closest buds Ramen and Max. And of course, there's always the Trekkie action figure of the day in his pocket to help him out of jams (he frequently asks himself, "WWSD-What Would Spock Do?"). Though he's resigned to hiding behind the shadows of those standing on the sidelines, his ability to outrun bullies catches the track coach's eye. During the school's annual Tiggy Tiger Turkey Trot race, Marley finds himself running for his life, away from the Gorn (a trio of tormentors nicknamed after the "evil, slow-moving beasts" in a Star Trek episode), and accidentally winning the trophy. Suddenly sky-rocketed into the spotlight, Marley's the star of the school. As his external universe alters, he must re-evaluate himself and set a new course for his place in the cosmos. Yee's previous protagonists, Millicent, Stanford, and Emily, all make cameo appearances. Once again, the author addresses a serious issue with a light touch. An entertaining read and a solid example of bibliotherapy.-Richelle Roth, Boone County Public Library, KY (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

As he starts seventh grade, Marley Sidelski knows he is a loser. A Star Trek geek, he hangs out with other sci-fi tech nerds, and he gets beaten up by bullies, including Digger, who steals Marley's homework and copies his tests. The cast is huge in Yee's fourth stand-alone book about the kids of Rancho Rosetta Middle School, from the nerds and dorks to the in-group members, and the sheer number of characters may feel overwhelming. But Marley's funny, present-tense narrative will hold readers with its moving realism about friends and enemies. Marley may not be able to catch a ball, but his coach shows him that he can run, and he wins a race, even if he feels he is running away from trouble more than towards the finish line. Most touching is the way Yee humanizes the bully. As the principal drones on with fake platitudes about tolerance, Marley discovers Digger's brutal secret and helps him. The fast action, with lots of bloody fights, will hold readers, who will stay for the authentic resolution.--Rochman, Hazel Copyright 2010 Booklist

Horn Book Review

Fans of Yee's "Millie Trilly" -- her three novels that describe the same summer's events, each from a different character's point of view -- will be thrilled with this spin-off. Picking up where those books ended, at the beginning of seventh grade at Rancho Rosetta Middle School, the novel is narrated by Marley Sandelski. Readers of Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time (rev. 1/06) will remember Marley as the best friend (and fellow Star Trek geek) Stanford left behind when he started playing basketball with the cool kids. Marley feels like a nobody, invisible to everyone except the bullies who verbally and physically torment him. (His mom is blind, a plot device that allows Marley's bruises to go unnoticed for so long, but people's thoughtless comments about her -- and how she deals with them -- are a natural fit for the book's focus on being treated differently.) Yee admirably keeps the topic of bullying a realistically complicated one; also particularly well handled is fast-runner Marley's surprisingly difficult decision about whether to join the track team. Like the earlier books, this one truly stands alone, but reading them all and finding the many connections is too good a treat to pass up. jennifer m. brabander (c) Copyright 2011. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.