In a few short years, Taylor Lautner has transformed from a scrawny teen into a big screen hunk - at these pictures from his school days show.

Now 17, the actor is best known for the role of Jacob Black in the phenomenally successful Twilight movies.

With his participation in the sequel New Moon allegedly in doubt, he hit the gym in earnest, gaining a reported 26lbs of muscle in order to play Jacob in his werewolf incarnation.

We'll have to wait until November to see Taylor's muscles on the big screen but in the meantime here he is as a student at Valencia High School in Southern California, before quitting in 2008 to pursue a movie career.

If they ever remake the Karate Kid, don't you think Taylor would make an excellent Daniel Larusso?

The boys of New Moon