The Fizzy Whiz Kid

February 22, 2010
This effervescent comedy offers a behind-the-scenes peek at the entertainment industry through the eyes of a likable outsider, 12-year-old Mitch Mathis. Accustomed to being the new kid, Mitch violates his own cardinal rule—“DON'T STAND OUT”—when he moves to Hollywood with his parents, attends a cattle-call audition for a soda commercial, and catapults to stardom with the signature line, “You like bubbles?” Mitch, who never watches TV, hasn't seen Star Wars
, and can “juggle, ride a unicycle, play piano and guitar, and sign language,” gleans industry knowledge from new, larger-than-life friends who boast actor, agent, and screenwriter parents. Mitch's recurring lists keep the pace quick and offer insight into his character (“No cockroach costumes” is at the top of his list of “Rules for Parent Presentations,” after his entomologist father makes a cringe-inducing appearance in his classroom) as well as information about the industry. Williams (The Hour of the Outlaw
) spotlights the unglamorous side of show business, too, as Mitch becomes believably self-involved, comes to his senses, and directs an ingenious escape to normalcy. Ages 8–12.

May 1, 2010
Gr 4-6-Sixth-grader Mitch Mathis, whose professor father studies cockroaches, is the new kid in a town called Hollywood. Everyone he meets seems to be involved in show business, but Mitch doesn't know much about TV or movies. Still, to fit in he tries his luck in a talent search and auditions for Fizzy Whiz Soda. When he is hired to do a series of comic commercials, Mitch finds that he enjoys the filming, the crew, and the animals that appear with him. In classic Hollywood rise-and-fall fashion, the star neglects his friends, only to be jolted awake to the value of his previous life. A government study on junk food places Fizzy Whiz at the top of the list of products with heavy sugar concentrations. As the face of Fizzy Whiz, Mitch is now all over TV, but not the way he envisioned. How he gets out of the commercials and what he does next make for a satisfying conclusion. An entertaining read."Terrie Dorio, Santa Monica Public Library, CA"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2010
Grades 5-8 Changing schools midsemester is always difficult but never more so than when that school is Los Angeles Cecil B. DeMille Elementary. Suddenly 12-year-old midwesterner Mitchell finds himself surrounded by the offspring of movie stars, producers, and makeup artists who spend lunchtime discussing production values and shares. When it comes out that Mitchell doesnt watch TV, he is in danger of becoming an outcastand then an impulsive audition lands him a commercial for a sugary soda pop called Fizzy Whiz. Just like that, Mitchells the next big thing, signing autographs, attending the coolest parties, and learning to work the room with schmooze-savvy classmates. Williams breezy tale is as addictive and bubbly as a Fizzy Whiz itself, and her experience in the entertainment industry packs real value into her descriptions of auditions, movie sets, and agent negotiations. Of course, the double-edged reality of kid stardom is well known, and Mitchells realization that he is a product being assembled is both goofy and poignant.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)