Jeff Baron

This review originally published by Brigham Young University's Children's Book and Media Review

Sean Rosen makes funny videos online, but he’s also full of great ideas for movies, TV shows, and games that he knows would be big hits if they were produced by the biggest companies in Hollywood. He soon discovers that he doesn’t know anyone in Hollywood and without those connections, it’s difficult to get a start in the big companies. Still, he decides that he can be his own manager to get what he wants. He contacts different companies and manages to land an offer from one of his most desired companies. As he goes, he has to figure out the business and how to make big decisions that will impact his future and the future of his ideas.

The book is funny and Sean is an intelligent, interesting character, but readers have to work hard to suspend their disbelief in the story. As clever as a thirteen-year-old might be, it is difficult to believe that he would be able to do as well as he does in pretending to be his own manager. Still, in spite of the unrealistic situation, the way Sean handles getting what he wants and his initiative to make things happen when everyone else tells him no is inspiring. Kids who want to go into Hollywood or to be entrepreneurs will enjoy Sean’s funny adventures.… (altro)

After he turns down the contract with a major movie company so he can write his own screenplay, Sean still isn’t done in the business world. He wants to sell the idea that will change the entertainment industry forever. He emails a head a company, but also continues to get emails from other companies about his movie. Because more than one company is interested he thinks it would be a good idea to start a bidding war. In between negotiating terms, pretending to be Dan Welch (his manager), and doing research to write his screenplay, mysterious things happen that make him wonder if someone is trying to steal his idea instead of buying it. With some creativity and the help of Dan Welch, Sean gets to the bottom of who is after his ideas and decides what he wants to do next in the entertainment industry.

Sean’s adventures continue in this book, but readers could start with this one without reading the first book. Sean has a lot more to handle in this book in talking with more than one production company, taking care of a neighbor’s dog, writing his screenplay, and worrying about the people who seem to be searching for him. This puts him in an opportunity for lots of funny adventures and to have different experiences than he did in the first book. The book doesn’t not have a lot of depth or emotion, but Sean’s character is fun to read about and to think about what it might take to get into the entertainment industry. The ending makes it feel like there is room for another book to show what he decides to do next. Readers will admire how Sean never gives up on his dreams, and kids who want to work in entertainment someday will particularly enjoy Sean’s story.… (altro)