THE FIZZY WHIZ KID

Instant fame as the goofy-faced star of a series of soft-drink commercials goes to a lad’s head in this insider’s-eye view of the Hollywood Dream’s ups and downs. Wanting only to fit in at his new California school, Mitch goes to an open casting call and against all odds lands the part. Better yet, though he’s only on screen for a second he’s suddenly a widely recognized celebrity—until a news feature on childhood obesity complicates things, and he discovers that he needs the friends he’s blithely been blowing off. The plot is predictable, but Williams draws on long experience in the film industry to surround Mitch with adults (notably his irascible tutor) and experienced peers to explain jobs on the set, give him quick acting lessons and guided tours of the studios, deliver savvy observations about the price of fame and provide general life coaching. Ultimately Mitch gets his priorities straight, repairs his friendships and finds a clever way to get out of his contract, so all’s well that ends well in this lecture-ish but lighthearted look behind the scenes. (Fiction. 10-12)