August 8, 2022
Gentle humor buoys personal growth in this character-driven novel of filmmaking and found family by Starmer (the Locker 37 series). Twelve-year-old Vermonter Brewster Gaines, serial loner and aspiring director, yearns to go viral with the YouTube videos he creates. After a rare moment of cooperation with a classmate, skater Carly Lee, results in solid content, he realizes that it has the potential to garner his desired “million views”—if only it had the appropriate resources. Then Carly’s privileged friend Rosa signs on as producer, ushering in a growing squad of collaborators, and the project is granted a $5,000 budget, a deadline, and a new life as trailer for yet-unmade film Carly Lee and the Land of Shadows. To the discomfort of control-conscious Brewster, the team grows to include costume-savvy Godfrey Tarkington and his production manager sister Isolde, half-Tanzanian special effects whiz Harriet Joseph, and eager assistant Liam Wentworth. Wryly narrated in the third person and filled with believable, intriguing characters, the narrative twines an in-depth look at the filmmaking process with a rift brewing in Brewster’s largely detached family, astutely developing the filmmaker’s relationship with his quietly supportive nonbinary sibling and his increasingly tight-knit crew. Most characters default to white. Ages 10–up. Agent: Michael Bourret, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret.
November 1, 2022
Gr 4-6-Twelve-year-old Brewster Gaines is an aspiring YouTube star. While he doesn't really have friends or a close-knit family, he does have his phone, a dated MacBook, and "a willingness to try." With every short video he creates and posts, he dreams of reaching a million views, though he's never come close. When two classmates approach him with an idea to film a trailer for a movie yet to be created, Brewster is confused, frustrated, and excited. As the breadth of the project becomes evident, more classmates are added to the movie-making crew. Unfortunately, these one-dimensional characters are defined almost exclusively by their roles in the production. There's the aspiring movie star who must be kept happy; the theatrical family that loves cosplay; the standoffish producer who's funding the project; and so on. Brewster's older sibling, Jade, identifies as nonbinary, and while it's a welcome inclusion, it's unfortunate that Jade is not a fully fleshed-out character. As the plot progresses, Brewster comes to understand more about friendship and the workings of his own family. VERDICT Readers who can make it past the slow set-up may enjoy the snappy dialogue and the insider's look at how movies are made. An additional purchase.-Lindsay Loup
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October 10, 2022
Grades 4-7 A Vermont sixth grader fixated on achieving viral-video fame finds new friends who lend their talents to an elaborate backyard production in this brisk middle-grade story with an eclectic cast of characters. Brewster, a loner singularly focused on making short videos, longs for what he sees as the ultimate symbol of approval: a million views on YouTube. His plan for a 10-second film snowballs into "the trailer for a movie that doesn't even exist." Six of his peers get in on the project, resulting in a creative collision that spotlights what visionary director Brewster truly has been missing. Starmer (Spontaneous, 2016) delivers his signature offbeat humor here through quirky secondary characters and quippy narration. Side themes of parental infidelity and family discord are casually handled, and Brewster's emotional insight rockets improbably from pitiable to preternaturally wise. Quick chapters include liberal filmmaking lingo, but they also highlight a range of artistic pursuits. Brewster may not get his million, but turning a ragtag group of friends into a "tight-knit production" proves priceless.
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Starred review from August 15, 2022
A tween filmmaker rallies classmates to create the next viral sensation. Brewster Gaines loves movies. He may not have friends or an attentive teacher or even loving parents who are home every night, but at least Brewster has the movies. His quest to create a viral sensation dominates his every waking moment. When Brewster enlists energetic, photogenic new kid Carly for his latest 10-second video, he sets in motion a chain of events that lead the pair of tween filmmakers to join forces with a quintet of fellow young artists who band together to produce a trailer for an epic fantasy film. A simple day shoot turns into a weeklong endeavor with a budget, method actors, special effects, and craft services. They evolve into a group of friends, and as Brewster observes his new buddies relate to their families, he comes to understand his own has a handful of shortcomings he never before considered. Starmer skillfully explores his band of misfits: Every one of the seven tweens gets subtle character shadings that make for a memorably engaging group of characters. The humor is sharp, the story is well paced, and any reader who ever hoped to go viral will find plenty to enjoy here. The characters read as default White in the text; the cover art indicates some racial diversity. A well-rounded, heartfelt tale of creativity and family. (Fiction. 9-14)
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