I had just pulled into the driveway one night a few weeks back when a boy from next door greeted me. He had a book to return that was borrowed the previous July fourth. Yes, my home checkout policy is rather lenient. His family had been over that night to celebrate. I love that holiday. All you have to do is worry about what you’ll eat and watch fireworks light the sky. There’s no brunch to attend, trees to put up, or turkeys to cook. Oh, sorry. I’m getting off track much like our MC, Sean Rosen. I enjoyed the first book – I REPRESENT SEAN ROSEN and looked forward to the sequel. I only forgot that it had left my bookshelf almost ten months ago.

I read the new version in a few days. Despite its length many of the pages are in short screenplay format. You’ll be in the head of 13-year-old Sean and it may be a rough ride for adult readers. He’s all over the place with too much on his mind. I enjoyed his journey though I’ve been around this age group most of my life, and I still remember myself as a young teen (okay wipe that memory away). Regardless, many boys enjoy Sean because he’s like them with loving parents and a future he’s not sure about. My reluctant readers also willingly give Sean reading time. That says a lot.

PUBLICATION DATE:2014   Length: 384 pages

FULL PLOT (From Amazon):  The stakes are higher, the funny stuff is funnier, and the completely original and individual wunderkind Sean Rosen is balancing middle school and his career in ways never before seen. The adventures of Sean Rosen and his fictitious manager, Dan Welch, continue as Sean works on his screenplay, deals with seventh grade and track practice and a dog-walking job, records his podcasts, and tries to keep his brush with stardom a secret from his parents. Meanwhile, a major Hollywood movie studio has sent a private detective to Sean’s town to find out who this Sean Rosen kid is, and what the nature is, exactly, of his big idea.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT SEAN ROSEN IS NOR FOR SALE by Jeff Baron

1. Sean is an only child in a two parent family. Nothing unusual there except this set-up is far from my usual MG selections this year. It’s just nice to read about a family who have become friends and support each other.
2. Could a 13-year old kid get the attention of big movie executive and trick him into thinking he has an agent? Probably not, but Sean’s voice is so believable, funny, and teen-like, you have to assume maybe it could happen.
3. Sean produces short podcasts and he talks about them frequently. Even better is actually watching them online. You can see a few of them here.
4. The story shows kids it’s okay to try something and fail. Whether it be creative or athletic. Sean’s venture into middle school sports lasts about one hour, but his reasons for quitting are understandable.
5. Sean has friendships with a diverse group of students. He’s not attached to any one clique and does fine with the popular girl and the quiet boy who sits by himself in the cafeteria. You’d be happy your kids had a friend like Sean.

FAVORITE LINES: I don’t hate school, but I don’t love school. My main problem with it is that’s it’s all day long, and there are a lot of other things I’d rather be doing. The parts of school that I like only take up a few short hours, but then you’re stuck there for the rest of the day.

QUOTE FROM AUTHOR: “When I first thought of Sean Rosen, it was a movie idea. Then for some reason, I remembered something a FOX studio executive suggested to me years ago after I pitched a movie—”Write it as a novel first.” I had never tried writing a novel, but Sean Rosen’s voice popped into my head, and once he started talking, he never stopped.” SOURCE

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Check the links to other Middle Grade novels over at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.