TYLER ON PRIME TIME

This assured debut by a publishing sales rep turned sitcom writer offers a perky but knowing take on show biz. Shuffled off to Los Angeles to his Uncle Pete's for two weeks in August when scheduling conflicts beset his divorced parents, 12-year-old Tyler is secretly delighted. After all, his uncle writes for TV's top family sitcom, and surely Tyler will be able to snag an audition for a part. No path to fame and fortune unfolds without obstacles, however, and Atinsky keeps them coming, from an asthma attack to Tyler's blooper about the male lead's hair transplant. While the one-liners and asides are consistently witty, an even bigger draw may be the convincing look behind the scenes. Readers learn how writers, producers and actors put together a show and how they talk on the job. For example, Tyler defines "the blow": "The last line or action of a scene or an act. In sitcoms you almost always want the blow to be a big laugh line." Adeptly advancing the various story lines, the author wins sympathy for his protagonist and gives readers an insider's view of what goes on off-camera. Audiences are likely to stay tuned, right through the closing credits. Ages 10-up. (Apr.)