With three daughters growing up attached to the internet and social media--internet safety has been a frequent conversation topic in our house. This morning, I have a middle grade fiction book to share that is certainly relevant to our older elementary and young middle school readers! Learn about Alicia Connected: The Big Gift and author Derek Fisher, read my thoughts on the book and enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post.
Category: Middle-Grade Fiction (Ages 8-12), 86 pages
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction
Publisher: Securely Built
Release date: May 2020
Content Rating: G for everyone.
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Alicia has finally entered a new world of technology when her parents give her a tablet for her birthday. She has watched and listened to her friends who have already been enjoying the games and apps in a connected world that Alicia has yet to experience. Until now. But using technology can bring a set of challenges that are new to both Alicia and her parents. Understanding the different apps and games and how to use them properly can be tricky. Will Alicia know how to use it in a way that is fun and allows her to connect with her friends while being safe and secure? Both her and her parents will face the excitement and challenges together as she jumps headfirst into using her new tablet.
My Review
Great Launch to a Middle Grade Series. Readers will learn a variety of lessons related to playing it safe in online interactions as they read the first book in the Alicia Connected series. Alicia knows that she has a lot to learn about technology and internet safety--but, this book also shows that even "tech savvy" tweens and teens may make some mistakes in judgement when using technology.
Alicia and Friends Are Relatable to Tweens--and Caregivers. As parents, we give our kiddos a lot of advice and try to do so many things to protect them online while letting them learn and grow--and join their real-world friends in online adventures. I love that this book begins at the beginning with Alicia's journey into apps and technology. From setting up usernames safely to navigating friend requests and managing screen time appropriately--the author gives a lot of reinforcement to what many readers may have heard from parents and caregivers. The book gives them a bit of a role model in Alicia as she tries to follow her parents guidance and the "rules" around her tablet. I do wish that the book had characters who were a little more realistic and less after-school-special like--but, I think the parallels from fiction to real world are still present and valid.
Would I Recommend Alicia Connected: The Big Gift by Derek Fisher? I enjoyed reading Alicia's introduction to her very first tablet--and I do look forward to reading more of the series as Alicia and her friends learn more about online safety and technology habits. This would be a fun story to share as a family or as a mom/daughter book club read for discussion. I would definitely recommend it to parents of elementary aged students ready for those first phones/tablets/laptops.
Buy the Book
Amazon ~ B&N ~ IndieBound
Author Website
Meet the Author
Derek Fisher has spent decades in the computer engineering field with the last decade in cybersecurity as a leader, speaker, and instructor. His passion has been to take complex security topics and make them simple and easy to understand. He holds several security certifications and teaches cybersecurity at Temple University where he is also an external advisory board member to the cybersecurity program.
connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ goodreads
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