Penguin

9780143505747

May 2019

Puffin

RRP: $16.99

So many of us are what could be referred to as social media junkies……of course I’m not talking about moi! But if you were a 12 year old kid who is not into any of platforms that your peers are, yet you are totally famous and have been since you were a baby, how would you feel about it?

Vee and her mum are a tight pair/team. Vee’s dad departed just after she was born and she’s never known him but her mum, who quite naturally considers Vee the sunshine of her life, has ‘Insta-grammed’ Vee’s entire life for all to see and appreciate. Now getting close to 150k followers, Vee is beginning to feel rather hemmed in and as if she has no ‘real’ life – just the one on Insta.

With her 13^th birthday coming up, Vee is really not too sure about continuing with the whole deal, particularly as school/mates/self esteem kicks in so Vee comes up with a plan to dissuade her followers and encourage her mum to abandon the Chronicles and focus on her own life.

This is Oliver at his best. The characters are authentic with voices that will resonate with readers. It is funny, poignant, insightful and downright fabulous! For the more astute reader, there is a lot upon which to reflect regarding the bombardment of social media and virtual life re reality.

I loved this and I truly believe that your readers, either boys or girls, will also really engage with it.

Highly recommended for your readers from around ten years upwards.