Book review - Finally Heard

 

Title: Finally Heard

Author: Kelly Yang

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: No Talking by Andrew Clements

                      Daisy Wormwood Changes the World by Melissa Hart

Rating:

 

a nice read

Summary (provided by publisher): When ten-year-old Lina Gao sees her mom’s video on social media take off, she’s captivated by the potential to be seen and heard! Maybe online she can finally find the confidence she craves. Whereas in real life she’s growing so fast, she feels like microwave popcorn, bursting out of her skin!
With the help of her two best friends, Carla and Finn, and her little sister, Millie, Lina sets off to go viral. Except there’s a lot more to social media than Lina ever imagined, like:
1. Seeing inside her classmates’ lives! Is she really the only person on the planet who doesn’t have a walk-in closet?
2. Group chats! Disappearing videos! What is everyone talking about in the secret chats? And how can she join?
3. A bazillion stories about what to eat, wear, and put on her face. Could they all be telling the truth? Everyone sounds so sure of what they’re saying!
As Lina descends deeper and deeper into social media, it will take all her strength to break free from the likes and find the courage to be her authentic self in this fast-paced world.

My opinion: Unsurprisingly, when a book addresses social media it's going to be a negative portrayal. Lina quickly descends into the dangers of living her life online. We aren't going to be especially surprised by the directions this book takes. But it certainly has some positives. For instance, there are several points in the book that discuss what is going on in our brains when we use social media and rely on our devices. Lina doesn't just fall victim to cyber-bullying - she sees how easy it is to engage in those behaviors from behind a screen. And it isn't just the kids. We see multiple adults engaging in unhealthy online behaviors as well as modeling better interactions both online and in person. While the ultimate conclusions are a bit idealized, overall this is a pleasant read that might encourage some deeper conversations with young readers.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley