02 Jul Review: Finally Heard
Finally Heard
Written by Kelly Yang
Simon & Schuster, 2024
ISBN: 97816659479301 (hardcover)
ISBN: 9781665947954 (eBook)
ISBN: 9781797168678 (audiobook)
$22.99 CAD (hardcover)
$11.99 CAD (eBook)
$14.95 CAD (audiobook)
352 pages
Ages: 9 to 12 years old
Review by: Andrew Desrochers
When a video her mother posts online gains a lot of attention, 10-year-old Lina Gao is determined to make the most of it. Lina quickly learns that while the Internet is a place to showcase our best moments, it is also where the worst ones get a turn in the spotlight. In the whirlwind of social media metrics, secret Discord chats, and fake profiles, Lina learns just how thin the boundary between real life and online life really is. Finally Heard is a valuable book for young readers just getting their first smartphones or social media accounts. Yang gives readers the words they need to begin examining how their own interactions with social media affects how they think and feel, and their responsibility for what they choose to put online. Included in the back pages are research on the effects of social media on children and a personal anecdote from the author that would benefit readers of all ages.