Book Review of Can i Have a Phone?
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The Children’s Book Review
Can i Have a Phone?
Written by Joshua McGrath
Illustrated by Karina Bulgakova
Ages: 6-12 | 55 Pages
Publisher: Joshua McGrath (2024) | ISBN: 979-8856252049
What to Expect: Technology, responsibility, imagination, experience, and peer pressure.
Leonard Winowski has a REAL problem. He needs a phone—he’s ten years old, and everyone else at school has one—but his mother doesn’t care! She isn’t interested in his happiness, so she keeps bringing him home books to read instead. Then, when his English teacher asks him to write a story for a homework assignment, Leonard has a brilliant idea – he’ll write a story all about a mean mom who won’t give her son a phone. The only issue is he doesn’t know how to write a story. He picks up one of the books his mother brought him to see how story-writing works, and he reads … and reads … and reads. It turns out Leonard’s problem isn’t that big a deal after all—who needs a phone when there are books to be read?
Phones are now near-ubiquitous accessories, even for children as young as 10. However, as Johan Hari documented in Stolen Focus, the damage their presence is causing to our children’s lives is catastrophic. In this funny picture book, the issue of phone ownership for children is addressed from the first-person perspective of a determined 10-year-old.
Readers will find themselves empathizing with Leonard’s frustration but also learning with him that what others value doesn’t have to be important to you. The digital illustrations, filled with humor, give a glimpse into Leonard’s world, including his mother’s mind-blowing ‘ancientness ‘. The text effects guide readers through Leonard’s changing priorities, ensuring they come away from the book with a new perspective.
Can i Have a Phone? is a funny and enjoyable starting point for parent/child conversations (and maybe negotiations) concerning phone ownership.
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About the Author
Josh McGrath is a new author with a lifelong passion for creativity. From the time he was little, he always had an innate talent for storytelling—enchanting both children and adults with his vivid imagination and captivating tales.
In the spring of 2024, Josh took his first step into the world of self-publishing with his debut children’s illustrated book, Can i Have a Phone? Josh has spent the last few years working on a young adult fantasy series titled Nora Hollingsworth, and is preparing to bring the first installment to market soon.
Josh’s writing is driven by a love for creating stories that spark the imagination and bring joy to readers of all ages.
For more information, check out https://mcgrath.works/.
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