School Library Journal Review
Gr 5 Up-This introduction to the world of blogging, vlogging, and podcasting will take students from idea to execution and completion. Birley first encourages safety on the Internet, promoting parental involvement in the process. He then outlines how to find "your story" (what the content will center on) and offers tips on making a mind map and deciding which social media platform is best, along with information on all the aspects involved before posting (for instance, post length, images, lighting, audio, and more) and the different equipment needed. There is a discussion of etiquette and properly citing or linking work from other sources. Birley also covers handling various problems, from technical issues to audience responses. The emphasis is on helping students find and develop their own voices while encouraging them to reach out to friends and family to support their burgeoning media pages. Cartoon illustrations depict a variety of teens interacting together and mirroring the text instructions. There are a page of useful links and a glossary of pertinent words. VERDICT A general introduction for collections looking to expand their resources on social media.-Cynde Suite, Bartow County Library System, Adairsville, GA © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Part of the Super Skills series, this practical-minded introduction to blogging and vlogging breaks down the process of developing, creating, and maintaining a media presence into 10 lessons, beginning with "Find your story" and (importantly) "Stay safe online." (Birley emphasizes parental involvement and the danger of broadcasting personal information.) Elsewhere, Birley discusses creating a vlog set, lighting, video editing, and the elements of a podcast, as well as technical suggestions regarding thumbnail images, playlists, and embedding video to a blog post. Chapter seven, "Find Your Audience," focuses on the finer points of attracting viewers and continuing to produce good content ("Keep your blog fresh-for you and your audience-by living your life to the fullest"). Kerr's smudgy-edged, digital illustrations show young people confidently planning and creating their posts, adding to Birley's positive, can-do message. Ages 12-up. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
In a world where YouTube makes celebrities, books that teach success and safety to kids in an accessible and up-to-date manner without being condescending or preachy are especially important. With this work, Birley has hit the nail on the head (or the upload on the post, if you will). The book is divided into the title's 10 lessons, called super skills, which include topics such as staying safe online, the ins and outs of writing a blog post, how to record a podcast, and promoting your blog or vlog, among others. Pages are colorful, with diagrams, lists, and colored circles giving helpful tips. End material includes a list of helpful links, including locations for public domain images and sounds, and a glossary of commonly used terms. Sure, it says easy in the title, but the lessons in here are filled with tips and tricks for even the savviest of social media tweens and teens. Readers will be drawn in by the eye-catching colors and brevity of the book but will stay for the valuable information.--Linsenmeyer, Erin Copyright 2016 Booklist
