Emma is a little girl who struggles to get her parents’ attention, because they always seem to be using their phones. She gets frustrated, and wants to shout. During a day out at the zoo, Emma resolves to have a good day, but is soon distracted by the number of grown-ups using their phones around her. Emma erupts in a fit of anger, shouting to all the people to put away their phones, but then realises she has become so preoccupied by the phone issue that she has become lost. Searching for an adult to help her, Emma tries to find one who isn’t using a mobile phone, so they can call for help. Eventually, she finds one, and is reunited with her parents. Both Emma and her parents are delighted to find each other, and they all make pledges to change their ways. Emma agrees to be more patient, and her parents promise to put their phones down during family time.
Categories: Aggression & Tantrums, Friendship & Getting Along
Put Away Your Phone!
Encourages a child to develop strategies to manage situations that make them cross. Helps a child to see that phones can be useful in an emergency, and forces parents to consider how much time they may be spending on their devices.
Author: Tracy Bryan
Illustrator: David Barrow
Publisher: Tracy Bryan Publishing
Things we liked:
This book deals with a very modern and relevant issue. The animal illustrations in the story are quirky, and will appeal to children.
Worth noting:
This book ends with a compromise being made by both Emma and her parents, which is a helpful message to receive.
Review by: Rebecca Seymour