Review by Booklist Review
Nina, who likes to make videos to post on her Boogletoob account, is eager for internet fame, except her only followers are her grandma and best friend, Brian. Nina is constantly getting picked on at school by Megan, a classmate sort of famous for her modest Boogletoob following. When the two girls are paired together to work on a school project, they unsurprisingly butt heads. When Megan posts a video of Nina's cat, Les, to Boogletoob hoping to make her look bad, Nina is worried it will be the end of her quest for fame, but Megan's plan backfires when the video is a hit for Nina and boosts her followers. Bowie's playful, childlike art style nicely captures the middle-school humor, which is packed with boogers and cat farts, but also admirably renders the story's emotional arc, especially when Nina begins to struggle with her newfound attention. With a valuable lesson that internet fame isn't all it's cracked up to be, this will be a hit for kids who like silly comics and illustrated novels.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Young Nina dreams of becoming an internet sensation on popular video-sharing platform BoogleToob. Her content--which features her geriatric cat with a penchant for flatulence, as well as a potato that resembles a human face--initially only garners attention from her doting grandmother and friend Brian. But when Nina and her rival Megan, whose own channel enjoys widespread popularity, are teamed up for their school's upcoming talent show, their online worlds collide. Megan's attempts to humiliate Nina cause Nina's popularity to skyrocket, an event that only escalates the tension between them. Using storytelling punctuated with sight humor, engaging asides, and delightfully absurd scenarios, Bowie (Kevin's in a Mood) probes deep into the essence of friendship, the allure of popularity, and the often-overlooked realities of life behind the camera. Simple artwork featuring minimalistic backgrounds enhances thematic focus, while vibrant monochromatic coloring and dynamic dialogue balloons create visual intrigue and aid narrative flow. Skillfully balancing lighthearted entertainment with poignant observations on youthful experiences in the digital age, Bowie crafts a compelling story for readers navigating their own online and offline worlds. Nina's skin tone matches the white of the page; Brian and Megan are rendered with brown skin. Ages 8--12. Agent: Lydia Silver, Darley Anderson Literary. (Aug.)
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