Every year the city of Meridian does "Unplug and Be Outside." It is a week-long event where families are encourages to get out from behind the screens and be out in nature. Typically, every year, I do this book in my storytime.

It's the story of Blip who loved her computer but one day she gets unplugged. She finds her way OUTSIDE. She goes to faraway places and makes new friends....things she does every day in the computer world but this time, she gets a new perspective. Kind of true with real life and us humans!

What kids notice is how the book is black and while until Blip gets outside. The colors are SO engaging; it makes the reader want to be outside. Sure, you could argue it is propaganda messaging ;) But it is a good reminder that sometimes we do need to unplug. ( )

Note: I received an F&G of this book at an ALA conference. ( )

Unplugged is the story of Blip. Blip spends her days plugged into her computer for all the right reasons. She plays games for sure, but she also learns new skills, takes advantage of educational help, learns about new places and makes friends. However, as parents have been asking since computers first became a part of our homes, “What happens when the power goes out?” Blip finds out. Tripping over her plug in the dark she tumbles out the door and down the hill and into a river that takes her into a new kind of adventure. She plays games and learns new things and makes new friends and guess what, the world doesn’t end.

The message is a bit on the obvious side. Outside-GOOD Electronics-Bad, as the extreme contrast in artwork, would imply. Monochrome pixels versus a bright open woodland setting, quite beautifully done, I might add and quite obviously where Mr. Antony excels. While I do think that any one-sided message is not really how we should be teaching our kids, the message to unplug and play in the 3D world once in while is a good one and I do believe that most kids will find Blip to be so adorable they won’t really be noticing that they are being taught, and that is how it should be.

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A great book to read with kids to discuss the benefits of being plugged in and the benefits of being unplugged! ( )

Looking for picture books to introduce topics in my Pop Culture Studies class. This is a good one for discussion--in terms of screen time, opens the conversation to what students might do if not on a screen. Do they have the choices as Blip? Would also be a good pairing with Manoush Zomorodi's TED talk on boredom. But also, there's a critical thinking element to it--when Blip is on the computer, the color palette is black and white. When Blip is outside, color palette is vibrant. How might students feel about that choice and the subtext the color palette carries? Some might disagree, especially depending on where they live. Will try using this book next semester and see how it goes. ( )