Boy vs Reality

Most children will be more familiar than I with the trials and temptations of vlogging: seeking to present perfection; aiming for maximum likes; transitioning from hobby to business while simultaneously upping the fun factor and the revenue; not to mention losing sight of life’s priorities.

Y5 Ethan seems to have a better handle on what really matters in life (families, friends and wellbeing) than Mum, with her million followers, Dad, with his ‘Dad on the Rocks’ channel, or older brother, Mason, who kickstarts his own YouTube ambitions by recording and publishing the meanest possible pranks on his Little Loser Bro. When the perfect influencer family is actually tearing itself apart, when the smiles are forced, and the offline chat fractious and hate-filled, the grown-up plan is ‘fake it’ and keep shtum. No wonder chilling with his good mates, Arlo and Omar, brings Ethan welcome relief; no wonder he goes to Grandad and Colin the Dog for sanctuary and solace. Because confiding in and collaborating with true friends and, eventually, accepting professional counselling and moving towards reconciliation, is surely the better way.

What makes this book a winner is its contemporary and engrossing storyline, for sure. But it is also to be recommended for its humour, the Gen Z/Gen Alpha slang (for those in the know), and even the laying bare of Ethan’s ‘sticky thoughts’, helping real kids to see they’re not alone or ‘weird’. At 373 pages, Boy Vs Reality is a satisfyingly chunky volume: too long probably for a class read, but definitely one to have in the UKS2 library or classroom.