Review by Booklist Review
Seventh-graders Willow and Hadley navigate being the daughters of momfluencers in this thoughtful, gripping, and heart-wrenching exploration of the perils of social media and fraught friendships. After connecting at a conference, Willow and Hadley begin the new school year with a secret: a private Instagram account where they reveal the truth behind their moms' fake and filtered posts about their lives. Hadley's year gets off to a rough start when she's taken in by a group of eighth graders obsessed with who her mom might be online, and Hadley doesn't want them to realize how much her mom embarrasses her for views. Meanwhile, Willow battles feelings of inadequacy as her true personality clashes with the family's online "brand" and her mom's promise to quit influencing seems to get further and further away. Deeply rooted in modern middle-school culture, resonant with the online experiences of so many tweens, and paced perfectly, this is a must-read for every kid who has dreamed of being an influencer and a great discussion starter about privacy and sharing online. Recommend to readers of character-driven novels and younger fans of A. S. King's Reality Boy (2013).
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Tired of being used as content for their social media influencer mothers, two girls rebel. Twelve-year-old Hadley recently moved from Brooklyn to Long Island, and she just wants everything at her new school to go smoothly, without anyone finding out about her momfluencer mother's blog,PhoebeAndJay. She meets Willow, also 12, at a content creator's convention, and they bond instantly: Both their mothers are obsessed with sharing their families' lives online. The girls create a private Instagram account they call @WeAreNOT_Content, which becomes a safe haven where they post about the fake lives their mothers portray online and the stress that creates in their young lives. While Hadley falls in with popular girls in her new school and Willow struggles with her family overlooking things that matter to her, the tension builds for the tweens--until Hadley makes a rash decision that leads to chaos. Each family must forge a path that's right for them: Will they respect each member's fundamental integrity and not see them solely as sources of social media content? Alternating chapters narrated by each girl feature crisp dialogue and real emotion, bringing these two likable protagonists to life. Weissman presents her message in a balanced, clear-eyed, and thought-provoking way; readers will be rooting for Hadley and Willow, who read white, to find normality, peace, and connection. A timely and provocative exploration of the impact of social media on teens, families, and society.(Fiction. 10-14) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
