The Technology Tail: A Digital Footprint Story

by Julia Cook, Anita DuFalla (Illustrator)

Overview

Why are there bandages and gifts stuck to my Technology Tail!? Let Screen explain the importance of what you post online.

The Technology Tail is a cute, creative story about children and their texts, tweets, posts and pics. Don’t be mean and irresponsible! That’s the straight-to-the-point advice “Screen” has for young readers who are active on social media.

Whether tapping out messages on their computers, tablets or phones, Screen wants kids to know their words – the kind and the cruel – will follow them for life, creating a digital trail that can't be erased.

The Technology Tail is part of the Communicate with Confidence book series that offers a timeless message to a new generation just learning how to navigate the fast-changing digital age. Written for children in grades 1 through 6, this storybook uses rhymes and colorful illustrations to grab their attention.

Also included are tips for parents and teachers who want to reinforce kindness and respect in a high-tech world.

Communicate with Confidence book series also includes other great storybooks written by Julia Cook!

• Decibella and Her 6-Inch Voice: Introducing Children to the “Five Volumes” of Voices
• Gas Happens: What to Do When It Happen to You
• Well, I Can Top That! Learning the Difference Between Being a “Pull-Upper” and “One-Upper”

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781944882136
Publisher:	Boys Town Press
Publication date:	09/01/2017
Series:	Communicate with Confidence , #4
Edition description:	First Edition, Illustrated
Pages:	31
Sales rank:	129,887
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.25(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Julia Cook, a former school counselor and teacher, has written many books on behavior and health for children. Julia has the innate ability to enter the worldview of a child through storybooks, giving parents and educators the “what to say” and “how to say it to kids.” Her ultimate goal is to make a positive difference in the lives of children, parents and educators by teaching lifelong problem-solving skills to kids.

Anita DuFalla is an award-winning illustrator, editorial art director and university adjunct faculty member in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Editorial Reviews

Until recently, who would have imagined that children might need a picture book to help them make wise choices on social media? This witty, beautifully drawn guide reminds kids to be thoughtful online and should be required reading before any child can have the WiFi password. I can only hope that the adults in the house will give it a good read, too!” – David L. Hill, MD, FAAP,

“A fabulous resource for teaching children about their digital footprint! Showing how a “technology tail” can get bruised, scratched and torn is a perfect way to help kids see and understand how they impact others online. It empowers children to be responsible, safe and kind on social media.” – Jill D. Kuzma, Speech-Language Pathologist/Social Skills Teacher, Apple Valley, Minnesota

"The Technology Tail is written for kids just beginning to use the internet, encouraging them to be aware of the trail they leave behind online. The tips are great for kids, and also for parents and teachers who want to encourage online safety and digital citizenship. The idea of a "tail" that can look good or bad based on online behavior gives kids a visual, and the book also does a good job of showing how sometimes people can be hurt inadvertently by online behavior." - Bekah, blogger @ Motherhood Moment

From the Publisher

2017-07-02
A girl learns about her "technology tail," or digital footprint. The lesson is delivered by a preteen's laptop screen that suddenly comes to life and starts speaking, telling the child (who has light brown skin and straight brown hair) about how online activities can follow users and influence the way people think about them. Understandably, much of the focus is on refraining from posting mean things online and being aware of others' feelings, but there are also lessons on safety and security. It all boils down to a didactic lesson, taught in very uneven prose—the screen frequently speaks in verse with an abcb rhyming pattern but just as frequently doesn't, and there's no real rhyme or reason as to why it drops in and out of verse. Occasional moments feel more like curriculum bullet points than parts of a cohesive whole, such as a brief definition of "keyboard courage" (saying things online that a person would never say out loud) and running all posts through a "think" test (THINK corresponding to True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary, and Kind). At other points, concerns expressed feel older than those a rhyming picture book's audience would share. Aside from mismatches between content and delivery, the disproportionate art style, featuring characters (of many races) with oversized caricature heads, further obfuscates the characters' ages. An important topic that warrants further exploration—and deserves better execution. (Picture book. 6-12)

Kirkus Reviews