Joyce Grant's Blog

“Burst Your Bubble! unscrambles a technical topic – online algorithms – and makes it easy for young readers to grasp. (It) stitches together salient points in an upbeat, easily understood manner. Reliable and comprehensive, this essential resource will help readers understand and control the influence of algorithms, tweak online behaviours, and grow into better people–keenly important in this age of misinformation and divisive messaging.”

Quill & Quire’s review of Burst Your Bubble!, written by author Jill Bryant, says of Jan Dolby’s illustrations, they are “teeming with motion and creativity, the artwork ramps up reader engagement.”

Read the complete review here:

https://quillandquire.com/review/burst-your-bubble-outsmart-the-algorithms-and-see-what-youre-missing

The post “…(an) essential resource” Quill & Quire Review of Burst Your Bubble! appeared first on Joyce Grant, Author & Speaker.

“I think that this is a book kids should read with their parents. There is much to learn in its pages about how information bubbles work. I am certainly happy to have learned what I did while reading it. It immediately engages its target audience with the way algorithms frame what we see online.”

“The illustrations are brightly colored and cartoon-like. Their design is crucial to adding meaning to the text in a playful and understated way.”

Read the complete review here:

https://salsfictionaddiction.blogspot.com/2025/11/burst-your-bubble-outsmart-algorithms.html

The post “Immediately engages its audience” Review of Burst Your Bubble! by Sal’s Fiction Addiction appeared first on Joyce Grant, Author & Speaker.

Thank you to Sienna, a kid-reviewer who gave Burst Your Bubble! five stars in a recent review in OWL magazine. (Disclosure: Burst Your Bubble! was published by Owlkids Books, which also publishes OWL magazine.)

The post Awesome kid review of Burst Your Bubble! in OWL magazine (December edition) *****/5 appeared first on Joyce Grant, Author & Speaker.

The Children’s Book Council included Burst Your Bubble! in its wonderful list of “anticipated best sellers” for November 2025.

See their whole list here:

https://cbcbooks.org/cbc-book-lists/november-2025

The post Children’s Book Council (CBC) appeared first on Joyce Grant, Author & Speaker.

School Library Journal recapped their 45 starred reviews for 2025, including Burst Your Bubble!

See their whole list of great kidlit books here:

https://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/story/45-outstanding-offerings-from-kate-messner-chloe-gong-and-more-starred-reviews-october-2025

The post SLJ Starred Reviews 2025 appeared first on Joyce Grant, Author & Speaker.

To #WIN a copy of the book, enter our #BookBirthday contest!

1) Follow Owlkids on Instagram
2) LIKE this post on Instagram
3) TAG a friend in the comments (on the post on Instagram)

________________

BURST YOUR BUBBLE! OUTSMART THE ALGORITHMS AND SEE WHAT YOU’RE MISSING

We are all in information bubbles, whether we realize it or not. The content that fills our bubble is the product of all the likes, clicks, and shares we make online. While we may enjoy what the algorithm pushes to us, we can gradually lose sight of perspectives and points of view that are different from our own.

In seven chapters, readers will learn what algorithms are, why they are used, and what influences someone’s information bubble both online and in real life.

“A must-purchase for libraries looking for books on algorithms, bias, and media literacy.” — SLJ, STARRED REVIEW

A California Reading Association Eureka! Honor Book (Silver)

Expert reviewed by #MortenRandHendriksen (@mor10web), educator and expert on #ArtificialIntelligence, #WebTechnologies, and the intersection between #Technology and #Society.

Classroom Resource available at OwlkidsBooks.com

Available wherever books are found

[Giveaway ends *Tuesday, November 18, 2025 AT 12PM EST**. This contest is only open to CAN and U.S. residents. Entrants will only be considered if their direct messages are turned on. The winner will be chosen by random draw and contacted via direct message. We are posting from our official account @owlkidspublishing. This contest is not affiliated with or endorsed by Instagram.]

The post Win a copy of “Burst!” on Instagram! Ends Nov. 18 appeared first on Joyce Grant, Author & Speaker.

For many years, Helen Kubiw has been finding and reviewing the best in Canadian kidlit on her influential blog, CanLit for LittleCanadians. A retired teacher-librarian, Kubiw chaired the OLA’s renowned Forest of Reading literary program, and has served as a juror for numerous prestigious book awards including the CCBC Canadian Children’s Book Awards. Suffice to say that she is brilliant and well-connected in the world of Canadian kidlit. She is a reviewer who really does her homework; her reviews are thoughtful and thorough and packed with depth and insight from her vast knowledge of Canadian kidlit.

That is why I was so thrilled that she has reviewed “Burst Your Bubble!,” giving it praise for presenting information about algorithms in a way that kids can understand, but also for advising readers “how to take control back from those algorithms… Burst Your Bubble! informs about so much that which is in our influence, whether it is retraining our brains to think differently, being aware of what reinforces those bubbles, or setting up opportunities to change the algorithms.”

Kubiw also points out Jan Dolby’s wonderful illustrations, which give “colour and depth” to the content… (Jan) even finds innovative ways to illustrate the power of algorithms.”

Please do take the time to read the full review as well as the many other reviews on her excellent blog. CanLit for LittleCanadians is one of the best things in my kidlit bubble, and always the first item to pop up in my algorithms when I type “CanLit for…”.

Read the full review here:

https://canlitforlittlecanadians.blogspot.com/2025/11/burst-your-bubble-outsmart-algorithms.html

Follow Helen Kubiw on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/hkubiw.bsky.social

The post “An astonishingly fresh look at the power of algorithms” Review: CanLit for LittleCanadians appeared first on Joyce Grant, Author & Speaker.

Thank you to YSBR (Youth Services Book Review), the wonderful librarians of Massachusetts for this recommendation for “Burst Your Bubble!”

Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? Yes. It may spark ideas for digital literacy lessons!

“… this book has well presented information that students won’t be able to find anywhere else.

“Cute, colorful illustrations show characters of diverse backgrounds looking at smartphones and considering information bubbles with both positive and negative effects. 

“Highly recommended for all upper elementary and middle school collections.”

Read the full review on the YSBR website:

Burst Your Bubble! by Joyce Grant, illustrated by Jan Dolby

The post “Highly recommended!” Review for “Burst!” by YSBR appeared first on Joyce Grant, Author & Speaker.

The California Reading Association has selected as a Silver Honor Book!

Thank you to the CRA for this outstanding honour, amongst a field of absolutely outstanding books.

According to the CRA’s website, “The Eureka! Nonfiction Children’s Book Award assists teachers, librarians, and parents in identifying outstanding nonfiction books for their students and children.”

You’ll find the full list of CRA Honor Books here: https://californiareading.org/cra-awards/

Thanks again, CRA! We are HONOURED!

The post “Burst” is a Silver Honor Winner! appeared first on Joyce Grant, Author & Speaker.

An interesting take on Burst Your Bubble! in this BookGaga review, which suggests it for adults as “something a little outside one’s usual tastes, or something one has not visited for a while and/or something in a different format.” Akin to a reading “palate cleanser” — for adults, not a terrible analogy.

In the image they post with the “review,” it’s up there with “Rebel Without a Cause,” … and I’m okay with that comparison!

Full review here:

Calming and palate cleansing … yes, with books

The post Calming (Book Gaga Review) appeared first on Joyce Grant, Author & Speaker.