Joyce Grant's Blog

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

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Thank you to Books Grow Minds for this wonderful review!

And thank you as well to all the people in the comments who have been so encouraging and enthusiastic about how vital this topic is today. Thank you!

Please visit and follow @BooksGrowMinds on Instagram for more great book recommendations!

The post  “…a MUST read for any kid old enough to enter the online world” Review: Books Grow Minds appeared first on Joyce Grant, Author & Speaker.

The best way to understand bubbles and point of view is to experience them!

This free, downloadable activity guide takes a deeper dive into critical thinking and point of view. You’ll lead participants through exercises that help them understand their own bubble–and what’s NOT in their bubble. They will also reflect on the benefits of extending their bubble to allow for new things and ideas.

A second activity asks participants to choose a topic and then have the opportunity to convince someone else about their point of view on that topic. Can they convince them? Or will they be convinced?

Download it — it’s free!

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The prestigious School Library Journal (SLJ) has given a starred review to Burst Your Bubble!, calling it “a must-purchase for libraries looking for books on algorithms, bias, and media literacy.”

The review will be online at https://www.slj.com/ in early October 2025.

FULL REVIEW

“Joyce Grant, illus. by Jan ­Dolby. 48p. Owlkids. Nov. 2025. Tr $19.95. ISBN 9781771477123.

Gr 3-6–A playful and ­engaging book that helps kids understand how algorithms shape what they see online—and why it’s important to break out of their information bubbles. With short, relatable text and real-world scenarios, the book makes tricky digital concepts easy to grasp. Interactive activities are cleverly built right into the reading experience. For example, readers are invited to follow different paths through the text—like a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book—mirroring how algorithms guide our choices online. These built-in challenges make the content meaningful while also offering great ideas for parents and teachers looking to engage kids with the topic. The illustrations are bright, featuring cartoon-style kids playing, interacting, and learning. Each page is ­visually dynamic, with bold colors and creative layouts that enhance the book’s interactive feel. A table of contents, glossary, index, and bibliography are all included. VERDICT A must-purchase for libraries looking for books on algorithms, bias, and media literacy. –Katherine Rao”

Thank you, SLJ! We think YOU are a star!

The post STARRED REVIEW ⭐ for Burst Your Bubble! from School Library Journal appeared first on Joyce Grant, Author & Speaker.

The prestigious School Library Journal (SLJ) has given a starred review to Burst Your Bubble!, calling it “a must-purchase for libraries looking for books on algorithms, bias, and media literacy.”

The review will be online at https://www.slj.com/ in early October 2025.

FULL REVIEW

“Joyce Grant, illus. by Jan ­Dolby. 48p. Owlkids. Nov. 2025. Tr $19.95. ISBN 9781771477123.

Gr 3-6–A playful and ­engaging book that helps kids understand how algorithms shape what they see online—and why it’s important to break out of their information bubbles. With short, relatable text and real-world scenarios, the book makes tricky digital concepts easy to grasp. Interactive activities are cleverly built right into the reading experience. For example, readers are invited to follow different paths through the text—like a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book—mirroring how algorithms guide our choices online. These built-in challenges make the content meaningful while also offering great ideas for parents and teachers looking to engage kids with the topic. The illustrations are bright, featuring cartoon-style kids playing, interacting, and learning. Each page is ­visually dynamic, with bold colors and creative layouts that enhance the book’s interactive feel. A table of contents, glossary, index, and bibliography are all included. VERDICT A must-purchase for libraries looking for books on algorithms, bias, and media literacy. –Katherine Rao”

Thank you, SLJ! We think YOU are a star!

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It’s an honour for Burst Your Bubble!: Outsmart the Algorithms and See What You’re Missing, illustrated by Jan Dolby and published by Owlkids Books, to be in such a fantastic line-up of books out this fall, according to Quill & Quire’s 2025 Fall Preview.

Q&Q’s awesome line-up of fall books includes veteran children’s author Karen Krossing’s My Street Remembers (Cathie Jamieson illustrator) and Feeling Your Feelings: The Head-to-Toe Science of Emotions by Tanya Lloyd Kyi (Phil Nicholls illustrator).

Burst Your Bubble! comes out November 11 and is now available for pre-order at your local bookstore or online (check here to find and support your local bookstore). It’s officially meant for kids age 8 to 11, but it could be younger or older, depending on their reading level and what they enjoy reading about–and it’s also a great, quick-reading overview for adults wanting to know more about algorithms!

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Please check out my new website, where I’ll be posting my handmade and hand decorated pots, mugs and vases for sale. Items are currently only available in Canada.

I will be adding items to the site weekly, so please check it out!

I would like to thank Bennett Duncan for creating and maintaining this website.

Thanks!

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The auction is over and I was thrilled at the interest in my pieces and the results. Thank you to everyone who bid on my work and helped to raise funds for the Dundas Valley School of the Arts (the artist receives 50% of the proceeds).

There were more than 1,400 pieces in the auction, including paintings, jewellery, glass and mixed media artwork–a very successful fundraiser!

The auction is over, but if you would like me to crate a custom, wheel-thrown piece for you, contact me and we’ll make that happen!

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There are lots of signs that we’re in information bubbles these days. You may be seeing one side of the story–your side. Other people may be in a very different bubble. In fact, each camp may have no idea there are other points of view. They would be very surprised to find that your bubble is so different from theirs, and vice-versa.

It’s time to burst those bubbles! Find out what other people are saying–and let them hear your point of view. Burst Your Bubble! helps you outsmart the algorithms that keep you in your bubble, so you can see more of what’s really happening.

Burst Your Bubble! is in stores November 11, 2025. Pre-order it online today! Illustrated by Jan Dolby and published by Owlkids Books. For ages 8-12 officially … but don’t you want to know how to burst your bubble as well (or help your parents to)?

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