Gabby Torres Gets a Billion Followers

by Angela Dominguez

Nine-year-old Gabby Torres is the star of this new graphic novel series! Join Gabby as she navigates the inevitable disasters of fourth grade and social media, perfect for fans of Katie the Catsitter and Allergic.

Gabby Torres is nine years old and ready to conquer the world.

She's already joined the Sea Musketeers, the environmental protection club founded by her idol, Stella Díaz, and plans to be their best (and youngest) member ever.

Gabby’s latest and greatest start a social media page for her club. But her parents think she’s too young! Nothing stops Gabby though… until some online meanies get her in some serious trouble!

But she’s totally got everything under control all on her own.

Right?

This heartwarming series is written and illustrated by Angela Dominguez, the New York Times bestselling illustrator who created the beloved Stella Díaz series. Gabby Torres is tenacious, bold, relatable, and hilarious, reminiscent of favorite characters like Junie B. Jones, Clementine, and Ramona Quimby.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Friendship, Social Media, Childrens, Juvenile

160 pages, Hardcover

Published January 14, 2025

About the author

Angela Dominguez is the author/illustrator of Let’s Go, Hugo! and Knit Together. She has an MFA from the Academy of Art University, was born in Mexico City, grew up in Texas, and now lives in New York City.

Reviews

[Bookishrealm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gabby Torres Gets a Billion Followers is a spin off of sorts from Dominguez's Stella Diaz series, but you can go into this one without having read the other series. It follows Gabby who is interested in conservation efforts and wants to help by running a social media sight for her group. However, it is clear that Gabby isn't old enough nor responsible enough to have social media and she quickly learns the consequences of not listening to her parents. There are some great discussions about friendships, conservation, responsibility, and the use of social media. While this is often classified as a middle grade graphic novel, I think that it will work great for younger audiences who are looking for more highly illustrated novels. It's also a great comp for Junie B. Jones. This wasn't necessarily my favorite read; however, I do think that I'll read more in the series. 3.5 Stars.

[D.T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This leans more into a chapter book/Diary of a Wimpy Kid space than a graphic novel, but it's good all the same. One of the lessons Gabby learns is to be slow to accuse other people. There is also some aquatic environmental messaging.

Perfect for elementary school children!

2.5

[Meg]

Arlington Heights jumpscare!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gabby Torres feels that she is a very mature nine year old, and therefore can mix with older kids, at the Sea Musketeers Club, for protecting the ocean life. She wants to spread the word about the club and what it does, and feels the best way is social media. Her parents say that as long as she is doing it with them watching, she can.

And you know where this is going. She breaks the rule, and gets obsessed with trolls that put her and her club down. She thinks, that like Harriet the Spy, that if she asks enough questions, she can figure out who said the mean things. In doing so, she alienates all her friends.

It is a cute beginning to what looks as though it will be a series of adventures. It is also a good tale of what can go wrong when kids get into social media too much.

I did like how it wasn’t only about that, though. That his was also about her trying to learn how to cook, so she would have gifts to give out, or sell to raise money for her sea group. Makes for a more rounded character.

Although this book is listed as middle grade, it is almost an early chapter book, so it might be good for younger middle grade. After all Gabby is only in the fourth grade, and middle grade starts in the sixth grade.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out on the 14th of January 2025.

[pineapple tofu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nine-year-old Gabby Torres enjoys coming up with various ideas and plans for herself and her friends. The next idea? Starting a social media page for her Sea Musketeers group. However, following the rules her parents made regarding social media becomes a little too tricky for Gabby to follow. When she “accidentally” logs in, she sees a hateful comment towards her group, which kickstarts Gabby to interrogate her peers and teachers. Can Gabby apologize in time for her friend Priya’s Diwali party? Or will the need to see justice overcome her responsibility to be open with everyone?
Written like a chapter book but with graphics added in, this graphic novel tells the story of a very determined nine-year-old. With helpful tips on conserving energy and saving the oceans, each page is light in color, featuring a blend of written text and images. Gabby is spunky and loyal and loves to bake with her family. Perfecting the perfect cookie requires patience, as well as enjoying the process.

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lower MG graphic novel spinoff from the Stella Diaz series by Angela Dominguez.
📱
Gabby is in fourth grade and has big goals. She has joined the Sea Musketeers, founded by Gabby’s idol, Stella Diaz, but she wants to have more of an active role. As someone who has helped her bookseller mom do social media, Gabby thinks she’s an expert and should create an account for her club. It quickly goes off the rails while Gabby tries to hide it from her parents and online bullies start commenting on her posts.
📱
This was a cute book that is starting a new series for Dominguez. It was more of an illustrated novel rather than a graphic novel and I think it will appeal to fans of Stella Diaz, as well as Ryan Hart, Junie B. Jones and more. I love that it addressed the topic of social media with our youth. This title releases from @mackidsbooks January 14, 2025.

CW: cyberbullying

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 This new middle-grade series follows Gabby, an ambitious girl determined to take on the world by fighting to save the oceans and conquering the internet!

But as she quickly learns, it’s not as easy as it looks.

I think this cutely illustrated series will succeed in resonating with young girls, as Gabby’s journey reflects the relatable challenges of navigating friendships, family dynamics, and big dreams.

[Katie Reilley · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great first book in this new graphic novel series about Gabby Torres, a 4th grader who’s ready to conquer the world. Here’s why:
1) Perfect for readers in 3-4th grade who want allllll the social media but don’t necessarily understand its pitfalls.
2) Set in Chicagoland (Arlington Heights)
3) Gives kids tips on how to help the environment (nod to the Sea Musketeers club)
4) Themes of friendship, growing independence, and forgiveness
5) I loved the shout-outs to other middle grade books mentioned.
It’s out now!

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish there were more graphic/prose hybrid books like this. The art is expressive and Gabby is a relatable character that kids will cheer for, even if her story veers slightly into instructional mode with the social media lessons.

[Karen Arendt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good lesson about social media for young people

[Makayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

we love a funny story wrapped in internet safety and the power of friendship. (and the power of apologizing to your friends)

[Rummanah (Books in the Spotlight) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a pretty cute chapter book meets graphic novel a la Diary of a Wimpy Kid and a good introduction to social media.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute! A bit pedantic at times, but also good for kids to read

[Mailaenderli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good way of teaching your children about social media.

[Zoey Schaefer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Hope Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gabby is nine and already a "go-getter." She is the youngest (and sometimes kind of annoying member of the Sea Musketeers, a group of kids whose mission is to protect the oceans. Gabby, trying to get involved, offers to start a social media site to promote the club and recruit volunteers. The only problem is, Gabby is not allowed to have social media and has very limited technology time. Of course, she ends up disobeying her parents and runs into some common social media issues.

Good graphic novel offering that focuses on the bad parts of social media and the dangers of children using it without being preachy. The author was able to address this issue in a realistic, natural way, but still get the message across that social media really isn't for young children and that everyone can fall prey to the dangers of the virtual world. This is a great addition for an elementary library graphic novel collection.

[Julesy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gabby Torres is a lively nine-year-old girl who has recently joined the Sea Musketeers Club at school. The club was named after Jacques Cousteau’s infamous sea divers who explored the ocean and performed experiments. The goal of the school’s club is to make everyone aware of the ocean and how humans are ultimately destroying the ecosystem and offer ways to help save the oceans.

Gabby is in charge of the club’s social media and creates a web site. However, there is a caveat to her work; her parents allow her to be online ONLY on Mondays and requiring their approval for whatever content she wants to post. For her protection, she is never to go on the internet unsupervised. With her mother’s help, Gabby is able to post her first web page to the Sea Musketeers’ web site which eventually gains followers. On the same token, Gabby loses – friends that is. Her BFFs Kat and Priya want in with the Sea Musketeers Club, which is rather exclusive. When Gabby’s half-hearted attempts to get her BFFs into the club (but not really because this is something Gabby enjoys doing on her own without her friends), Kat and Priya sense her efforts are not sincere and start giving her the cold shoulder.

Eventually Gabby becomes obsessed with knowing how many are following the Sea Musketeers web site and starts to take sneak peeks online without her parents knowledge or supervision, making Gabby lose focus on the club’s goals. Will her parents find out? Will her BFFs start talking to her again? Will the Sea Musketeers eventually get a billion followers?

While at first glance, you’d think the story was about a girl being on TikTok, Instagram, or some other popular social media platform. But this story is also has an ecological impact, providing some education on how to save our oceans. The illustrations are delightful and the colors are bright. What I really enjoyed was the illustrations interspersed with text on the pages, in similar vein to Terri Libenson’s Emmie & Friends series and Maria Scrivan’s Nat Enough series. Fans of those series will enjoy this new series as well with an excerpt for the next book in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the creator/author of the wonderful Stella Diaz series for elementary readers grades 2-4 comes a new, multi-format, beautifully illustrated series starring 9 year old, 4th grader Gabby Torres. Readers who loved Stella will also appreciate Gabby’s impulsive, out-going and passionate personality as she tries to contribute to the Sea Musketeers’ visibility as they seek to help our oceans by creating a social media presence. Her parents place limits on what she can do online, insist on being present and assisting when she creates posts, and try to help her understand some of the pitfalls and dangers of using social media. Unfortunately, Gabby becomes consumed with the one mean response to her first post and sets out to unmask the writer of unkindness which leads to fractures in friendships and relationship with adults in her life and lead to sneaking onto her mom’s laptop.

With its use of graphic panels and traditional text with frequent illustrations supporting comprehension, the format of the new Gabby series is sure to appeal to the target audience. The plot is fairly straightforward with a gentle message of smart use of social media and Dominguez works in so many other great things without feeling the least bit contrived:

*Spanish words are sprinkled in with the English translation provided,
*since Gabby’s club is promoting healthy oceans and what can be done to help, suggestions are a key part of the storyline and are shown in images of Gabby’s post, the “zine” she creates, and through the club’s dialogue,
*ways to restore friendships are also an organic part of the plot after Gabby accuses many of being the one who posts the mean comment,
*the Indian holiday of Diwali is also smoothly inserted when Gabby’s best friend Priya invites her to help celebrate.

Highly recommended book for libraries serving grades 2-4. Text is free of profanity, violence and sexual content. Gabby is Hispanic, best friend Priya is Indian and her other best friend, Kat, presents as Caucasian. The Sea Musketeers group members seem to be a racially diverse group of students.

Thanks for providing me with a finished hardcover, Roaring Brook Press/Macmillan Kids.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

In GABBY TORRES GETS A BILLION FOLLOWERS, Gabby is the youngest member of the Sea Musketeers club, a group of students who want to protect oceans. Having watched her mom do social media content for her bookstore, Gabby is convinced she can use social media to promote the club and share content to support its mission. She presents the idea to the group and becomes the group’s social media manager. Her parents are initially opposed to Gabby being on social media but eventually they relent as long as Gabby agrees to follow their rules. Gabby dives in headfirst, excited about her role and watching the follower number grow. When she encounters a negative comment, she becomes obsessed with trying to figure out who is behind it, leading her to break her promises to her parents.

The highly illustrated book provides a relatable story about the challenges of social media for elementary readers. Along the way, Gabby also learns some important lessons about friendship. Fans of the author’s Stella Diaz series will enjoy this one—especially when they realize Stella is the president of the club. With its pairing of humor, environmental activism, and social media pitfalls alongside plenty of colorful illustrations, the book will appeal to many elementary grade readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing an eARC of the book with me.

[Anne Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angela Dominguez’s newest illustrated novel follows nine-year-old Gabby Torres, a passionate fourth-grader determined to make a difference through her Sea Musketeers club. Inspired by environmental activism and eager to prove her maturity, Gabby ventures into the world of social media to raise awareness for her cause. But when online trolls surface and she hides her actions from her parents, things quickly spiral out of control.

This thoughtful, age-appropriate story explores the allure and hazards of the digital world through the lens of a relatable, enthusiastic protagonist. Gabby’s missteps—borne of ambition, not malice—highlight important themes like responsibility, friendship, and learning from failure. Dominguez balances humor and heart with well-paced illustrations that make the story engaging for younger middle-grade readers.

Rather than offering an overly moralistic tone, the book encourages conversation about digital boundaries and emotional maturity. Gabby’s journey is messy and imperfect, but ultimately honest—an accessible and relevant read for today’s young readers navigating both their values and their screens.

[Juuso · Rating 3 out of 5]

Angela Dominguez's book Gabby Torres Gets a Billion Followers is about 9-year old Gabby Torres who decides to start a social media page for Sea Musketeers, which is a club for kids who want to do their best to help and preserve nature.

Her parents give her permission to create an social media account for the club but they say she's allowed to only post on Mondays and can't go to the page without parent's supervision. However, she is too impatient to wait for Monday and decides to check the page without permission by herself and finds a mean comment.

I think this book is a good introduction to social media, the dangers it holds but also the community and joy it can bring. There is also a bit of discussion on friendship dramas and how one can resolve them. While I appreciate both of these themes being raised, they felt quite surface level, but maybe that's fine?

I also loved how there were Spanish phrases and words scattered around this book! I think it's a wonderful way for someone to learn even a few words and get interested in a language.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Netgalley

Gabby, who was a character in the Stella Diaz novels, is so proud of being a member of the Sea Musketeer environmental group. Her two best friends are interested in joining, but Gabby likes to be the only member from her grade, so keeps putting them off. Gabby is in charge of the group's social media presence, and works out a plan with her parents to post very infrequently, but when she sneaks onto her mother's phone and posts when she is not supposed to, she has to deal with the consequences.

This is a highly illustrated novel for younger readers, and addresses social media use in an age appropriate way. For my middle schoolers, Stella Diaz has ended up being a little too young, so this definitely wouldn't work for my library, but I would definitely purchase this for an elementary collection.

[Sharon Moores · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heavily illustrated novel (like Diary of a Wimpy Kid) for older elementary students -- the protagonist is 9 years old. It tackles social media and young kids, doing a great job of laying out the dangers of the internet and why adult supervision while online is crucial for kids.

It has additional storylines about ocean conservation (including what kids can do), how to be a good friend, the science behind baking, and highlighting a close-knit family.

Overall, it's a charming story about an eager kid who might be a bit of an overachiever learning how to navigate the world through her own actions (the "hard way," I guess, but that sounds too severe for what happens here). Highly recommend for starting a conversation about the internet with kids on the verge of tweendom.

Thank you to Roaring Brook Press/Macmillan and the Virginia Library Association for this ARC.

[Rachel Buckley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was the book I needed in elementary school when my teachers said I was too old for Junie B. Jones but I didn’t want to let her go! 😂 Gabby Torres Gets a Billion Followers is perfect for elementary students with a passion for literally anything, as Gabby shows examples of zines that would inspire any kid to make one, teaches us small and easy ways we can help protect our oceans, and shares facts about social media that will help prepare parents for when their kids enter that world. All of this information and passion is tied into in a short and inconclusive mystery, which is the one part of the story I wasn’t thrilled with since we didn’t dive too deeply into that investigation (and I’m still convinced I know who did it even if the story doesn’t agree). Overall, though, I’d happily recommend this and share it with my patrons!

[Glenna Coleman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gabby is a frenetic fourth-grader who has many passions, but not a lot of staying power, EXCEPT when it comes to being a member of the Sea Musketeers. At those meetings, though, because she got in due to sheer persistence even though she is not old enough, she is rarely allowed to speak, that is, until she promises to start up and curate the group's new social media presence. This is the beginning of her problems. Her parents will only let her post once a week, not nearly enough, and when she checks, one of the posts is mean. Gabby spirals out of control trying to figure out who might have made the mean comment and in the process, also has to figure out how to fix the relationships she is breaking when she accuses friends, family, and acquaintances of being the mean commenter. This fast-paced story is fun to read.

[Michelle Tuite · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading 2025
Book 270: Gabby Torres Gets a Billion Followers by Angela Dominguez

The 2025-2026 Texas Bluebonnet List was announced at Texas Book Fest while I was there in November. After a quick check of the list grabbed this book at the library.

Synopsis: Nine-year-old Gabby Torres is the star of this new graphic novel series! Join Gabby as she navigates the inevitable disasters of fourth grade and social media, perfect for fans of Katie the Catsitter and Allergic.

Review: I can see why this book was selected for the Bluebonnet List, to show middle grade readers the joys and dangers of social media in a fun graphic novel format. There were some good themes in this book, and it was enjoyable. Feel that there have been others that may have done this topic a bit better, my rating 3.5⭐️

[Mrs.MakesReadingFun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gabby Torres Gets a Million Followers is a fantastic early graphic novel for readers ages 8–10, especially for kids who are ready for more text alongside their comics.

This story does such a great job tackling real life issues kids face today, especially around social media use, making mistakes, friendship drama, forgiveness, and learning to listen to your parents. It never feels preachy, but the lessons land in a way that feels honest and relatable.

I also loved all the layers woven throughout the story, including baking, science, celebrating Diwali, working in a bookstore, Spanish language and heritage, and even environmentalism. It gives readers so many entry points to connect with Gabby’s world.

An engaging, modern, and meaningful graphic novel that I will happily recommend to middle-grade elementary readers.

[Afoma (Reading Middle Grade) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this forthcoming young graphic novel by the author of the Stella Diaz series. This is the perfect illustrated graphic-prose series for fans of Dory Fantasmagory and Ryan Hart in grades 2-4 and stars a precocious, funny female protagonist who gets a whiff of the dark side of social media in her first adventure. The formatting of this one is just gorgeous with graphic panels and short prose sections enlivened by full-color illustrations. It also features cute Spanish vocabulary tips, a mom who's a bookstore owner, and is set in the same world as Stella Diaz (Gabby looks up to Stella, who's now a middle schooler).

Put this on your TBR and get it in January when it releases in paperback!

Many thanks to Macmillian for a beautiful e-ARC.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this graphic novel narrative fiction hybrid we meet 9-yr-old Gabby, who is mature for her age. Gabby is a member of an environmental club and she's asked to manage the club's social media page with the help of her parents. Gabby convinces her mom and dad to let her use social media for this purpose, on the condition that it's only under their supervision.

I enjoyed the format and story. I think kids will enjoy the humor, tiny details, and relate to Gabby's motivation to act more grown-up. I know social media use is a part of everyday life for kids nowadays, even when they are too young to have their own account - it has infiltrated our society.

I think I would recommend this title to grades 3 or 4.

[Alix · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gabby Torres, like most elementary school kids, has an obsession with receiving likes on her posts. As a member of the school’s environmental protection club, Gabby strives to bring awareness to her peers about protecting earth and to provide ways of how to do so. However this goal of bringing awareness became out of hand when Gabby starts to disobey her parents’ want for her not to be on social media due to her young age; the situation even cost her her friends. Like most adolescence books, Gabby learns that social media is not everything and what matters most is having a healthy balance between working on social media contents and being involved in life goals.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advanced copy for review!