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Averil Offline
A fun, fast-paced story about a girl determined to cut the cord with her helicopter parents.
Twelve-year-old coder Averil can't do anything without her parents knowing. That’s because her mom uses the Ruby Slippers surveillance app to check where she is, who she texts, and even what she eats for lunch. Averil wonders how she’s ever going to grow up if she’s not allowed to learn from mistakes. When she learns that Ruby Slippers is about to become even more invasive, she teams up with Max, a new kid at school dealing with overbearing parents of his own. Together they figure out an almost foolproof way to ditch their parents and run away to the college campus that’s home to the quirky Ruby Slippers creator. It’s an extreme challenge just getting to meet with him—but the two kids cleverly figure out a series of puzzles and get their meeting. What they find gives them pause—and gets them thinking about the value of honesty in a new light. After all, isn’t trust at the heart of their parents' need to know?
Twelve-year-old coder Averil can't do anything without her parents knowing. That’s because her mom uses the Ruby Slippers surveillance app to check where she is, who she texts, and even what she eats for lunch. Averil wonders how she’s ever going to grow up if she’s not allowed to learn from mistakes. When she learns that Ruby Slippers is about to become even more invasive, she teams up with Max, a new kid at school dealing with overbearing parents of his own. Together they figure out an almost foolproof way to ditch their parents and run away to the college campus that’s home to the quirky Ruby Slippers creator. It’s an extreme challenge just getting to meet with him—but the two kids cleverly figure out a series of puzzles and get their meeting. What they find gives them pause—and gets them thinking about the value of honesty in a new light. After all, isn’t trust at the heart of their parents' need to know?
5 pages, Audiobook
First published February 13, 2024
12 people are currently reading
2310 people want to read
About the author
Amy Noelle Parks
7 books104 followersAmy Noelle Parks is a professor of elementary education at Michigan State University, where she helps future teachers recover from the trauma inflicted on them by years of school mathematics.
At night, she writes stories about smart girls falling for feminist boys in quirky midwestern settings and likes using One Direction lyrics as the inspiration for entire novels. Social media still scares her, but she’s working on it.
At night, she writes stories about smart girls falling for feminist boys in quirky midwestern settings and likes using One Direction lyrics as the inspiration for entire novels. Social media still scares her, but she’s working on it.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
March 21, 2024
4 Stars for Averil Offline (audiobook) by Amy Noelle Parks read by Emily Marso.
This is a fun story about two tech savvy twelve year olds and how some of their parents technology is impeding on their privacy. The two are on a mission to talk with the coder and convince them to change some of the program. And how long can they be away from their phones before their parents realize that they are missing?
This is a fun story about two tech savvy twelve year olds and how some of their parents technology is impeding on their privacy. The two are on a mission to talk with the coder and convince them to change some of the program. And how long can they be away from their phones before their parents realize that they are missing?
March 6, 2024
4.5 rounded up to 5
January 6, 2026
Yes privacy rights for children!
March 2, 2024
The conflict and how the kids handled it felt true and real and possible. The moral wasn't too heavy handed - it was delivered gently and the characters processed it in different ways.
February 22, 2024
This book is for every middle grade reader, their parents and anyone who cares for them. Averil is a 12-year old girl with incredibly over-anxious parents who literally track her every move on an app called Ruby Slippers. She longs for freedom, but being the good girl she is, she tamps her hopes and wishes down. Until she can’t. When she learns of an update to the app that will not only allow her parents to track her every move, but see and hear them too, she’s had enough. Together with her new friend Max, they devise a way to sneak away from coding camp to meet the creator of Ruby Slippers and beg him to stop his destruction of their privacy before it is too late. You’ll fall in love with these characters, cheer for their bravery and courage to stand up for themselves and think long and hard about the role these kinds of apps play in your own life, too. I envision kids devouring this book as they relate to dilemma the characters face and could see adult book clubs choosing this as their next book to spark conversation on a very important topic in our world today. It’s powerful.
December 29, 2025
With the Ruby Slippers app, parents can track their child’s location, request pictures, monitor texts and phone calls, and set off alarms. A new update on the horizon will allow parents to turn on the microphone and video at will.
Averil and many of her classmates are sick of their helicopter parents stalking them in the name of safety and feel this latest update goes too far. Averil and a friend decide to track down the inventor of the app (who has an office at the local college) to convince him to axe the update. Along the way, they explore their feelings about their parents, technology, and each other.
An interesting read, particularly the way the kids still figure out ways to bypass their parents monitoring in ways that make them a lot less safe. This is one I’d be curious to hear kids’ reactions to.
Averil and many of her classmates are sick of their helicopter parents stalking them in the name of safety and feel this latest update goes too far. Averil and a friend decide to track down the inventor of the app (who has an office at the local college) to convince him to axe the update. Along the way, they explore their feelings about their parents, technology, and each other.
An interesting read, particularly the way the kids still figure out ways to bypass their parents monitoring in ways that make them a lot less safe. This is one I’d be curious to hear kids’ reactions to.
March 15, 2024
I really enjoyed this opposite commentary on tweens/teens with phones. I had expected a classic story of a phone-addicted tween losing access to their phone, but instead we get a thought-provoking commentary on helicopter parenting and when a “watchful eye” can go too far. Avril and Max desperately attempt to break from the overreaching surveillance app and achieve some boundaries and privacy.
The STEM and Girls Who Code aspect was well approached also.
Loved it!
The STEM and Girls Who Code aspect was well approached also.
Loved it!
May 21, 2024
Listened to on the plane to Rome. A great story about girls who code, helicopter parents and the need to be trusted and learn from your mistakes.
May 25, 2024
Exceptional writing craft on display with this book. No wasted words. Everything makes logical sense, it’s an important topic, and it’s not too long!
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May 27, 2024This is a book that really seems to speak to the ways that having constant tech can be affecting our lives. For young people, this may spark conversations with their own families or at least give them some language to have some of those chats.
Even as someone who didn't grow up with a cell phone accessible to myself or my family, I could relate to so much of what was happening. The children are feeling the heaviness of being monitored. Yes, it's for safety, but there's also a confining feeling to it.
I think that middle grade readers will see a lot of their life here, but will also see the adventure. It did remind me a bit of From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler too as they hide away in a library.
I read it in one big gulp and image my students will do the same.
Even as someone who didn't grow up with a cell phone accessible to myself or my family, I could relate to so much of what was happening. The children are feeling the heaviness of being monitored. Yes, it's for safety, but there's also a confining feeling to it.
I think that middle grade readers will see a lot of their life here, but will also see the adventure. It did remind me a bit of From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler too as they hide away in a library.
I read it in one big gulp and image my students will do the same.
June 20, 2024
I hope caregivers will read this with their kids. Some of these adults really need it!!!
October 26, 2023
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Averil and her sister Delia cope with their parents' overprotective habits in very different ways. While Delia (who is in high school) often ignores their requests and fights with them, Averil just wants it to be quiet and conflict free in her world, so she just puts up with it. Both girls were born very prematurely, and almost died, so Averil understands her mother's actions even as they irritate her. The worst offender is the Ruby Slippers app which tracks everything Averil does with her phone and reports it to her mother. If she takes to long to walk home from school, or if she doesn't answer her mother's text soon enough, her mother panics, and sometimes an alarm goes off! Both Averil and her best friend Priya are interested in coding, and Averil loves when the coding of a program is nice and clean and works properly. The two are in a coding class with few girls, and a teacher who seems enamored of the speed of a Steve Jobs wannabe even when Averil's coding is much better. When new student and Rich kid Max approaches her in class and wants to meet after school for ice cream to talk about changes that the company is going to make to Ruby Slippers, Averil gives Priya her phone so she can have a moment to herself. Max, whose father is a tech entrepreneur, outlines the strategies of Rider Woolyback, the creator of the app, which has been sold to a larger company. Although reclusive, he had at one point issued a statement saying that if the app hurt children, he would work to change it. Since his office is in a secret location at nearby Clarion College, Max has a plan. He and Averil, along with Priya, are supposed to go to a coding camp over spring break. He wants Averil to not go, but to spend three days hanging around the campus, trying to talk to Woolyback, who makes people jump through hoops like chess games and puzzles before meeting. Averil doesn't want to rock the boat and says no... until she catches her mother reading a notebook she promised NOT to read. Before she knows it, Max's parents are asking her parents around to dinner at their posh house, and Max's driver is dropping them off on the Clarion campus to get the bus to camp. Max has called the camp about their absences, provided proper documentation of strep through, and Priya and Max's friend have the runaway duo's phones so their parents think they are at camp. Priya is even prepared to answer texts and send photos of "Averil's" healthy meals! Running away is a little rocky, but the two do really well, finding a place to sleep in the college library and even brushing their teeth! Averila even makes sure to get vegetables and fruit at all their meals. They find Woolyback's office, but have to answer a question about the most expensive hyphen mistake... without their phones! Their research skills rule, and they are granted admission. Talking to Woolyback's assistant, Loriel Cady Krowb, the only help they get is that she will forward the message. But what's really going on? There's a bigger mystery behing the Ruby Slipper app, and the two are determined to find it, even after running into Delia. How will Averil and Max find a way to get the freedom to make their own mistakes?
Strengths: Kids doing things! Not only that, but kids doing things that they are not supposed to do! For good reasons! Oh, this ticked all the boxes. Didn't we all have moments in middle school when we were irritated with our parents and wanted to run away from home? I was going to live in the woods near my aunt's house and get food from the fridge in her garage if I needed to! Max has made excellent plans, and asks Averil because he admires her ability and intelligence. Do the two have a tiny crush on each other? Perhaps, but it's based on mutual respect and confined to actions like holding on to the other's hair ribbon or hoodie, so very much like the great relationship in Heldring's The Football Girl. I'm not a fan of puzzles, but even I was intrigued by the questions, as well as how they solved several of the problems. There's a good mix between the nitty gritty of running away and the philosophical focus on women in computer fields. Plus, this was just FUN! I especially liked how Delia and Averil ended up getting their parents to see their point of view. For kids to be okay with giving up their phones and being grounded until the parents quit relying on the Ruby Slippers app, and to not fight or argue but to be steadfast in their determination was brilliant. There was so much to love about this title by the author of The Summer of Brave.
Weaknesses: As much as I loved the Anne of Green Gables and The Wizard of Oz references (I mean, why didn't I name my daughters Averil and Cordelia? What was I thinking?), I'm not sure middle grade readers will understand them. As much as a cultural fixture as The Wizard of Oz was for generations, thanks to the annual airing of the movie, my students don't seem to be familiar with it. Small quibble in a fantastic story.
What I really think: We are starting to see more middle grade novels involving technology, and it's time. Might the be dated in ten years when we all have cell phones imbedded in our brains? Possibly. Max is my new book crush, and I'm buying at least two copies. I'm thinking of buying a third so I can encourage the teachers to read this one as well. Very much enjoyed this; most of the books I've been reading have been rather sloggy with Deep Messages, so this was a delight.
Averil and her sister Delia cope with their parents' overprotective habits in very different ways. While Delia (who is in high school) often ignores their requests and fights with them, Averil just wants it to be quiet and conflict free in her world, so she just puts up with it. Both girls were born very prematurely, and almost died, so Averil understands her mother's actions even as they irritate her. The worst offender is the Ruby Slippers app which tracks everything Averil does with her phone and reports it to her mother. If she takes to long to walk home from school, or if she doesn't answer her mother's text soon enough, her mother panics, and sometimes an alarm goes off! Both Averil and her best friend Priya are interested in coding, and Averil loves when the coding of a program is nice and clean and works properly. The two are in a coding class with few girls, and a teacher who seems enamored of the speed of a Steve Jobs wannabe even when Averil's coding is much better. When new student and Rich kid Max approaches her in class and wants to meet after school for ice cream to talk about changes that the company is going to make to Ruby Slippers, Averil gives Priya her phone so she can have a moment to herself. Max, whose father is a tech entrepreneur, outlines the strategies of Rider Woolyback, the creator of the app, which has been sold to a larger company. Although reclusive, he had at one point issued a statement saying that if the app hurt children, he would work to change it. Since his office is in a secret location at nearby Clarion College, Max has a plan. He and Averil, along with Priya, are supposed to go to a coding camp over spring break. He wants Averil to not go, but to spend three days hanging around the campus, trying to talk to Woolyback, who makes people jump through hoops like chess games and puzzles before meeting. Averil doesn't want to rock the boat and says no... until she catches her mother reading a notebook she promised NOT to read. Before she knows it, Max's parents are asking her parents around to dinner at their posh house, and Max's driver is dropping them off on the Clarion campus to get the bus to camp. Max has called the camp about their absences, provided proper documentation of strep through, and Priya and Max's friend have the runaway duo's phones so their parents think they are at camp. Priya is even prepared to answer texts and send photos of "Averil's" healthy meals! Running away is a little rocky, but the two do really well, finding a place to sleep in the college library and even brushing their teeth! Averila even makes sure to get vegetables and fruit at all their meals. They find Woolyback's office, but have to answer a question about the most expensive hyphen mistake... without their phones! Their research skills rule, and they are granted admission. Talking to Woolyback's assistant, Loriel Cady Krowb, the only help they get is that she will forward the message. But what's really going on? There's a bigger mystery behing the Ruby Slipper app, and the two are determined to find it, even after running into Delia. How will Averil and Max find a way to get the freedom to make their own mistakes?
Strengths: Kids doing things! Not only that, but kids doing things that they are not supposed to do! For good reasons! Oh, this ticked all the boxes. Didn't we all have moments in middle school when we were irritated with our parents and wanted to run away from home? I was going to live in the woods near my aunt's house and get food from the fridge in her garage if I needed to! Max has made excellent plans, and asks Averil because he admires her ability and intelligence. Do the two have a tiny crush on each other? Perhaps, but it's based on mutual respect and confined to actions like holding on to the other's hair ribbon or hoodie, so very much like the great relationship in Heldring's The Football Girl. I'm not a fan of puzzles, but even I was intrigued by the questions, as well as how they solved several of the problems. There's a good mix between the nitty gritty of running away and the philosophical focus on women in computer fields. Plus, this was just FUN! I especially liked how Delia and Averil ended up getting their parents to see their point of view. For kids to be okay with giving up their phones and being grounded until the parents quit relying on the Ruby Slippers app, and to not fight or argue but to be steadfast in their determination was brilliant. There was so much to love about this title by the author of The Summer of Brave.
Weaknesses: As much as I loved the Anne of Green Gables and The Wizard of Oz references (I mean, why didn't I name my daughters Averil and Cordelia? What was I thinking?), I'm not sure middle grade readers will understand them. As much as a cultural fixture as The Wizard of Oz was for generations, thanks to the annual airing of the movie, my students don't seem to be familiar with it. Small quibble in a fantastic story.
What I really think: We are starting to see more middle grade novels involving technology, and it's time. Might the be dated in ten years when we all have cell phones imbedded in our brains? Possibly. Max is my new book crush, and I'm buying at least two copies. I'm thinking of buying a third so I can encourage the teachers to read this one as well. Very much enjoyed this; most of the books I've been reading have been rather sloggy with Deep Messages, so this was a delight.
December 16, 2025
I loved this one! Great, strong characters! Gave me vibes of From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler :) This would actually be a good one for parents & early teens to read together to start a discussion about safety monitoring vs. privacy and trust.
It also features some pretty sweet girl coders! Go read it.
It also features some pretty sweet girl coders! Go read it.
January 17, 2024
This is an excellent middle-grade story that would be fabulous to use as a jumping off point for students and parents to read and discuss modern technology, parent oversight, and building relationships and trust.
Averil Offline is the story of Averil, a 12 year old coder middle schooler. She and her friends bristle under the increasing surveillance of the Ruby Slippers app parents insist must be on their phones. When Averil learns of plans for a new update that will be even more invasive, she ends up teaming up with classmate Max, a tech magnate's son, to contact the app's inventor and convince him to prevent the update.
Goodness did I enjoy these characters. Averil and Max are what you hope current tweens / teens are, and their parents and Averil's sister were also genuine and realistic. I loved how the two of them worked together once they put their plan in motion to basically run away and meet the elusive inventor of the Ruby Slippers app (loved the puzzle solving and riddles). This is such a great look at teens and life with modern technology and privacy and what power should parents have over their kids and how do you help your child stay safe while also letting them grow up... I just loved all the issues raised and how everyone's different points of view are shared. I also loved that it isn't a perfectly happily ever after ending; the kids' plan does not have a storybook ending, but the climax and resolution are realistic and well-crafted.
This would certainly be appropriate for readers age 12+ and again would make a great buddy style read between a parent and child.
SPOILERS BELOW
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The app inventor is not a reclusive man, but a female coder who hides behind an identity to protect herself after years of poor treatment in the tech industry. Averil's parents and Max's parents are called by Averil's sister Delia who had found her on the college campus. Averil gives up her phone until her parents will allow her to have it without Ruby Slippers on it, and eventually they come to a mature agreement about trusting Averil with her still following their rules.
Averil Offline is the story of Averil, a 12 year old coder middle schooler. She and her friends bristle under the increasing surveillance of the Ruby Slippers app parents insist must be on their phones. When Averil learns of plans for a new update that will be even more invasive, she ends up teaming up with classmate Max, a tech magnate's son, to contact the app's inventor and convince him to prevent the update.
Goodness did I enjoy these characters. Averil and Max are what you hope current tweens / teens are, and their parents and Averil's sister were also genuine and realistic. I loved how the two of them worked together once they put their plan in motion to basically run away and meet the elusive inventor of the Ruby Slippers app (loved the puzzle solving and riddles). This is such a great look at teens and life with modern technology and privacy and what power should parents have over their kids and how do you help your child stay safe while also letting them grow up... I just loved all the issues raised and how everyone's different points of view are shared. I also loved that it isn't a perfectly happily ever after ending; the kids' plan does not have a storybook ending, but the climax and resolution are realistic and well-crafted.
This would certainly be appropriate for readers age 12+ and again would make a great buddy style read between a parent and child.
SPOILERS BELOW
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The app inventor is not a reclusive man, but a female coder who hides behind an identity to protect herself after years of poor treatment in the tech industry. Averil's parents and Max's parents are called by Averil's sister Delia who had found her on the college campus. Averil gives up her phone until her parents will allow her to have it without Ruby Slippers on it, and eventually they come to a mature agreement about trusting Averil with her still following their rules.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2024
This is the best middle grade novel that I've read in YEARS. It's incredibly relevant, gripping, and well-plotted, without a single moment that doesn't progress the plot or the emotional arc in some way. Even though there are ethical and safety issues with the children's behavior, with them running away like in From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, the story addresses this directly, and they actually face consequences for their behavior. The core plot also gets resolved in a realistic manner, and I love the puzzles and plot twists along the way.
I've noticed a pattern with middle grade books, seeing how often authors pad out the page count with a bunch of extra subplots that go nowhere. This book is slimmer and more streamlined, because there isn't a single superfluous thing in it. Everything adds depth and meaning to the story, without any side jaunts off into something that never connects with the rest of the narrative. This is suspenseful, well-paced, and incredibly enjoyable.
Also, all of the conversations throughout the book feel genuine and authentic. For example, Averil learns a lot of important lessons throughout the book about being emotionally honest and standing up for herself, instead of being a people-pleaser who is afraid to rock the boat, and this all unfolds in a natural way. She and her friend talk about these issues quite realistically, without the author drifting into Therapy Speak or leading her readers by the hand to predetermined, prepackaged conclusions.
I especially enjoyed this story because of my strong opinions about technology and tracking devices, and I appreciate the author's unique approach to tackling complex, important ethical dilemmas in this book. I would recommend it to the target middle grade audience, and to older teens and adults who are interested in the topic and would like to read something fast-paced, clever, and suspenseful.
I've noticed a pattern with middle grade books, seeing how often authors pad out the page count with a bunch of extra subplots that go nowhere. This book is slimmer and more streamlined, because there isn't a single superfluous thing in it. Everything adds depth and meaning to the story, without any side jaunts off into something that never connects with the rest of the narrative. This is suspenseful, well-paced, and incredibly enjoyable.
Also, all of the conversations throughout the book feel genuine and authentic. For example, Averil learns a lot of important lessons throughout the book about being emotionally honest and standing up for herself, instead of being a people-pleaser who is afraid to rock the boat, and this all unfolds in a natural way. She and her friend talk about these issues quite realistically, without the author drifting into Therapy Speak or leading her readers by the hand to predetermined, prepackaged conclusions.
I especially enjoyed this story because of my strong opinions about technology and tracking devices, and I appreciate the author's unique approach to tackling complex, important ethical dilemmas in this book. I would recommend it to the target middle grade audience, and to older teens and adults who are interested in the topic and would like to read something fast-paced, clever, and suspenseful.
February 1, 2024
Really a 3.5.
A well-thought-out story about two tweens longing for some privacy in an app-happy, helicopter-parent world.
Averil is a good girl, who tries to keep the peace and do the right thing. She also very, very good at coding, but her middle school tech teacher praises the boys more than he does her. What's more, her every move is monitored by her mother through an app called Ruby Slippers. If Averil varies her path home from school by even a few yards, her mother will know and will send out a distress signal.
When a boy in her tech class tells Averil that the Ruby Slippers app is about to take away even more of their privacy, the pair come up with a plan to try to stop the update.
This book examines a number of important themes: privacy, autonomy, independence, safety, friendship, trust, lying, privilege, and parenting. It also takes a look at some of the obstacles girls/women face when pursuing an interest in STEM.
I liked Averil and her friend Max and pretty much all aspects of their adventure. Their motives were solid--trying to gain some privacy and trust from their parents--even if their actions were questionable. I also liked that Averil and her older sister were willing to make sacrifices and accept compromises in order to gain some independence. It was realistic that Max faced different repercussions than Averil.
This book could be a good jumping-off point for parent-child discussions and would make a good book club pick for readers of all ages.
Thanks to Nancy Paulsen Books and Random House Kids for the review copy.
A well-thought-out story about two tweens longing for some privacy in an app-happy, helicopter-parent world.
Averil is a good girl, who tries to keep the peace and do the right thing. She also very, very good at coding, but her middle school tech teacher praises the boys more than he does her. What's more, her every move is monitored by her mother through an app called Ruby Slippers. If Averil varies her path home from school by even a few yards, her mother will know and will send out a distress signal.
When a boy in her tech class tells Averil that the Ruby Slippers app is about to take away even more of their privacy, the pair come up with a plan to try to stop the update.
This book examines a number of important themes: privacy, autonomy, independence, safety, friendship, trust, lying, privilege, and parenting. It also takes a look at some of the obstacles girls/women face when pursuing an interest in STEM.
I liked Averil and her friend Max and pretty much all aspects of their adventure. Their motives were solid--trying to gain some privacy and trust from their parents--even if their actions were questionable. I also liked that Averil and her older sister were willing to make sacrifices and accept compromises in order to gain some independence. It was realistic that Max faced different repercussions than Averil.
This book could be a good jumping-off point for parent-child discussions and would make a good book club pick for readers of all ages.
Thanks to Nancy Paulsen Books and Random House Kids for the review copy.
March 23, 2024
"Averil Offline" by Amy Noelle Parks is "Ready Player One" meets "The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. The main character, Averil, is a tween whose loves coding and sketching. Her parents are very strict and monitor her every movement using an app called "Ruby Sleepers". Averil hates her lack of freedom but doesn't protest because her older sister Delia causes a lot of friction with her own dissent. In tech class Averil meets Max, the son of millionaires, as skilled at reading people as Averil is at reading lines of computer code. Max is convinced that if they can meet the elusive tech wizard Rider Woollyback, the creator of the "Ruby Slippers" program, that they can convince him to put the brakes on the next update, one that would allow parents to turn on the camera and mic of their children's phones at will. The new friends' adventure takes place over 3 days on a college campus. Their mission is to blend in, stretch their limited meal funds, and solve the programmer's strange puzzles in order to get facetime with the reclusive tech genius. And they must do this all without access to their phones. "Averil Offline" is a fun but powerful fable of sorts, about the intricacies of digital parenting, and the importance of allowing kids the space and freedom to make mistakes. This book would make a great middle grade read-aloud or a selection for a parent-child book club because of the discussions the story would prompt.
February 15, 2024
4.5 Stars
Averil Offline is one of those books that parents and kids should read.
Averil’s parents take helicopter parenting to a new level. I found myself anxious on Averil’s behalf as her parents checked on her every move throughout the day. Under their parenting plan, she basically had no autonomy. And as history has told us, when you deny people something they desperately want, they’ll find a way to get it, no matter what the risk.
So, when Averil learns she’s likely to lose even more privacy, she takes action.
Averil is smart and thoughtful. She loves her parents, but she’s conscious to a fault of never stepping out of line. She’s cautious and clever and likeable from the start. At first glance, Max is a bit of a wild card, but the truth is, he just wants to be a normal kid. The two personalities are a nice balance, and offer greater appeal for a wide-ranging audience.
Author Amy Noelle Parks has done an excellent job of getting to the heart of the parents’ fears without making the parents themselves seem super awful. And her mix of puzzles and science take the book up a notch.
At just under 200 pages, Averil Offline is an accessible length for middle-readers. The pacing is smooth and the story compelling.
Averil Offline is one of those books that parents and kids should read.
Averil’s parents take helicopter parenting to a new level. I found myself anxious on Averil’s behalf as her parents checked on her every move throughout the day. Under their parenting plan, she basically had no autonomy. And as history has told us, when you deny people something they desperately want, they’ll find a way to get it, no matter what the risk.
So, when Averil learns she’s likely to lose even more privacy, she takes action.
Averil is smart and thoughtful. She loves her parents, but she’s conscious to a fault of never stepping out of line. She’s cautious and clever and likeable from the start. At first glance, Max is a bit of a wild card, but the truth is, he just wants to be a normal kid. The two personalities are a nice balance, and offer greater appeal for a wide-ranging audience.
Author Amy Noelle Parks has done an excellent job of getting to the heart of the parents’ fears without making the parents themselves seem super awful. And her mix of puzzles and science take the book up a notch.
At just under 200 pages, Averil Offline is an accessible length for middle-readers. The pacing is smooth and the story compelling.
January 21, 2024
Averil Offline was recommended by PRH Audio as an upcoming release and I can never resist a colorful cover, so once I read the blurb I knew this was a book I wanted to listen to.
I am an older Millennial, so I never had to deal with the constant monitoring like Averil does. Her mom is constantly looking at her location, requiring photos of her eating lunch; her mom even reads her private journal/notebook despite previously promising she won’t. So when her friend Max finds out the monitoring app is planning a new update that invades their privacy even more, they make a plan to sneak away and appeal to the app creator.
These kids are WAY more resourceful than I was at the age of twelve (but smart phones hadn’t been invented then, so that’s my excuse). They’re both smart, interesting characters, and I loved watching them figure out the problems and become closer friends. Averil Offline was a great read for both middle grade readers and adults. I think it helps give some perspective on the overprotection that can occur with modern technology.
Emily Marsh was a great narrator and really gave life to the characters. Overall a great and engaging listen!
I am an older Millennial, so I never had to deal with the constant monitoring like Averil does. Her mom is constantly looking at her location, requiring photos of her eating lunch; her mom even reads her private journal/notebook despite previously promising she won’t. So when her friend Max finds out the monitoring app is planning a new update that invades their privacy even more, they make a plan to sneak away and appeal to the app creator.
These kids are WAY more resourceful than I was at the age of twelve (but smart phones hadn’t been invented then, so that’s my excuse). They’re both smart, interesting characters, and I loved watching them figure out the problems and become closer friends. Averil Offline was a great read for both middle grade readers and adults. I think it helps give some perspective on the overprotection that can occur with modern technology.
Emily Marsh was a great narrator and really gave life to the characters. Overall a great and engaging listen!
April 23, 2024
First of all, hurray for middle grade books that get a LOT done in less than 200 pages. I love falling into a long narrative as much as the next person, but I am so much more impressed with stories that get it done - and done well! - in a tight, brisk form.
And this book takes swings at some big topics - hovering parents with the best of intentions, siblings who approach the world so differently, misogyny in tech and different ways of handling it, the glorification of money, earned trust, the beauty of disconnection - and so much more. Nothing feels rushed or unearned. There's even a nifty reference to From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler - a tribute to the classic running-away-from-home story.
My own children are grown and we missed most of the cell phone surveillance state. And, while I still get that tightening in my chest of worry about their safety, I am relieved we didn't have to navigate the parameters of the ability to monitor constantly. This book should be read by parents with their kids, opening a path for some honest conversations about privacy and trust.
And this book takes swings at some big topics - hovering parents with the best of intentions, siblings who approach the world so differently, misogyny in tech and different ways of handling it, the glorification of money, earned trust, the beauty of disconnection - and so much more. Nothing feels rushed or unearned. There's even a nifty reference to From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler - a tribute to the classic running-away-from-home story.
My own children are grown and we missed most of the cell phone surveillance state. And, while I still get that tightening in my chest of worry about their safety, I am relieved we didn't have to navigate the parameters of the ability to monitor constantly. This book should be read by parents with their kids, opening a path for some honest conversations about privacy and trust.
April 18, 2024
What a creepy story of the future (scratch that) present in many ways and how adult readers CERTAINLY can learn a few things, especially if they're parents about helicopter parenting using smart devices as the helicopter.
For the middle grade readers it's intended for, it's a straight up mystery and game adventure with Easter eggs about Wizard of Oz. Averil is a kick butt girl coder and so is the rich kid in her class. He hatches a plan to get in front of the creator of an app that is set to release an update making it even easier for parents to track what their kids are doing. But in order to get an audience with the "man behind the curtain" they have to solve riddles but find things even more different than they thought they would be.
It's feels dirty to read it (in all the best ways) and I applaud Parks for writing this book that doesn't get too complicated and because of that adds another ounce of ick-factor to figuring out whether technology is working for us or whether we're working for technology.
For the middle grade readers it's intended for, it's a straight up mystery and game adventure with Easter eggs about Wizard of Oz. Averil is a kick butt girl coder and so is the rich kid in her class. He hatches a plan to get in front of the creator of an app that is set to release an update making it even easier for parents to track what their kids are doing. But in order to get an audience with the "man behind the curtain" they have to solve riddles but find things even more different than they thought they would be.
It's feels dirty to read it (in all the best ways) and I applaud Parks for writing this book that doesn't get too complicated and because of that adds another ounce of ick-factor to figuring out whether technology is working for us or whether we're working for technology.
December 27, 2024
In AVERIL OFFLINE, middle school tech wiz Averil chafes at the watchfulness of her parents, aided by an app called Ruby Slippers. Max, another student in her computer sciences class alerts her to some changes coming to the app and suggests that they team up to meet the app developer and make a case for putting a stop to making the app even more intrusive. The pair devise a plan to evade their parents and run away to secure a meeting with the elusive developer in hopes of putting a stop to the updates. They have to use their problem solving skills to unveil the truth about the app’s developer--and are surprised by what they find.
Averil and Max’s caper is well-paced and delivers an important message about autonomy/privacy and consent as it relates to technology. Averil and Max make a great team, and readers will root for them to be successful on their quest. Beyond being just a timely story about issues related to technology, the book also addresses the continuing gender biases in STEM/coding that have a negative impact on females.
Averil and Max’s caper is well-paced and delivers an important message about autonomy/privacy and consent as it relates to technology. Averil and Max make a great team, and readers will root for them to be successful on their quest. Beyond being just a timely story about issues related to technology, the book also addresses the continuing gender biases in STEM/coding that have a negative impact on females.
March 2, 2024
A new MG book about a girl craving independence from her parents.
👩🏻💻
Averil hates that her mom tracks her every move on an app called Ruby Slippers. When fellow coder, Max, sees how much better Averil is at coding he asks for help to stop Ruby Slippers from being even more invasive than it already is. Together both kids lie to their parents and end up at a college campus where the creator of the app works. To see him they’ll have to solve a series of clues.
👩🏻💻
This was not at all what I thought this #novel was going to be about. From the cover and title I assumed it was going to discuss a kid being on their devices too much. Instead I got a unique perspective at what happens when parents rely too much on technology to track their children. I loved the women in STEM aspect and the conversations about privilege. @amy.noelle.parks I can’t wait to read your next middle grade title!
CW: privacy concerns, misogyny
4.5
👩🏻💻
Averil hates that her mom tracks her every move on an app called Ruby Slippers. When fellow coder, Max, sees how much better Averil is at coding he asks for help to stop Ruby Slippers from being even more invasive than it already is. Together both kids lie to their parents and end up at a college campus where the creator of the app works. To see him they’ll have to solve a series of clues.
👩🏻💻
This was not at all what I thought this #novel was going to be about. From the cover and title I assumed it was going to discuss a kid being on their devices too much. Instead I got a unique perspective at what happens when parents rely too much on technology to track their children. I loved the women in STEM aspect and the conversations about privilege. @amy.noelle.parks I can’t wait to read your next middle grade title!
CW: privacy concerns, misogyny
4.5
April 15, 2025
Averil is a middle schooler who loves to code, spend time with her friends, and just be. However, it is hard to "just be" given the app Ruby Slippers—every parent's favorite and every child's nemesis. It is an app that not only tracks a child, but it sends alerts for everything. Averil is struggling to see her parents' perspective regarding safety and trust, and when she finds out the app has a new feature rolling out—the ability to turn on the microphone and camera at anytime to see and hear what your child is doing—Averil just can't anymore.
This book was a new addition this year to my classroom library shelves. I love the premise of youth and independence and how it collides with privacy and parental constraints. I think many of my students will have opinions on this topic; however, the plot line doesn't necessarily propel readings to keep turning the pages. Recommended for GR 5-8, especially for students with cell phones.
This book was a new addition this year to my classroom library shelves. I love the premise of youth and independence and how it collides with privacy and parental constraints. I think many of my students will have opinions on this topic; however, the plot line doesn't necessarily propel readings to keep turning the pages. Recommended for GR 5-8, especially for students with cell phones.
March 26, 2024
(4.5 stars, rounded up)
This is a great book for middle school students who feel like their parents are smothering them, and also a good one for a lot of parents to read. Averil's parents have installed the Ruby Slippers app on her phone, which allows them to constantly contact her and track her every move. Averil feels trapped by this continous oversight and forced to find creative ways to get a little freedom. When she learns of a new update that will allow parents even more control, she and her new friend Max set off to find the creator of the app and convince him to make some changes. There is some great information about women computer coders woven in as well. The Wizard of Oz references are spot on. Highly recommended for grades 4 & up.
eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley
This is a great book for middle school students who feel like their parents are smothering them, and also a good one for a lot of parents to read. Averil's parents have installed the Ruby Slippers app on her phone, which allows them to constantly contact her and track her every move. Averil feels trapped by this continous oversight and forced to find creative ways to get a little freedom. When she learns of a new update that will allow parents even more control, she and her new friend Max set off to find the creator of the app and convince him to make some changes. There is some great information about women computer coders woven in as well. The Wizard of Oz references are spot on. Highly recommended for grades 4 & up.
eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley
April 22, 2024
Miss Lori sped through this book, wanting to find out what happened next! This story centers around two kids who are desperate for their parents to stop being so overprotective--specifically by using a surveillance app. The app can check where they are, who and what they text, and even what they eat!!
The app is about to add even more invasive capabilities and the two of them decide they must find the creator of the app and beg him to stop. They "run away" in search of the secretive creator and that's when the adventure begins!
There is much to learn from this story, for kids and parents alike! This is a great story for kids and parents to read and talk about together!
Great for Middle school readers and their parents/care givers.
The app is about to add even more invasive capabilities and the two of them decide they must find the creator of the app and beg him to stop. They "run away" in search of the secretive creator and that's when the adventure begins!
There is much to learn from this story, for kids and parents alike! This is a great story for kids and parents to read and talk about together!
Great for Middle school readers and their parents/care givers.
November 10, 2024
I loved everything about this book. At 199 pages, it was a quick read and the pacing of the book kept my interest the whole time. Plus, I loved how the main character was a female skilled in the world of coding, which the book comments abouts how rare that is. This books tackles all kinds of hard topics: overprotective parents, privacy, consent, lack of females in tech jobs. I definitely want to add this book to my classroom library, maybe even use it as a read aloud. Sadly, I could see rhis book ending up on the "challenged books" list because Averil dares to challenge her parents, which would make some people unhappy. But this a powerful book that needs to be read.
November 5, 2023
EARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
This is a fantastic and timely middle grade story that will resonate with readers. What’s the right balance for families as they use new technologies to monitor their children’s activities? Averil is ready for her parents to reduce their use of a tracking app, and her adventure to help make this happen is one that will keep readers hooked. Her adventures around a college campus reminded me of similar events in Meet Me Halfway by A. Farjardo, which would be a good follow-up suggestion.
This is a fantastic and timely middle grade story that will resonate with readers. What’s the right balance for families as they use new technologies to monitor their children’s activities? Averil is ready for her parents to reduce their use of a tracking app, and her adventure to help make this happen is one that will keep readers hooked. Her adventures around a college campus reminded me of similar events in Meet Me Halfway by A. Farjardo, which would be a good follow-up suggestion.
March 28, 2024
As a parent, I’ve found myself slowly identifying more with the parents in middle grade and YA novels. And I did in fact purchase a cell phone for my middle schooler because he was going on a weekend bus trip with his class and I was worried about the student to chaperone ratio. But honestly? Team Averil all the way. This was cute and quirky and I hated the Ruby Slippers app. I’m also a little disgusted that the bias in coding classes still exists - I had the exact same experience 20+ years ago (multiple times).
May 24, 2024
Averil Offline is a clever, outside-the-box mystery-adventure story about childhood autonomy and women in STEM (coding). I loved the burgeoning relationship between Averil and Max. This one also has a strong mystery angle as the kids work to figure out who Rider is and how to get him to stop updating the app. Although, I figured out the mystery before the reveal, I still think kids will love the puzzles in this one, especially those with a strong interest in coding.
Full review: https://readingmiddlegrade.com/averil...
Full review: https://readingmiddlegrade.com/averil...
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