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Sammy Versus the Smartphone
My parents have a new daughter.
One who’s smarter. Prettier. Better.
Her name is Hollis. And she’s my worst enemy.
Tonight, I made a decision. It’s either her, or me.
I only have one way to win my family back.
I have to KILL Hollis!
Sammy loves football, being creative, and spending time with her family and friends. But when she gets a smartphone for her eleventh birthday, everything changes.
HOLLIS, a holographic AI interface, is Sammy’s perfect digital double. She’s determined to get Sammy hooked on scrolling on social media, posting stunning selfies, and obsessing over likes and comments. Soon enough, Sammy’s family and friends become addicted to their devices too, and, thanks to her tech-obsessed head teacher, the hands-on learning Sammy loved is no more.
Stressed, unhappy, and bullied online, Sammy decides to fight back!
Can Sammy win the war against the attention-sucking smartphones that have taken over her life?
One who’s smarter. Prettier. Better.
Her name is Hollis. And she’s my worst enemy.
Tonight, I made a decision. It’s either her, or me.
I only have one way to win my family back.
I have to KILL Hollis!
Sammy loves football, being creative, and spending time with her family and friends. But when she gets a smartphone for her eleventh birthday, everything changes.
HOLLIS, a holographic AI interface, is Sammy’s perfect digital double. She’s determined to get Sammy hooked on scrolling on social media, posting stunning selfies, and obsessing over likes and comments. Soon enough, Sammy’s family and friends become addicted to their devices too, and, thanks to her tech-obsessed head teacher, the hands-on learning Sammy loved is no more.
Stressed, unhappy, and bullied online, Sammy decides to fight back!
Can Sammy win the war against the attention-sucking smartphones that have taken over her life?
- GenresMiddle Grade
158 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 26, 2026
About the author
Victoria Williamson
38 books88 followersA lifelong storyteller and daydreamer, Victoria Williamson is an author and teacher who has lived and worked in Africa, China, America and the UK.
Victoria grew up in Kirkintilloch, north Glasgow, surrounded by hills on the edge of a forest estate where many of her early ghost stories and fantasy tales were born amid the magical trees and spooky old ruined buildings.
After studying Physics at the University of Glasgow, she set out on her own real life adventures, which included teaching Maths and Science in Cameroon, training teachers in Malawi, teaching English in China and working with children with special needs in the UK.
A qualified primary school teacher with a degree in Mandarin Chinese from Yunnan University and a Master’s degree in Special Needs Education, Victoria is passionate about creating inclusive worlds in her novels where all children can see a reflection of themselves in a heroic role.
Victoria’s experiences of teaching young children in a deprived area of Glasgow, many of whom were asylum seekers, inspired her debut novel, The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle, an uplifting tale of friendship between Glasgow girl Caylin and Syrian refugee Reema.
Victoria writes fantasy, adventure, science fiction and contemporary issue novels for Middle Grade (9-12), Teen, and Young Adult readers. Many of her books have been inspired by children she has met on her travels, both abroad and in the UK. She is currently working on a Middle Grade novel exploring the issues faced by a boy with ADHD who is struggling to fit in with his new step-family, and a spooky adventure novel for Teens, centred around a cast of characters with special needs including deafness, Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy.
Twenty percent of her author royalties for The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle are donated to the Scottish Refugee Council.
You can find out more about Victoria's books, school visits and upcoming events on her website: www.strangelymagical.com
Victoria grew up in Kirkintilloch, north Glasgow, surrounded by hills on the edge of a forest estate where many of her early ghost stories and fantasy tales were born amid the magical trees and spooky old ruined buildings.
After studying Physics at the University of Glasgow, she set out on her own real life adventures, which included teaching Maths and Science in Cameroon, training teachers in Malawi, teaching English in China and working with children with special needs in the UK.
A qualified primary school teacher with a degree in Mandarin Chinese from Yunnan University and a Master’s degree in Special Needs Education, Victoria is passionate about creating inclusive worlds in her novels where all children can see a reflection of themselves in a heroic role.
Victoria’s experiences of teaching young children in a deprived area of Glasgow, many of whom were asylum seekers, inspired her debut novel, The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle, an uplifting tale of friendship between Glasgow girl Caylin and Syrian refugee Reema.
Victoria writes fantasy, adventure, science fiction and contemporary issue novels for Middle Grade (9-12), Teen, and Young Adult readers. Many of her books have been inspired by children she has met on her travels, both abroad and in the UK. She is currently working on a Middle Grade novel exploring the issues faced by a boy with ADHD who is struggling to fit in with his new step-family, and a spooky adventure novel for Teens, centred around a cast of characters with special needs including deafness, Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy.
Twenty percent of her author royalties for The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle are donated to the Scottish Refugee Council.
You can find out more about Victoria's books, school visits and upcoming events on her website: www.strangelymagical.com
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 14, 2026
Sammy Versus the Smartphone by Victoria Williamson
5/5 stars
Sammy Versus the Smartphone is such a relevant middle grade read for young children who face the pressure of being active on a huge online platform and being popular on it. This book scarily describes how easy it is to fall into the downside of social media and AI related platforms. It shows how it targets children as well as parents and how easily it tries to make itself needed into day to day life. I think this book is such a relevant and important read for even children as young as 8 up to 16 or even 18.
The book starts with Sammy who just turned 11. She has a brother Michael and a half-sister Cara. But they don't use terms like half-sister in their house. She is just their baby sister and nothing else. Sammy is having an incredible birthday with her family on the beach and they eat delicious food. When they arrive home she gets the last few presents her parents bought her. The biggest one is her new and first smartphone. Her parents even bought an expensive interface system called Hollis so she doesn't feel left out compared to other children. And right from the get go the smartphone takes over Sammy and her day to day life.
At first her parents complain about her being on her phone all the time. But when another kid explains Hollis is applicable to the rest of the family as well they all download it on their phones. Her parents find out how useful Hollis is and slowly but surely the entire household uses it 24/7.
The scariest thing was how sentient Hollis seems to be. It listens in on their conversations. And it's eerie how it prays on Sammy's insecurities and how it isolates her and forces her to be the 'perfect' online presence. The kids at school abuse how popular they are on certain platforms. They force kids to do horrible things to one another and online bullying goes hand in hand with getting likes and being popular.
I love how this book shows how easy it is to fall into the trap of online popularity. How at first you think everything is true. But the most powerful thing is how the book ends. I don't want to spoil too much but Sammy's character arc is so powerful. And I love, love, love how fierce she is. How much she listens to her heart and seeing her break free was a joy to read.
5 huge stars from me for this stunning and important book. ♥
5/5 stars
Sammy Versus the Smartphone is such a relevant middle grade read for young children who face the pressure of being active on a huge online platform and being popular on it. This book scarily describes how easy it is to fall into the downside of social media and AI related platforms. It shows how it targets children as well as parents and how easily it tries to make itself needed into day to day life. I think this book is such a relevant and important read for even children as young as 8 up to 16 or even 18.
The book starts with Sammy who just turned 11. She has a brother Michael and a half-sister Cara. But they don't use terms like half-sister in their house. She is just their baby sister and nothing else. Sammy is having an incredible birthday with her family on the beach and they eat delicious food. When they arrive home she gets the last few presents her parents bought her. The biggest one is her new and first smartphone. Her parents even bought an expensive interface system called Hollis so she doesn't feel left out compared to other children. And right from the get go the smartphone takes over Sammy and her day to day life.
At first her parents complain about her being on her phone all the time. But when another kid explains Hollis is applicable to the rest of the family as well they all download it on their phones. Her parents find out how useful Hollis is and slowly but surely the entire household uses it 24/7.
The scariest thing was how sentient Hollis seems to be. It listens in on their conversations. And it's eerie how it prays on Sammy's insecurities and how it isolates her and forces her to be the 'perfect' online presence. The kids at school abuse how popular they are on certain platforms. They force kids to do horrible things to one another and online bullying goes hand in hand with getting likes and being popular.
I love how this book shows how easy it is to fall into the trap of online popularity. How at first you think everything is true. But the most powerful thing is how the book ends. I don't want to spoil too much but Sammy's character arc is so powerful. And I love, love, love how fierce she is. How much she listens to her heart and seeing her break free was a joy to read.
5 huge stars from me for this stunning and important book. ♥
March 26, 2026
Terrifying and true!
This is a wonderful story that reads like a nightmare true life horror story. I think every child, parent, and teacher should read it!
Sammy’s home and school life is slowly taken over by technology that makes her life worse rather than better. Something we can all relate to. While the social pressures, addiction, and bullying online were bad enough, the way the school tried to destroy education was truly hideous. Unfortunately, it is not fiction.
A timely tale that is told in an engaging and entertaining way. I hope those who read it will take heed, and more importantly, take action!
This is a wonderful story that reads like a nightmare true life horror story. I think every child, parent, and teacher should read it!
Sammy’s home and school life is slowly taken over by technology that makes her life worse rather than better. Something we can all relate to. While the social pressures, addiction, and bullying online were bad enough, the way the school tried to destroy education was truly hideous. Unfortunately, it is not fiction.
A timely tale that is told in an engaging and entertaining way. I hope those who read it will take heed, and more importantly, take action!
August 4, 2026
Author Victoria Williams has done it again to me, giving me a pacy unputdownable story.
Eleven years olds will understand the demands of wanting a mobile phone, and will discover the main character in Sammy Versus the Smartphone has difficult times ahead, with her smartphone.
Eleven-year-old Sammy, loves playing football. Her parents give Sammy a smartphone for her birthday with HOLLIS , a holographic AI interface that talks to Sammy.
Soon Sammy becomes addicted to her phone taking it everywhere with her, and getting private messages.
All Sammy wishes for is to become popular in her secondary school.
But into mix of the story line with Sammy’s school life, it appears that her friends aren’t happy with her.
Can Sammy and her friends work things out together?
And to top it all, Sammy is being bullied online.
A brilliant updated story , well put together. I recommend to all 8-12 year olds!
Eleven years olds will understand the demands of wanting a mobile phone, and will discover the main character in Sammy Versus the Smartphone has difficult times ahead, with her smartphone.
Eleven-year-old Sammy, loves playing football. Her parents give Sammy a smartphone for her birthday with HOLLIS , a holographic AI interface that talks to Sammy.
Soon Sammy becomes addicted to her phone taking it everywhere with her, and getting private messages.
All Sammy wishes for is to become popular in her secondary school.
But into mix of the story line with Sammy’s school life, it appears that her friends aren’t happy with her.
Can Sammy and her friends work things out together?
And to top it all, Sammy is being bullied online.
A brilliant updated story , well put together. I recommend to all 8-12 year olds!
May 6, 2026
Great middle grade story which depicts the negative impacts of smartphone use. You can read my full review here: https://vsviewfromthebookshelves.home...
June 11, 2026
⚽️ Sammy versus the Smartphone 📱 by Victoria Williamson
⚽️ Wow - if ever there was a book that was needed right now, then it’s this one. Every Year Six should have a copy of this book as there are so many important and topical themes explored: peer influence and pressure, bullying, social media addiction, disordered eating, low self-esteem, grooming, internet/e-safety, blended families, addiction and technology in schools.
📱 Robots and AI technologies have always made me feel a little uneasy - a little like The Mitchells Versus the Machines- as the thought of them taking over really scares me. Hollis is a holographic AI interface, who literally takes over Sammy’s family home. She influences and interferes in everything regarding the family, to the point they become self-reliant on ‘her’. Hollis is a replica of Sammy, a Y6 student, but she appears ‘Smarter. Prettier. Better.’ on the surface.
⚽️ Having taught upper key stage two for many years, I really feel this is an important book with a strong message. The way Sammy started to change as soon as she got a phone was quite shocking, but actually quite accurate in terms of the smartphone usage and the pressures associated with it. There were so many times I wanted to shout at Sammy and get her to have a reality check.
📱 Completely resonated with me how much we rely on our phones, how we pick it up all the time to check how ‘popular’ we are and how we become addicted.
⚽️ This compelling and shocking book needs to be in the hands of all young children with phones or devices or thinking about them. I know the negative impact they can have. An amazing book - thank you Victoria for my copy and all the superb extras. I wish I could gift my class a copy of this as they begin their transition work ready for secondary.
⚽️ Wow - if ever there was a book that was needed right now, then it’s this one. Every Year Six should have a copy of this book as there are so many important and topical themes explored: peer influence and pressure, bullying, social media addiction, disordered eating, low self-esteem, grooming, internet/e-safety, blended families, addiction and technology in schools.
📱 Robots and AI technologies have always made me feel a little uneasy - a little like The Mitchells Versus the Machines- as the thought of them taking over really scares me. Hollis is a holographic AI interface, who literally takes over Sammy’s family home. She influences and interferes in everything regarding the family, to the point they become self-reliant on ‘her’. Hollis is a replica of Sammy, a Y6 student, but she appears ‘Smarter. Prettier. Better.’ on the surface.
⚽️ Having taught upper key stage two for many years, I really feel this is an important book with a strong message. The way Sammy started to change as soon as she got a phone was quite shocking, but actually quite accurate in terms of the smartphone usage and the pressures associated with it. There were so many times I wanted to shout at Sammy and get her to have a reality check.
📱 Completely resonated with me how much we rely on our phones, how we pick it up all the time to check how ‘popular’ we are and how we become addicted.
⚽️ This compelling and shocking book needs to be in the hands of all young children with phones or devices or thinking about them. I know the negative impact they can have. An amazing book - thank you Victoria for my copy and all the superb extras. I wish I could gift my class a copy of this as they begin their transition work ready for secondary.
April 14, 2026
Sammy is thrilled to get a smart phone for her eleventh birthday. She knows she needs to become popular if she wants to survive the move to secondary school the following autumn, so getting likes on social media is a must. Her parents also splashed out on a holographic interface called Hollis. Thanks to her step-sister Kim's special projector, there are now four holographic images of Hollis influencing the various members of Sammy's family. Somehow this new technology is making life much worse for Sammy but can she overcome her own addiction to social media long enough to turn off Hollis?
This is a brilliant story which will appeal to children familiar with the pressures of social media and cyber-bullying, as well as to adults who know intuitively if not from experience the deleterious effects of electronic devices and social media on young minds (and on older ones too!). Sammy was a wonderfully relatable character and I really wanted to protect her from bad friends, real and virtual.
Themes include the addictive nature of these devices, insidious advertising embedded within games and aimed at kids, the negative impact on learning, as well as Cyber-bullying and the danger of children encountering unvetted strangers on-line. I really liked the theme of the dangers of outsourcing life to chatbots like Hollis, and the importance of keeping grounded in reality. These are really important topics to consider, especially for young readers, and were seamlessly intertwined within the plot.
It is all wrapped up in a story about family and friendship, fakeness and authenticity, with a touch of forgiveness and redemption. Highly recommended!
This is a brilliant story which will appeal to children familiar with the pressures of social media and cyber-bullying, as well as to adults who know intuitively if not from experience the deleterious effects of electronic devices and social media on young minds (and on older ones too!). Sammy was a wonderfully relatable character and I really wanted to protect her from bad friends, real and virtual.
Themes include the addictive nature of these devices, insidious advertising embedded within games and aimed at kids, the negative impact on learning, as well as Cyber-bullying and the danger of children encountering unvetted strangers on-line. I really liked the theme of the dangers of outsourcing life to chatbots like Hollis, and the importance of keeping grounded in reality. These are really important topics to consider, especially for young readers, and were seamlessly intertwined within the plot.
It is all wrapped up in a story about family and friendship, fakeness and authenticity, with a touch of forgiveness and redemption. Highly recommended!
April 23, 2026
Sammy is thrilled to receive a smartphone for her 11th birthday—especially as it comes with an extraordinary add-on: HOLLIS, a holographic AI interface who becomes her seemingly perfect digital double. But it isn’t long before HOLLIS begins to take over, interacting with all the family. Soon, Sammy and her family are hooked on social media. Sammy drops out of the football team, becomes obsessed with likes, and posts increasingly filtered selfies. She grows anxious about everything she says or does, terrified it might be recorded and judged online.
As the pressure builds, Sammy experiences stress and online bullying, while her family retreat further into their screens. The only person she feels she can trust is JayBoy5, someone she has met online. Realising how much she—and her family—have changed, Sammy decides the only way to reclaim her life is to destroy HOLLIS. But will HOLLIS let her?
This is a fantastic and highly topical read, tackling issues such as smartphone and gaming addiction, online bullying, digital safety, and the pressure to present a perfect image online. It raises important questions about identity, relationships and the impact of technology on our lives.
Ideal as a class read for Year 6 or Year 7, this book offers rich opportunities for discussion and reflection. A must-have for any school library.
As the pressure builds, Sammy experiences stress and online bullying, while her family retreat further into their screens. The only person she feels she can trust is JayBoy5, someone she has met online. Realising how much she—and her family—have changed, Sammy decides the only way to reclaim her life is to destroy HOLLIS. But will HOLLIS let her?
This is a fantastic and highly topical read, tackling issues such as smartphone and gaming addiction, online bullying, digital safety, and the pressure to present a perfect image online. It raises important questions about identity, relationships and the impact of technology on our lives.
Ideal as a class read for Year 6 or Year 7, this book offers rich opportunities for discussion and reflection. A must-have for any school library.
May 14, 2026
What an incredible read for 10+ with the danger of mobile phones, social media and A.I right at the forefront. Sammy has wished for a mobile for so long and finally gets one for her birthday alongside manu classmates, but it soon becomes divisive - separating those friends with and without phones, separating relationships in the classroom and the home as each individual becomes more obsessed with the phone, more self absorbed and less available, it also divides reality from what is fake as AI takes over so many elements of everyday life. This was an absorbing read.
July 16, 2026
This book is perfect for the current climate and government banning of social media for kids. This book highlights the struggle with the addictive aspect of phones and how algorithms can shape you. I really liked the boundaries created and how most of the imagery seen is not real but a curated version of you that doesn't exist. This was such an interesting read and im glad Autumn read it now as she starts looking to secondary school
April 18, 2026
Smartphones and AI are slowly taking over our lives with more children everyday throwing away their childhoods glued to devices...
Sadly it doesn't just stop at home as Sammy found out when her school decided her education wasn't important. That she'd learn more from an app on a screen than from someone paid to teach. And the way forward for making friends was through likes and post engagement on the latest social media app.
Deja vu, right?
This was fiction. It's also fast become reality. The world is becoming a scary place.
A great little book that was fun to read. Timely but true.
Sadly it doesn't just stop at home as Sammy found out when her school decided her education wasn't important. That she'd learn more from an app on a screen than from someone paid to teach. And the way forward for making friends was through likes and post engagement on the latest social media app.
Deja vu, right?
This was fiction. It's also fast become reality. The world is becoming a scary place.
A great little book that was fun to read. Timely but true.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews