What do you think?
Rate this book
The Day the Screens Went Blank
Can you imagine a world with no screens? Don't miss the hilarious new 'what-if' adventure from bestselling author, comedian, and presenter Danny Wallace, with illustrations throughout from Gemma Correll.
When ten-year-old Stella wakes up to discover a world full of BLANK screens, her family, town, and in fact the whole world seems to have been thrown into chaos. And what about poor Grandma who is stranded at the other end of the country?
Cue a rollicking madcap road trip, full of driving disasters and family fallouts, as they set off on a rescue mission. And along the way Stella and her family discover that being away from screens might not be the WORST THING EVER, and even though they might not be able to rely on technology anymore, they can rely on each other instead.
'So funny' Noel Fielding
'Brilliantly funny' Shappi Khorsandi
'Hilarious' Tim Minchin
'Warm and funny' Frank Cottrell-Boyce
When ten-year-old Stella wakes up to discover a world full of BLANK screens, her family, town, and in fact the whole world seems to have been thrown into chaos. And what about poor Grandma who is stranded at the other end of the country?
Cue a rollicking madcap road trip, full of driving disasters and family fallouts, as they set off on a rescue mission. And along the way Stella and her family discover that being away from screens might not be the WORST THING EVER, and even though they might not be able to rely on technology anymore, they can rely on each other instead.
'So funny' Noel Fielding
'Brilliantly funny' Shappi Khorsandi
'Hilarious' Tim Minchin
'Warm and funny' Frank Cottrell-Boyce
240 pages, Paperback
Published March 18, 2021
21 people are currently reading
96 people want to read
About the author
Danny Wallace
61 books639 followersDaniel Frederick Wallace is a British filmmaker, comedian, writer, actor, and presenter of radio and television. His notable works include the books Join Me, Yes Man, and the TV series How to Start Your Own Country. As an author, Wallace's bestselling books have been translated into more than a dozen languages.
He began writing reviews for video game magazines at the age of 13 for school work experience: a reviewer had become ill and so Wallace was given the opportunity to review a game. At 18 he started writing comedy, mainly through the magazine Comedy Review. He specialised in radio production at the University of Westminster.
At 22, he became a BBC producer. He was part of the production team behind British Comedy Award-winning Dead Ringers, the original producer of the critically acclaimed cult hit The Mighty Boosh, and the creator and producer of Ross Noble Goes Global. As a journalist, Wallace has worked for The Scotsman, The Guardian, The Independent, Elle, Cosmo, The Times and other publications.
In 1999, Wallace challenged comedian Dave Gorman, who at the time was his flatmate, to find 54 other people called Dave Gorman ("one for every card in the deck, including the Jokers"). Wallace accompanied Gorman on his quest and the men created Are You Dave Gorman?, an award-winning comedy stage show about what happened during their journey. A BBC series, also co-written and co-produced by Wallace, followed, as did a book, written by both men.
In 2003, Wallace's book Join Me was published. The book explains how he "accidentally started a 'cult'" called Join Me. The movement would go global, with each member committing to undertaking one random act of kindness for a stranger every Friday ("Good Fridays"). Tens of thousands joined. Join Me celebrates "Karmageddon 10" in December 2011. Traditionally, hundreds of members travel to London for the meet-up and undertake good deeds for strangers, with Wallace present. The movement is now generally referred to as the "Karma Army", although members are still typically "Joinees". He became a minor celebrity in Belgium whilst on his quest for Joinees. While on a book tour through America, Wallace was dubbed a "Generation X legend" by the Wisconsin State Journal.
Wallace next wrote a short book called Random Acts of Kindness: 365 Ways To Make the World A Better Place, with the help of submissions from Joinees. It includes many humorous Random Acts of Kindness (RAoK) ideas, such as "Contradict Demeaning Graffiti", and "Make An Old Man Very Happy."
Wallace's second solo book, Yes Man was published in July 2005. In it, he describes how he spent six months "saying Yes where once I would have said No", to make his life more interesting and positive. In this book he shows the tribulations and mischief that he got up to while he said yes to any question or proposal. The book was described as "one of those rare books that actually has the potential to change your life" by the San Francisco Bay Guardian and as "a fascinating book and a fascinating experiment" by David Letterman. A film adaptation of Yes Man was developed with Warner Bros. and stars Jim Carrey and Zooey Deschanel. It was released in 2008 in the US and the UK. Wallace appeared on screen in a cameo in a bar scene in the last ten minutes of the film, holding a British pint glass.
Danny Wallace and the Centre of the Universe was published in 2006. It is linked with World Book Day which in 2006 was on Thursday 2 March. It tells the story of Wallace's trip to Idaho, to visit a manhole cover in a small town, whose residents have proclaimed it the centre of the universe. The cover identifies it as a "Quick Read"; the price and length of the book have been curbed in order to encourage people who may not often read books to purchase it.
Wallace's book, Friends Like These, was released on the 3 July 2008, and tells the story of how he spent a summer trying to track down his old school friends from his days in Dundee,
He began writing reviews for video game magazines at the age of 13 for school work experience: a reviewer had become ill and so Wallace was given the opportunity to review a game. At 18 he started writing comedy, mainly through the magazine Comedy Review. He specialised in radio production at the University of Westminster.
At 22, he became a BBC producer. He was part of the production team behind British Comedy Award-winning Dead Ringers, the original producer of the critically acclaimed cult hit The Mighty Boosh, and the creator and producer of Ross Noble Goes Global. As a journalist, Wallace has worked for The Scotsman, The Guardian, The Independent, Elle, Cosmo, The Times and other publications.
In 1999, Wallace challenged comedian Dave Gorman, who at the time was his flatmate, to find 54 other people called Dave Gorman ("one for every card in the deck, including the Jokers"). Wallace accompanied Gorman on his quest and the men created Are You Dave Gorman?, an award-winning comedy stage show about what happened during their journey. A BBC series, also co-written and co-produced by Wallace, followed, as did a book, written by both men.
In 2003, Wallace's book Join Me was published. The book explains how he "accidentally started a 'cult'" called Join Me. The movement would go global, with each member committing to undertaking one random act of kindness for a stranger every Friday ("Good Fridays"). Tens of thousands joined. Join Me celebrates "Karmageddon 10" in December 2011. Traditionally, hundreds of members travel to London for the meet-up and undertake good deeds for strangers, with Wallace present. The movement is now generally referred to as the "Karma Army", although members are still typically "Joinees". He became a minor celebrity in Belgium whilst on his quest for Joinees. While on a book tour through America, Wallace was dubbed a "Generation X legend" by the Wisconsin State Journal.
Wallace next wrote a short book called Random Acts of Kindness: 365 Ways To Make the World A Better Place, with the help of submissions from Joinees. It includes many humorous Random Acts of Kindness (RAoK) ideas, such as "Contradict Demeaning Graffiti", and "Make An Old Man Very Happy."
Wallace's second solo book, Yes Man was published in July 2005. In it, he describes how he spent six months "saying Yes where once I would have said No", to make his life more interesting and positive. In this book he shows the tribulations and mischief that he got up to while he said yes to any question or proposal. The book was described as "one of those rare books that actually has the potential to change your life" by the San Francisco Bay Guardian and as "a fascinating book and a fascinating experiment" by David Letterman. A film adaptation of Yes Man was developed with Warner Bros. and stars Jim Carrey and Zooey Deschanel. It was released in 2008 in the US and the UK. Wallace appeared on screen in a cameo in a bar scene in the last ten minutes of the film, holding a British pint glass.
Danny Wallace and the Centre of the Universe was published in 2006. It is linked with World Book Day which in 2006 was on Thursday 2 March. It tells the story of Wallace's trip to Idaho, to visit a manhole cover in a small town, whose residents have proclaimed it the centre of the universe. The cover identifies it as a "Quick Read"; the price and length of the book have been curbed in order to encourage people who may not often read books to purchase it.
Wallace's book, Friends Like These, was released on the 3 July 2008, and tells the story of how he spent a summer trying to track down his old school friends from his days in Dundee,
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
June 13, 2021
I chuckled and laughed out loud throughout this book. Great for children and adults alike😃
July 17, 2021
Who knew dystopian nightmares/apocalyptic end of days stories could be such upbeat fun?!
This is a kids book (from the public library, where it is categorized as children's 'older fiction' - ???), with a 10 year old main character who goes on an odyssey (possibly in an odyssey) with her parents and 4 year old brother to check on grandma when (as the title suggests) the screens go blank.
So on one level, it's a cheery, optimistic tale of how families and communities can actually reconnect without the pull of Wi-Fi/social media/internet etc, but as an adult reading it, I think I was more scared than watching 'The walking dead' or other of my favourite zombie apocalypse shows!!!!
But I don't think your average junior school child would get that, so recommended for tweens everywhere.
This is a kids book (from the public library, where it is categorized as children's 'older fiction' - ???), with a 10 year old main character who goes on an odyssey (possibly in an odyssey) with her parents and 4 year old brother to check on grandma when (as the title suggests) the screens go blank.
So on one level, it's a cheery, optimistic tale of how families and communities can actually reconnect without the pull of Wi-Fi/social media/internet etc, but as an adult reading it, I think I was more scared than watching 'The walking dead' or other of my favourite zombie apocalypse shows!!!!
But I don't think your average junior school child would get that, so recommended for tweens everywhere.
February 11, 2025
Such a fun kids book. I recommend for ages 6-11.
June 8, 2021
The day the screens went blank is a hilarious new middle grade book from Danny Wallace. While the story is guaranteed to make you laugh out loud, it also contains a gentle reminder for us to be more aware of how screens affect our lives and to take time to enjoy the little things.
It’s no secret that 2021 sees many of us reliant on our screens, whether that’s a phone, laptop, tablet or television there is no denying that we are more plugged in than not most days. As much as technology is amazingly helpful in our lives, it’s also a somber thought to think of the effect it has on us to be permanently connected…even more so when we take into account the effect this has on our family life.
Have you ever wondered what would happen if the screens went blank? How much of your daily life would be affected? With technology permeating so many parts of our lives, it’s hard to imagine how we would cope without access to credit cards and GPS, clocks and alarms on our cell phones, and the list goes on.
The hilarious account of what could happen is told from the viewpoint of ten-year-old Stella and is brought to life through lovely black and white illustrations by Gemma Correll. Trying to make sense of this new world and how to cope with no technology, Stella sets out on a road trip with her family to check her gran is ok. There’s a lot of excitement along the way, from running out of petrol to changing a burst tyre and even getting stuck in the mud, and they also meet an unlikely friend named Uncle Tony, a cow named Bertha and Ellie with a Rolls-Royce on their journey.
But the story is about so much more, it’s an adventure that brings a family closer together and a realization that we used to do so much more when we didn’t use screens so much. It’s about discovering the joy of swinging in the park, visiting a library, and having fun with games like marbles and other activities long forgotten from our younger days.
There are lessons on kindness and spending time with your loved ones, embracing your imagination and even an eerie reflection of the year we have just spent in lockdown in this pandemic with more time to talk, bake bread and spend time playing together.
As much as The day the screens went blank will have you in stitches of laughter, it will also remind us how we should all be more present, and for this reason adults and children alike will both enjoy reading this book.
It’s no secret that 2021 sees many of us reliant on our screens, whether that’s a phone, laptop, tablet or television there is no denying that we are more plugged in than not most days. As much as technology is amazingly helpful in our lives, it’s also a somber thought to think of the effect it has on us to be permanently connected…even more so when we take into account the effect this has on our family life.
Have you ever wondered what would happen if the screens went blank? How much of your daily life would be affected? With technology permeating so many parts of our lives, it’s hard to imagine how we would cope without access to credit cards and GPS, clocks and alarms on our cell phones, and the list goes on.
The hilarious account of what could happen is told from the viewpoint of ten-year-old Stella and is brought to life through lovely black and white illustrations by Gemma Correll. Trying to make sense of this new world and how to cope with no technology, Stella sets out on a road trip with her family to check her gran is ok. There’s a lot of excitement along the way, from running out of petrol to changing a burst tyre and even getting stuck in the mud, and they also meet an unlikely friend named Uncle Tony, a cow named Bertha and Ellie with a Rolls-Royce on their journey.
But the story is about so much more, it’s an adventure that brings a family closer together and a realization that we used to do so much more when we didn’t use screens so much. It’s about discovering the joy of swinging in the park, visiting a library, and having fun with games like marbles and other activities long forgotten from our younger days.
There are lessons on kindness and spending time with your loved ones, embracing your imagination and even an eerie reflection of the year we have just spent in lockdown in this pandemic with more time to talk, bake bread and spend time playing together.
As much as The day the screens went blank will have you in stitches of laughter, it will also remind us how we should all be more present, and for this reason adults and children alike will both enjoy reading this book.
November 30, 2023
Yes, this is a book for kids.
The story is told from the perspective of a 10 year old girl, who has a 5 year old brother and parents clearly born in the eighties. In other words. The exact same composition as my family, me being the dad. And probably making me very biased.
The story: One day all screens stopped working. And the family is concerned about grandmother (who they cannot reach, as they don't have a landline phone with buttons anymore). So of they go to save her. Without navigation. She lives a few hours away from the family. Far enough to make a full book out of one drive to grandma's.
Their adventures are bitter sweet, a mirror on how dependent we have grown to our screens, what games and fun got lost since. Without the author trying to claim that things used to be better in the past, one cannot escape the feeling that is was - at least on when it comes to our screen addictions. As of course, our 10 year old protagonist quickly learns how much more fun live without screens is.
The verdict: My daughter liked the story, although some humor got lost as it is funnier from my perspective then it was from hers. And I just loved it. Black Mirror transformed into a kids book. Very realistic behaviour and characteristics by the parents. And very very funny. Yes, the 10 year old may be a bit too smart for her age, just to keep the story going. Nonetheless, worth the read for both generations. To all parents born in the late seventies and eighties, currently parenting tweens: Give this book to your kids and don't forget to read it yourself.
PS - read on the back of the book the author is a media personality in Great Britain, but since I'm from Holland I am unbiased as I've never seen or heard any of his TV or radio shows.
PS2 - I had also completely missed that the author of this children's book is the same Danny Wallace who wrote 'Yes Man', which I read around 2008. Thinking back, there are quite some similarities in storyline (what if X, how would people respond?) and style.
PS3 - My daughter wasn't cured from her screen addiction after reading this book. In case any parents has hopes in vein it would.
The story is told from the perspective of a 10 year old girl, who has a 5 year old brother and parents clearly born in the eighties. In other words. The exact same composition as my family, me being the dad. And probably making me very biased.
The story: One day all screens stopped working. And the family is concerned about grandmother (who they cannot reach, as they don't have a landline phone with buttons anymore). So of they go to save her. Without navigation. She lives a few hours away from the family. Far enough to make a full book out of one drive to grandma's.
Their adventures are bitter sweet, a mirror on how dependent we have grown to our screens, what games and fun got lost since. Without the author trying to claim that things used to be better in the past, one cannot escape the feeling that is was - at least on when it comes to our screen addictions. As of course, our 10 year old protagonist quickly learns how much more fun live without screens is.
The verdict: My daughter liked the story, although some humor got lost as it is funnier from my perspective then it was from hers. And I just loved it. Black Mirror transformed into a kids book. Very realistic behaviour and characteristics by the parents. And very very funny. Yes, the 10 year old may be a bit too smart for her age, just to keep the story going. Nonetheless, worth the read for both generations. To all parents born in the late seventies and eighties, currently parenting tweens: Give this book to your kids and don't forget to read it yourself.
PS - read on the back of the book the author is a media personality in Great Britain, but since I'm from Holland I am unbiased as I've never seen or heard any of his TV or radio shows.
PS2 - I had also completely missed that the author of this children's book is the same Danny Wallace who wrote 'Yes Man', which I read around 2008. Thinking back, there are quite some similarities in storyline (what if X, how would people respond?) and style.
PS3 - My daughter wasn't cured from her screen addiction after reading this book. In case any parents has hopes in vein it would.
July 29, 2021
Reflections and lessons learned:
“…there’s nothing like playing… you can do anything and be anyone - you can make the world your own”
An unexpected but lovely tale of what to do rather than the obvious… our family’s new trial of no screen Saturday might be making us all twitchy at times but at least we’re giving ourselves the chance for this kind of knock door run fun…
“…there’s nothing like playing… you can do anything and be anyone - you can make the world your own”
An unexpected but lovely tale of what to do rather than the obvious… our family’s new trial of no screen Saturday might be making us all twitchy at times but at least we’re giving ourselves the chance for this kind of knock door run fun…
April 26, 2025
3/5 This was obviously written for children—aged 5-10–and it was added to a fellow good reads profile as a recommended funny book for all ages. I have to say it’s really not as funny as I’d hoped but it was a very quick read, as audiobooks go on 1.5 x normal speed, so it wasn’t a big dent in my reading time. I’m sure kids will enjoy this but it’s not going to make it onto my humorous books list.
June 2, 2023
It's interesting to know what will happen if the screens went blank
June 17, 2024
Part apocalyptic thriller, part COVID allegory. For kids :)
July 20, 2021
What would you if the screens went blank? Well you get to see how this family reacts. It’s full of hilarious incidents that happen to them. I found it a laughing matter and I think you will too
April 9, 2025
The kids in my class loved parts of this book and it made them laugh a lot!
I shed a tear at the end when they talked about the magic of grandparents, got me in the feels x
I shed a tear at the end when they talked about the magic of grandparents, got me in the feels x
May 27, 2022
Read it to my class in school. I loved the humour in it but a lot of it seemed to go over their heads. Did lead to great discussion on why the screen went blank. Makes you think what would happen if they did.
January 22, 2022
Quite good (228 pages)
January 23, 2023
Super sweet, funny, and cute. Made me pine for a semi-screen-free existence.
September 7, 2024
შესაბამისი ასაკისთვის ძალიან კარგია ❤️
October 25, 2024
Catastrophic amazing
March 30, 2021
Horror story of 'all our screens stopped working!!!' with a bit of a moral.
4.5 stars.
Nightmare? Or bliss? Imagine if the whole internet disappeared, if screens stopped lighting up, if phones and tablets and ipads and laptops all just... ceased. And this is a CHILDREN'S story. They won't remember the time Danny Wallace forces us to look back on in his latest book for younger readers, as one family becomes his focus for the stresses and inconveniences that such a scenario forces upon the world.
Stella is already a little bit of an unusual protagonist - a list-maker, a worrier ("I award myself a certain amount of screen time each week, as recommended by the World Health Organization"), a precise and careful person.
"The key used to be Post-it Notes, until I realised that was bad for the environment, so now I use the organizer on my mum's old phone. There's nothing more satisfying than a full calendar."
Stella is 10, and "already the most organized girl in Mousehole." Her family seems fairly typical - a younger brother glued to Youtube videos, parents who both rely on phones for work.... even a family film night sees all four of them sat together but watching their own films on their own screens. It's not hard to work out what Wallace is saying here, what his point of view may be, though he isn't overly obvious about it.
What happens to Stella's family feels like the comedy version of an older reader's dystopia, though to many it would of course feel just as frightening and world-ending: screens die. Humanity is left bereft and suffering withdrawal, floundering around both in families and communities and as whole societies to function.
The family decide they need to go and find Stella's grandma, hundreds of miles and many years of visits away... she may need them. But will they manage to get to her without the usual comforts of technology to guide their journey?
A comedy follows, a road trip, backwater adventure, family bonding rite-of-passage, and general commentary on mankind's reliance on technology at the expense of other things (I'm looking at you, Wallace).
Stella manages to remain likeable, despite being the author's mouthpiece. You have to feel for her Dad, the typical 'useless' stereotype, and there are other well-drawn characters that make an impact. They amuse, and add to the story.
It's great. A little proselytising aside, I found this very funny. Loved seeing what adventures and scrapes the family found themselves in on their trip to Grandma's House through the 'woods'.
Lots of heavy-handed messages, but also a rather sweet one at the end. It's a pretty short novel, and I'm certain will fascinate children simply with the idea of losing all their technology. Great opportunity for one of those 'in my day' conversations with parents and teachers!
For ages 8 to 12.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
4.5 stars.
Nightmare? Or bliss? Imagine if the whole internet disappeared, if screens stopped lighting up, if phones and tablets and ipads and laptops all just... ceased. And this is a CHILDREN'S story. They won't remember the time Danny Wallace forces us to look back on in his latest book for younger readers, as one family becomes his focus for the stresses and inconveniences that such a scenario forces upon the world.
Stella is already a little bit of an unusual protagonist - a list-maker, a worrier ("I award myself a certain amount of screen time each week, as recommended by the World Health Organization"), a precise and careful person.
"The key used to be Post-it Notes, until I realised that was bad for the environment, so now I use the organizer on my mum's old phone. There's nothing more satisfying than a full calendar."
Stella is 10, and "already the most organized girl in Mousehole." Her family seems fairly typical - a younger brother glued to Youtube videos, parents who both rely on phones for work.... even a family film night sees all four of them sat together but watching their own films on their own screens. It's not hard to work out what Wallace is saying here, what his point of view may be, though he isn't overly obvious about it.
What happens to Stella's family feels like the comedy version of an older reader's dystopia, though to many it would of course feel just as frightening and world-ending: screens die. Humanity is left bereft and suffering withdrawal, floundering around both in families and communities and as whole societies to function.
The family decide they need to go and find Stella's grandma, hundreds of miles and many years of visits away... she may need them. But will they manage to get to her without the usual comforts of technology to guide their journey?
A comedy follows, a road trip, backwater adventure, family bonding rite-of-passage, and general commentary on mankind's reliance on technology at the expense of other things (I'm looking at you, Wallace).
Stella manages to remain likeable, despite being the author's mouthpiece. You have to feel for her Dad, the typical 'useless' stereotype, and there are other well-drawn characters that make an impact. They amuse, and add to the story.
It's great. A little proselytising aside, I found this very funny. Loved seeing what adventures and scrapes the family found themselves in on their trip to Grandma's House through the 'woods'.
Lots of heavy-handed messages, but also a rather sweet one at the end. It's a pretty short novel, and I'm certain will fascinate children simply with the idea of losing all their technology. Great opportunity for one of those 'in my day' conversations with parents and teachers!
For ages 8 to 12.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
January 18, 2023
I saw that a really bright eleven-year-old I know was reading this, so I blew through it in a flash. Maybe I’ve been reading too many hard-boiled crime novels lately, but this book for kids made me laugh and cry, or almost cry. I'm too much of a tough guy to cry at a kid's story. It’s so sweet and funny with such a great message, and the title is just superb (in Spanish it's El día que se apagaron las pantallas). I couldn’t recommend it highly enough, no matter your age.
I taught my friend the English word "unputdownable." Nolopoderdejardible was the translation I found in thr English-Spanish forum on Wordreference. Love that new Spanish word.
https://forum.wordreference.com/threa...
I thought this was funny and relevant:
"This is a library, Ted," I say. "It’s like a massive real-life Amazon."
Teddy just looks at me like he has no idea what I’m talking about.
"Imagine someone downloaded every book you could think of, printed them out, and put them all in here so you could read whatever you liked, for free."
He starts laughing.
"I’m serious," I say, leading him in. "Like a Black Friday deal or something." 😂
"Esto es una biblioteca, Ted," digo. "Es como un enorme Amazonas de la vida real".
Teddy solo me mira como si no tuviera idea de lo que estoy hablando.
"Imagina que alguien descargó todos los libros que se te ocurrieron, los imprimió y los puso todos aquí para que pudieras leer lo que quisieras, gratis".
Él comienza a reír.
"Hablo en serio," digo, llevándolo adentro. "Como una oferta de Black Friday o algo así." 😂
I taught my friend the English word "unputdownable." Nolopoderdejardible was the translation I found in thr English-Spanish forum on Wordreference. Love that new Spanish word.
https://forum.wordreference.com/threa...
I thought this was funny and relevant:
"This is a library, Ted," I say. "It’s like a massive real-life Amazon."
Teddy just looks at me like he has no idea what I’m talking about.
"Imagine someone downloaded every book you could think of, printed them out, and put them all in here so you could read whatever you liked, for free."
He starts laughing.
"I’m serious," I say, leading him in. "Like a Black Friday deal or something." 😂
"Esto es una biblioteca, Ted," digo. "Es como un enorme Amazonas de la vida real".
Teddy solo me mira como si no tuviera idea de lo que estoy hablando.
"Imagina que alguien descargó todos los libros que se te ocurrieron, los imprimió y los puso todos aquí para que pudieras leer lo que quisieras, gratis".
Él comienza a reír.
"Hablo en serio," digo, llevándolo adentro. "Como una oferta de Black Friday o algo así." 😂
April 20, 2021
This is a book I simply had to read because somebody has finally written one!
It’s screen time Sunday for Stella and her family where everybody gets on the couch and puts on their favourite (age-appropriate) movie on their own devices. They’re all sitting there, doing their separate things “like a family” 😆 when all the screens stop working.
And you’d think as an adult reader (me), you’d be able to predict all the things that go wrong but screen use is far more insidious than I think!
The alarms don’t go off.
Nobody knows the time.
How does one even call into the office?
Also, you’d think the kids would be more freaked out but whose lives are more disrupted? 😯😆
The family goes on a road trip to get to Grandma (they don’t know if she’s ok and they can’t call her because her number is saved in the mobile phone!) Stella witnesses a world gone slightly wonky from the adults having no screens. Wait, how do you even get there without a GPS? Money, work, lives, all gone crazy!
And...they rediscover good old living and build up new memories. This is a fun book for 7-9 narrated by a hilarious Stella who says things like it is. Young readers will appreciate her candid observations and straight-faced humour. You could see author Danny Wallace through her voice 😆😍📚
ARC 📚: @definitelybooks @definitelybookskids (Pansing Distribution)
It’s screen time Sunday for Stella and her family where everybody gets on the couch and puts on their favourite (age-appropriate) movie on their own devices. They’re all sitting there, doing their separate things “like a family” 😆 when all the screens stop working.
And you’d think as an adult reader (me), you’d be able to predict all the things that go wrong but screen use is far more insidious than I think!
The alarms don’t go off.
Nobody knows the time.
How does one even call into the office?
Also, you’d think the kids would be more freaked out but whose lives are more disrupted? 😯😆
The family goes on a road trip to get to Grandma (they don’t know if she’s ok and they can’t call her because her number is saved in the mobile phone!) Stella witnesses a world gone slightly wonky from the adults having no screens. Wait, how do you even get there without a GPS? Money, work, lives, all gone crazy!
And...they rediscover good old living and build up new memories. This is a fun book for 7-9 narrated by a hilarious Stella who says things like it is. Young readers will appreciate her candid observations and straight-faced humour. You could see author Danny Wallace through her voice 😆😍📚
ARC 📚: @definitelybooks @definitelybookskids (Pansing Distribution)
June 2, 2024
This is a children’s book, but with a difference. In this case, that difference is that it’s super entertaining for adults, perhaps even more so. I read it in one sitting while on the exercise bike and found myself genuinely laughing out loud at it.
The idea here is that one day, every device with a screen stops working. We see the chaos that then unfolds through the eyes of a typical family, which realises that perhaps they ought to go and check in on grandma.
After all, chaos is the right word here. People can no longer access their bank accounts and they’re panic buying toilet paper, which we all know means that the proverbial shit has hit the fan. The roads are screwed, and that means that our protagonists have got their work cut out for them because grandma lives on the other side of the country and they don’t have a map.
They could just use a satnav but… well, you get the picture.
What I particularly like about this book is that there’s not exactly a happy ending as such, but rather just people coming to terms with a new normal, a bit like we had to do after COVID. Good stuff!
The idea here is that one day, every device with a screen stops working. We see the chaos that then unfolds through the eyes of a typical family, which realises that perhaps they ought to go and check in on grandma.
After all, chaos is the right word here. People can no longer access their bank accounts and they’re panic buying toilet paper, which we all know means that the proverbial shit has hit the fan. The roads are screwed, and that means that our protagonists have got their work cut out for them because grandma lives on the other side of the country and they don’t have a map.
They could just use a satnav but… well, you get the picture.
What I particularly like about this book is that there’s not exactly a happy ending as such, but rather just people coming to terms with a new normal, a bit like we had to do after COVID. Good stuff!
January 18, 2021
Stella is going to visit her Grandma but this isn’t any ordinary holiday, it’s an adventure into the unknown. After all her parents can’t do anything without technology, they don’t actually realise how much they depend on it. How will Stella and her brother cope in the car without a gadget to distract them? That’s not normal behaviour, but then it’s not really normal for every screen to stop working and go blank now, is it?
Wallace has written yet another entertaining tale that imagines what if people had to do without technology to deal with life and how much misadventure could happen? The absurd situations make it a joy to read. It’s funny and the continuing calamity surrounding the car journey will make kids giggle.
I received a copy from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for a review.
Wallace has written yet another entertaining tale that imagines what if people had to do without technology to deal with life and how much misadventure could happen? The absurd situations make it a joy to read. It’s funny and the continuing calamity surrounding the car journey will make kids giggle.
I received a copy from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for a review.
January 27, 2021
This book was intended to be bedtime reading for me and the kids (and second time around it will be) but I started to read this yesterday and couldn't put it down. This is definitely a book for the times we are currently in living out of our comfort zones and a little differently than normal, it may be a story about screens going off and living without technology but it is also so much more than that. In places I laughed so much I needed a tissue to wipe away years of laughter to be able to continue and at other times I felt a lump in my throat and my heart swell with pride as the family took on a car ride that brought the much further than they could imagine.
A must read for children and adults alike
A must read for children and adults alike
May 18, 2024
It's predictable. It's cozy. It teaches us how to live and enjoy life's simple pleasures. You're in for a road trip. A messy and smelly one at that. 🤭 but it will all be worth it.
Farms, radio, library, animal, handmade map, village life, posh vintage car, old films on projector, laugh, ..... and life without screens.
How are you gonna survive without your phones and laptops and internet which has become the utmost part of our life?
There is chaos everywhere yet you'll feel more connection with life and less with stress at the end. You depend on your skills, no help from the internet. The language is easy to read. There are illustrations (average but it's okay). Love, love and love this book. ❤️
Best children's book. Meaningful for adults too.
Farms, radio, library, animal, handmade map, village life, posh vintage car, old films on projector, laugh, ..... and life without screens.
How are you gonna survive without your phones and laptops and internet which has become the utmost part of our life?
There is chaos everywhere yet you'll feel more connection with life and less with stress at the end. You depend on your skills, no help from the internet. The language is easy to read. There are illustrations (average but it's okay). Love, love and love this book. ❤️
Best children's book. Meaningful for adults too.
February 6, 2021
The Day the Screens Went Blank was a quick hilarious read that reflected on current issues whilst also being quite uplifting and containing a message. Danny Wallace's writing style is simple yet very funny. Stella and her family's road trip was quite eventful to say the least and was the whole plot. It was fast paced and witty however very exaggerated! Stella seemed like a unappealing character at the start but she grew on me. Her parents were quite irresponsible but it showed the seriousness of the issue. This was a fun read and recommend by me!
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the e-arc.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the e-arc.
July 27, 2022
I read this after a recommendation by a friend who has an eight-year-old daughter. I thought it might be useful for a children’s book club at the library where I work. It’s the story of a family who go off on adventure to rescue their Grandma after technology goes down across the globe. I thought it might be thought-provoking for children to think about what life without screens and communications might be like. It’s a very funny story with some engaging characters. I would have liked a little more insight into a world without technology, but I thought it was an excellent way to introduce kids to nature and screen-free family time.
February 16, 2021
The boys have read some of the Hamish series by Danny Wallace before and enjoyed them and they enjoyed this one too - although they were horrified by the thought of this really happening!
The book took us four nights to read and there were plenty of laugh out loud moments, as well as some touching ones. They enjoyed the modern cultural references as well as the poo humour!
I don't think anything will come close to The Perfect Parent Project for us for a while, but this was a great read and we would recommend to all of a similar age. (Riley is 9, Leo is 12).
The book took us four nights to read and there were plenty of laugh out loud moments, as well as some touching ones. They enjoyed the modern cultural references as well as the poo humour!
I don't think anything will come close to The Perfect Parent Project for us for a while, but this was a great read and we would recommend to all of a similar age. (Riley is 9, Leo is 12).
March 5, 2023
Middle grade. Technology. Humor.
Story: The story begins with Family Film Night, where mom, dad, brother and sister find comfy places to sit and proceed to turn on the TV and tablets to watch their own separate movies. Then one evening, the screens went blank. The electricity still worked, but anything with a screen simply stopped functioning.
Language: UK, modern day, comedy. chapters with subsections, b&w illustrations.
Characters: Dad is lost without an online map, mum is the only one smart enough to carry cash, little brother Teddy just wants to watch his shows and our protagonist Stella is happy to go with the flow and see what happens.
Soooooo much fun. This one jumped off the shelf at me at the library and I enjoyed it to the max! For fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
Story: The story begins with Family Film Night, where mom, dad, brother and sister find comfy places to sit and proceed to turn on the TV and tablets to watch their own separate movies. Then one evening, the screens went blank. The electricity still worked, but anything with a screen simply stopped functioning.
Language: UK, modern day, comedy. chapters with subsections, b&w illustrations.
Characters: Dad is lost without an online map, mum is the only one smart enough to carry cash, little brother Teddy just wants to watch his shows and our protagonist Stella is happy to go with the flow and see what happens.
Soooooo much fun. This one jumped off the shelf at me at the library and I enjoyed it to the max! For fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
March 6, 2021
This is wonderfully funny; it’s nostalgic and filled with kindness. It’s the wonderful moments strangers’ kindness and hilarious moments of falling into ponds. It’s Uncle Tony and a bag of marbles. A gorgeous story of a road trip to check on family when the screens go blank. Stella is a glorious narrator and her family just made me smile! The illustrations by the incredible Gemma Correll just made me so happy too!!
September 1, 2022
Fantastically funny story about Stella and her family and what happens to them when all the technology in the country stops working.
What do you do when your iPad won't work? Or the TV? How do you call someone when your Mum's mobile is the only place where phone numbers are kept? And what will happen to Granny, who lives somewhere that only SatNav lady knows?
A laugh out loud book, particularly for parents of a certain age. Highly recommended!
What do you do when your iPad won't work? Or the TV? How do you call someone when your Mum's mobile is the only place where phone numbers are kept? And what will happen to Granny, who lives somewhere that only SatNav lady knows?
A laugh out loud book, particularly for parents of a certain age. Highly recommended!
January 17, 2021
First out the gate in that it's the first book of its type I've seen to have a definite Covid/lockdown/virus influence, this is a slapstick, high-drama, high-octane road-trip comedy with oodles of cuddly heart that kids of all ages will love.
For my full review, please click on:-
http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/T...
For my full review, please click on:-
http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/T...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews