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Can You Believe It?: How to Spot Fake News and Find the Facts
For today’s tech-savvy kids, here’s the go-to resource for navigating what they read on the internet. Should we believe everything we read online? Definitely not! And this book will tell you why. This fascinating book explores in depth how real journalism is made, what “fake news” is and, most importantly, how to spot the difference. It’s chock-full of practical advice, thought-provoking examples and tons of relevant information on subjects that range from bylines and credible sources to influencers and clickbait. It gives readers context they can use, such as how bias can creep into news reporting, why celebrity posts may not be truthful and why they should be suspicious of anything that makes them feel supersmart. Young people get most of their information online. This must-read guide helps them decide which information they can trust — and which they can’t. Author and journalist Joyce Grant is an expert on how young people interact with and think about online media. Never judgmental, and often hilarious, she encourages readers to approach what they find online with skepticism and helps them hone their critical thinking skills to make good choices about what to believe and share. Engaging text is broken into manageable chunks, with loads of Kathleen Marcotte’s playful illustrations on every spread to help explain tricky concepts. Two fake articles are deconstructed step by step using the information found in the book, and an additional article allows readers to test their skills. This comprehensive book has strong curriculum connections in language arts and social studies. Endmatter features a glossary, an author’s note, sources and an index.
56 pages, Hardcover
Published June 7, 2022
8 people are currently reading
120 people want to read
About the author
Joyce Grant
8 books21 followersJoyce Grant is a freelance journalist and professor at Humber College.
Her books:
* CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? How to Spot Fake News and Find the Facts (illus Kathleen Marcotte)
* SLIDING HOME and TAGGED OUT, fast-paced MG baseball novels
* GABBY picture book (illus Jan Dolby)
* GABBY: WONDER GIRL
* GABBY: DRAMA QUEEN
Joyce also publishes the internationally award-winning kid-friendly news website, TeachingKidsNews.com.
Her books:
* CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? How to Spot Fake News and Find the Facts (illus Kathleen Marcotte)
* SLIDING HOME and TAGGED OUT, fast-paced MG baseball novels
* GABBY picture book (illus Jan Dolby)
* GABBY: WONDER GIRL
* GABBY: DRAMA QUEEN
Joyce also publishes the internationally award-winning kid-friendly news website, TeachingKidsNews.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
February 17, 2022
Thank you, Kids Can Press, for the advance reading copy.
The book is a good guide to identify fake news from possibly the real ones.
I expect such books to be presented in a way it's easy to read keeping the target audience in mind. I find the writing or the information provided in the book to be a bit tedious to read.
I find the illustrations rather dull. I really wanted to like this book and would have love to gush about such books providing good information to the young readers. My reasons for not loving the book as much as I wanted to are just surface level I feel but it matters to me and to the audience I would recommend such books too.
I appreciate the parts which would actually help the readers make out which news to focus on amidst all the overloaded fake ones.
The book is a good guide to identify fake news from possibly the real ones.
I expect such books to be presented in a way it's easy to read keeping the target audience in mind. I find the writing or the information provided in the book to be a bit tedious to read.
I find the illustrations rather dull. I really wanted to like this book and would have love to gush about such books providing good information to the young readers. My reasons for not loving the book as much as I wanted to are just surface level I feel but it matters to me and to the audience I would recommend such books too.
I appreciate the parts which would actually help the readers make out which news to focus on amidst all the overloaded fake ones.
June 10, 2022
This resource is so desperately needed! This middle-grades chapter book is a clear, straightforward guide to evaluating media content and thinking critically about messages we get. It explains how various forms of news and media get made and what should be our standards for journalistic integrity. In kid-friendly language, it helps students understand why media might be false or manipulated and who might benefit.
The book is formatted well to make it as readable as possible for students. Text is broken up into manageable chunks and lots of illustrations and infographics are used to appeal to different learning types. There is a very encouraging, powerful message that kids can learn to be discerning consumers of information and can work to clean up the current quagmire of misinformation. This would be a fantastic (and arguably essential!) addition to school and classroom libraries.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!
The book is formatted well to make it as readable as possible for students. Text is broken up into manageable chunks and lots of illustrations and infographics are used to appeal to different learning types. There is a very encouraging, powerful message that kids can learn to be discerning consumers of information and can work to clean up the current quagmire of misinformation. This would be a fantastic (and arguably essential!) addition to school and classroom libraries.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!
June 10, 2022
What a fascinating book! It's stuffed full of important advice and information about negotiating social media and news outlets. What's true and what's false and what's slanted? The playful, colorful pictures bring the facts to life, making the facts accessible and making it an easy book to dip into at any point. Fun and informative! This review is based on an ARC.
December 5, 2021
Very welcome and thorough book for middle school aged audiences (at a guess) all about the subject of fake news, and how we can help ourselves become immune to clickbait and the like. (Probably) not endorsed by Donald Trump; its presence in your school library is going to be good news for many. Four and a half stars.
April 26, 2022
Can You Believe It?: How to Spot Fake New and Find the Facts is an incredible resource to educators, a benefit to parents, a fun, interesting, and timely text for young readers, and an all around delightful and thought-provoking book. I can't recommend it highly enough.
As a parent, Can You Believe It? offers my kids an accessible yet productively challenging way into thinking about the media we create and consume, things so ubiquitous in their lives that children are at an increased risk of taking them for granted or, worse, at face value. This book inspired in-depth discussions around the dinner table, providing concrete examples, nimble prose, and just the right approach to the encyclopedic content that, in the wrong hands, could be inaccessible or dry. Not so in this case. Grant has constructed an entertaining and informative book that parents and kids can dive into together and come out the other side better because of.
As an educator, I turned to this book to help me develop deeply necessary media literacy lessons for students who have never known a world without cell phones, social media, and the constant dopamine hit that rewards obsessive doom-scrolling. All day every day, students are exposed to content. From their teachers, lessons, peers, parents, influencers, newsfeeds - it's constant and intense and it's challenging to help them understand how to analyze information with an open yet critical mind. Again, Can You Believe It? provides fantastic way into this task. The chapters are logically planned, well-paced, engaging, and written in such a way that students want to engage, discuss, debate, and learn.
The illustrations - provided by the talented Kathleen Marcotte - are a perfect partner to Grant's straightforward yet exciting prose. Both are inviting but not self-consciously flashy. There's a sophisticated simplicity to the illustrations and the prose that I think most readers will agree is the perfect fit for such a book as this.
Educators: use this book in your classrooms and lessons. Parents: bring this book into your homes and get a necessary conversation started. Can You Believe It? is a singular example of the kind of timely book we need more of these day.
As a parent, Can You Believe It? offers my kids an accessible yet productively challenging way into thinking about the media we create and consume, things so ubiquitous in their lives that children are at an increased risk of taking them for granted or, worse, at face value. This book inspired in-depth discussions around the dinner table, providing concrete examples, nimble prose, and just the right approach to the encyclopedic content that, in the wrong hands, could be inaccessible or dry. Not so in this case. Grant has constructed an entertaining and informative book that parents and kids can dive into together and come out the other side better because of.
As an educator, I turned to this book to help me develop deeply necessary media literacy lessons for students who have never known a world without cell phones, social media, and the constant dopamine hit that rewards obsessive doom-scrolling. All day every day, students are exposed to content. From their teachers, lessons, peers, parents, influencers, newsfeeds - it's constant and intense and it's challenging to help them understand how to analyze information with an open yet critical mind. Again, Can You Believe It? provides fantastic way into this task. The chapters are logically planned, well-paced, engaging, and written in such a way that students want to engage, discuss, debate, and learn.
The illustrations - provided by the talented Kathleen Marcotte - are a perfect partner to Grant's straightforward yet exciting prose. Both are inviting but not self-consciously flashy. There's a sophisticated simplicity to the illustrations and the prose that I think most readers will agree is the perfect fit for such a book as this.
Educators: use this book in your classrooms and lessons. Parents: bring this book into your homes and get a necessary conversation started. Can You Believe It? is a singular example of the kind of timely book we need more of these day.
March 27, 2022
This book is about fake news and teaching media literacy. It tells readers about the process of real journalism, and the challenge of spotting fake news, all while teaching young people to decide what they trust as they begin or continue to interact with the online world around them. Despite being a picture book, I would actually recommend this book for older students or for teachers to read as a guided or read aloud text. There is a significant amount of text on each page which would be intimidating for young readers. That being said, the pictures and images are interesting and feature chat bubbles, web browsers and profiles as part of telling the story and giving information. I think this book would be great for teachers and families of children in the 8-14 age range. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this awesome book! As a grade 3 teacher, I look forward to purchasing a copy for my classroom library in the future!
June 10, 2022
In a world where we're inundated with content, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? challenges readers to dig deeper into what they see and hear while offering suggestions on how to uncover accurate and factual information and explaining the reasons people may put misinformation out into the world. The book breaks down this complex topic into chunks as chapters so it's easier for readers to understand and digest.
March 16, 2022
This book couldn’t be coming out at a better time. Parents and teachers will find it invaluable to help kids navigate and apply critical thinking skills to the news and social media. (And, like the author’s website TeachingKidsNews.com, it’s tied to curriculum -- so helpful!) The information is smart, interesting, fun and the illustrations are quirky and stylish. Highly recommend.
May 26, 2022
My 12 year old son enjoyed reading this book - it was well written and beautifully illustrated . A must read for kids today in their tech savvy world . I think this book is an excellent resource for educators and parents . It would promote discussion in both home and in school .
April 27, 2022
This is a very informative book in an important topic for kids today. This offers an approachable way to talk about the topic of fake news for young news consumers
February 17, 2026
Oikein hieno medialukutaito-opas alakouluikäiselle ja vähän vanhemmillekin. Eskarilaiselta vielä meni vähän yli.
June 9, 2022
Can You Believe It? How to Spot Fake News and Find the Facts is a children's book written by Joyce Grant and illustrated by Kathleen Marcotte. It is currently scheduled for release on June 7 2022. This book explores in depth how real journalism is made, what “fake news” is and, most importantly, how to spot the difference. It has practical advice, thought-provoking examples and tons of relevant information on subjects that range from bylines and credible sources to influencers and clickbait. It gives readers context they can use, such as how bias can creep into news reporting, why celebrity posts may not be truthful, and why they should be suspicious of anything that makes them feel super smart. This guide helps readers decide which information they can trust (and which they can't), encouraging readers to approach what they find online with skepticism and to hone their critical thinking skills. to make good choices about what to believe and share.
Can You Believe It? is a well written and organized book that would fit perfectly into a social studies or library curriculum at the elementary school level. This topic is something we covered when I worked in an elementary school library, in our unit about evaluating sources, and think it only becomes more important as the amount of time spent online continues to increase. I thought the text was simple to follow and understand, explained things well, and did not talk down to the readers. I thought that the text and fun illustrations came together well in a nice balance to keep engagement high. The text is broken down into reasonable chunks, and I found the breakdown of the news examples to be helpful and accessible. All of this combined with the valuable endmatter made this book a must have for school libraries, classrooms, and homeschool families.
Can You Believe It? is a well written and organized book that would fit perfectly into a social studies or library curriculum at the elementary school level. This topic is something we covered when I worked in an elementary school library, in our unit about evaluating sources, and think it only becomes more important as the amount of time spent online continues to increase. I thought the text was simple to follow and understand, explained things well, and did not talk down to the readers. I thought that the text and fun illustrations came together well in a nice balance to keep engagement high. The text is broken down into reasonable chunks, and I found the breakdown of the news examples to be helpful and accessible. All of this combined with the valuable endmatter made this book a must have for school libraries, classrooms, and homeschool families.
February 16, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to receive an arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
I have a 3rd and 1st grade homeschooler- this book was perfect for my 3rd grader and up. The concepts were a bit too difficult for my 1st to grasp just yet, but I still showed her some of the information. Really thought out and planned, short enough chapters to really communicate the importance of each- my son and I loved it. On top of discussing general internet safety with him- stranger danger, prohibited websites, I feel like In this day - false info is just as dangerous. Especially for naive, younger minds. Loved this book, will be purchasing for myself and for some other mamas!
I have a 3rd and 1st grade homeschooler- this book was perfect for my 3rd grader and up. The concepts were a bit too difficult for my 1st to grasp just yet, but I still showed her some of the information. Really thought out and planned, short enough chapters to really communicate the importance of each- my son and I loved it. On top of discussing general internet safety with him- stranger danger, prohibited websites, I feel like In this day - false info is just as dangerous. Especially for naive, younger minds. Loved this book, will be purchasing for myself and for some other mamas!
June 7, 2022
It's always a good time to teach kids (and-let's be honest-adults) how to spot fake news and think critically about the media they consume, but these days, it's more important than ever. In an age when media is thrown at us from all corners and so much of it is hyperbole, intentionally deceitful, or just downright incorrect, we need resources like this that teach us to look at media critically and question everything.
Easily digestible with lots of info packed on pages that are broken up with illustrations that are never cluttery, this is a much-needed resource for any library, classroom, and home.
Highly recommended.
Easily digestible with lots of info packed on pages that are broken up with illustrations that are never cluttery, this is a much-needed resource for any library, classroom, and home.
Highly recommended.
December 3, 2021
This engaging, well-researched, and beautifully illustrated book is a must-read in 2022! All librarians, teachers, and parents need this book on their bookshelves. As a journalism major in college, it warms my heart seeing this book out in the world. Kids need to know how to spot fake news and be discerning in today's clickbait-y, social media "likes"–fueled society. The illustrations are so funny, adorable, and informative. I can't wait for this book to come out in 2022!
Want to read
November 3, 2021Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
December 3, 2021
Great read and wonderfully drawn illustrations. This book contains some important lessons.
November 12, 2022
Solid information that is well presented love that it gives examples and practices
August 30, 2022
It’s difficult to filter out online misinformation. Whether it was political corruption in the United States or news about the COVID pandemic, I wondered several times in the past few years if the information I was reading was accurate. It’s one of the reasons I’m such a fan of Joyce Grant’s new middle-grade nonfiction book, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT: HOW TO SPOT FAKES NEWS AND FIND THE FACTS, which recently came out from Kids Can Press. Not only will readers learn a bit about why fake news is out there (such as gaining followers or as click bait to attract attention), but they’ll also learn to discern how it looks different from actual news (e.g. no photo credit or byline). With numerous examples and illustrations by Kathleen Marcotte, kids will get factual and practical information to help them determine if what they’re reading is accurate. The author is also a founder of the Teaching Kids News website, which offers kid-friendly news for young readers. This is SUCH a valuable resource to use in the classroom and would be a terrific addition to a middle-grade collection.
June 25, 2022
Fake news can be found everywhere and written by everyone, not only reporters like old times. They are usually astonishing and eye catching that piqued people's interest. But it is not good to make fake news, although some did it for money. From this book, I learned more about fake news, and how to make news in general. By reading the book, kids can start to exercise their writing skills, to make some news of their own, and maybe someday be a better news-bearer for the world.
July 17, 2022
Totally lives up to its title: "How to Spot Fake News". A good resource with lots of ideas for educators introducing digital citizenship to students, this book is best for kids who are already using social media and have their own phones/sources of internet news. It gave me lots of lesson ideas/updates.
August 28, 2022
*received for free from netgalley for honest review* important book for kids and adults alike. lots of helpful information!
September 10, 2022
Excellent primer on spotting fake news, reporting the news, identifying satire and clickbait, and the importance of developing critical thinking skills. Includes a good reminder that .org websites are no longer necessarily better than .com websites and that we should all be skeptical and trust our instincts if something feels “off” about a website.
July 31, 2022
Can You Believe It? gives tips on how to spot fake news on the internet. There are tons of fake new articles posted on the internet every day. Some are clickbait, some are satire, but many are complete lies. It’s important to be able to spot them so that lies aren’t spread. This book is a helpful guide for kids (and adults) on how to identify fake news to stop it from spreading.
I’ve been so excited about this book since I found out that my friend Joyce Grant was writing it! Now more than ever, it’s so important to be able to spot fake news articles. There are many lies on the internet and children have so much access to technology, the internet, and fake news. It’s important to teach children critical thinking so they can find reliable news sources.
There were many practical examples of determining if an article is from a reliable source. Joyce referenced a fun Canadian ad for the “house hippo,” which was a tiny hippo that could live in your house, eating peanut butter crumbs and sleeping in shoes. That ad was meant to teach children that not everything that you see on TV is true. The commercial was actually brought back recently in an updated version featuring technology. It was a believable commercial, but obviously we don’t have tiny house hippos hiding in our houses. I loved seeing these kinds of real ads analyzed in this book using the tips on how to spot fake news.
Can You Believe It? is a great resource for children!
Thank you Joyce Grant and Kids Can Press for sending me a copy of this book!
I’ve been so excited about this book since I found out that my friend Joyce Grant was writing it! Now more than ever, it’s so important to be able to spot fake news articles. There are many lies on the internet and children have so much access to technology, the internet, and fake news. It’s important to teach children critical thinking so they can find reliable news sources.
There were many practical examples of determining if an article is from a reliable source. Joyce referenced a fun Canadian ad for the “house hippo,” which was a tiny hippo that could live in your house, eating peanut butter crumbs and sleeping in shoes. That ad was meant to teach children that not everything that you see on TV is true. The commercial was actually brought back recently in an updated version featuring technology. It was a believable commercial, but obviously we don’t have tiny house hippos hiding in our houses. I loved seeing these kinds of real ads analyzed in this book using the tips on how to spot fake news.
Can You Believe It? is a great resource for children!
Thank you Joyce Grant and Kids Can Press for sending me a copy of this book!
July 5, 2022
Great information and not just for kids. Everyone would benefit from learning how to spot fake news and to stop sharing it.
June 18, 2022
If you are unfamiliar with Joyce Grant’s work, she is especially known for her incredible website Teaching Kids News. Established in 2010, Joyce Grant has been sharing child friendly information about the world’s headlines. Given the rise of fake news, it’s only natural that she would write a children’s book all about how to spot the fake stuff. Can You Believe it? How to Spot Fake News and Find the Facts is a non-fiction guide to thinking critically and weeding out the fake.
Although written for a middle grade audience, I learned so much about the little things to help sus out what is real and what is fake. Since we are spending so much more time online, especially using social media, it’s so important that we all learn to recognize when something is not telling us the full truth. Whether it’s biased or one sided or simply just clickbait, Joyce Grant takes readers through the critical thinking process in six different chapters. Each chapter focused on an element in the real news that helps readers identify the truth.
I really appreciate the emphasis on needing to dig deeper. So often things we find online are taken at their face value without researching the content. Joyce Grant ensures readers know what elements will immediately identify something as credible and what readers can look out for. When we find those elements that raise red flags, that prompts us to find out more, to make sure what we are reading can be verified and is written by an actual person.
Joyce Grant keeps the information short and sweet. Since it is non-fiction keeping the information concise ensures readers will read the book through to the end. It’s a fantastic resource for teachers, especially those teaching media literacy, to have child friendly information at their fingertips.
The illustrations by Kathleen Marcotte are fun and eye catching, filling the pages and holding the readers interest in the topic of news. She includes diverse illustrations ensuring all readers can feel included in the important message of the work.
Although written for a middle grade audience, I learned so much about the little things to help sus out what is real and what is fake. Since we are spending so much more time online, especially using social media, it’s so important that we all learn to recognize when something is not telling us the full truth. Whether it’s biased or one sided or simply just clickbait, Joyce Grant takes readers through the critical thinking process in six different chapters. Each chapter focused on an element in the real news that helps readers identify the truth.
I really appreciate the emphasis on needing to dig deeper. So often things we find online are taken at their face value without researching the content. Joyce Grant ensures readers know what elements will immediately identify something as credible and what readers can look out for. When we find those elements that raise red flags, that prompts us to find out more, to make sure what we are reading can be verified and is written by an actual person.
Joyce Grant keeps the information short and sweet. Since it is non-fiction keeping the information concise ensures readers will read the book through to the end. It’s a fantastic resource for teachers, especially those teaching media literacy, to have child friendly information at their fingertips.
The illustrations by Kathleen Marcotte are fun and eye catching, filling the pages and holding the readers interest in the topic of news. She includes diverse illustrations ensuring all readers can feel included in the important message of the work.
August 16, 2022
I thought this book was a fantastic way to introduce children to what is fake news, what is real news and how to spot the difference. It’s got a ton of information and would probably overwhelm many children. As a homeschool mom, I took one chapter at a time and went through the book together and that worked well for us.
August 8, 2022
I love this! A really in-depth review of media literacy for kids, which is something that they're going to have to think about all the time. I love that everything was put in terms and situations that kids might come across, and the little quizzes throughout to test the knowledge you had learned were great. I will be recommending it to kids and parents, as it's fantastic and vital.
February 8, 2023
Nonfiction picture book focusing on news and media literacy for young people. Strong suggestions, but definitely an introduction.
April 2, 2023
A fantastic introduction to information literacy, critical thinking, and how to evaluate stuff you come across. With illustrations and easy-to-understand, yet not-belittling writing, this can teach kids (and teens, and adults, let's be honest) some hallmarks to watch out for: buzzwords, how things might be written to elicit an emotional reaction, contradictions, lack of credibility.
I especially liked the section on things that aren't news, explaining both what they are (ads, sponsored content, opinion pieces, etc.) and what their purpose is.
Honestly, a fantastic and credible book.
I especially liked the section on things that aren't news, explaining both what they are (ads, sponsored content, opinion pieces, etc.) and what their purpose is.
Honestly, a fantastic and credible book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews