Shona Innes (text), Irisz Agocs (illustrations), The Internet is Like a Puddle (A Big Hug Book), The Five Mile Press, January 2015, $14.95, 32pp., ISBN: 9781760064167
This book was written by Shona Innes, a clinical and forensic psychologist, and is part of the A Big Hug Book series, which deals with the emotive issues children face. The Internet is like a Puddle looks at how amazing the Internet is, but details the dangers that lurk with unsupervised Internet access. Using puddles as a metaphor, this book discusses how puddles may look shallow but possess hidden depth.
This is a great idea and well written but may be better suited to a different format aged at readers seven and over. However, if you want to start discussing the dangers of the Internet with preschoolers this book is ideal as it also looks at the problems of spending too much time online and relying on instinct if a child feels they are looking at something they shouldn’t be looking at. It also encourages them to discuss online concerns with their parents.
reviewed by Katie Poidomani