★★★★★ 4
Entertaining while teaching valuable lessons.
Format: Hardcover
Virtually Me
By Chad Morris
and Shelly Brown
This school year will be different than any they have ever experienced before. With a pandemic changing everything, a new VR school is how Bradley, Edelle, and Hunter will experience the upcoming school year.
Seeing this as a chance to reset their lives could make this the best year for some, while others see this as a significant setback to their entire existence.
Bradley decides to make his avatar everything he isn't. He hopes to make friends and escape the public perception of who he is. And taking on a new persona is just how he plans to do this.
Edelle is in VR school because her mother doesn't like who she has become. Popularity was Edelle's goal, which affected her in ways she hadn't even realized. All Edelle wants is to get back to the life she had. And she refuses to let anyone know who she is in this new school since her mom insists that her avatar not be fashion heavy.
Hunter has a secret and doesn't want anyone to know about it. Attending this school is the perfect way to keep everyone in the dark. Now he just has to make sure he is the star that he was before.
The virtual reality portion of the book is interesting as it provides a chance for the various characters to change something about themselves. I can't say whether this was a realistic portrayal as I'm not familiar with VR personally, but I liked how this was the catalyst that allowed the main characters to change. Before appearance was the driving factor in who was considered worthy of friendship or notice. This actually proved to be an equalizer in some respects.
I highly recommend this book to middle-grade readers. It is an eye-opening experience. It entertains while sharing an important message about accepting a person for who they are as a whole and not because of outward appearance, athletic abilities, or other skills. Everyone is more than they appear at first. In this age of social media, I think this book is a must-read. As someone who was judged on the clothes I wore and even bullied in school, I applaud the authors on a well-delivered message. Sometimes we need to get in someone else's head to truly understand how they see a situation.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2023
