Book Review: It’s Up to U! by Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA)
https://petaa.edu.au/w/Blog/Latest_blog/up_to.aspx
Book of the month: August 2022
It’s Up to U!, by Jeremy Kalbstein and Leigh Brown
Empowering Resources, 2020
Suitable for: middle and upper primary readers
Themes: Online safety, bullying, friendship, empathy, social media
Review by Karen Rogers
According to the eSafety Commissioner (eSafety, 2020) Australian children are now using at least three different social media platforms by the time they reach high school. Despite most of these platforms having age-based access requirements, social pressure to conform results in young children interacting on these sites well before they have the maturity to negotiate them.
It’s up to U! explores the issue of online safety and bullying in a clear but age-appropriate manner. Jeremy Kalbstein has used the letters of the alphabet to create endearing characters that reflect the social context often faced by primary school students. The protagonist ‘I’ is a quiet, reserved character who enjoys playing with others some of the time but is mostly happy being alone. I’s peaceful existence is interrupted, however, when ‘N’ posts an embarrassing image of I online.
After a barrage of likes and hurtful comments directed towards them, I reluctantly heads back to school where they are confronted by “whispering and snickering” from their classmates. Finally, one friend ‘U’ bravely stands up online and suggests that N is being unkind and that they should remove the image. U’s unexpected bravery inspires others to unlike the image and stand up for I.
This book deals explicitly with an issue commonly encountered by young users of social media and clearly shows the impact on victims. In addition, it acts as a model for ways to stand up against those using online platforms to hurt others. It also demonstrates the importance of forgiveness and giving a second chance when others make a mistake.
While the text itself has an important and clear message, Leigh Brown’s illustrations are an equally powerful teaching tool. The body language, facial expressions and page layout provide an insight into the power relations, feelings and impacts of cyberbullying on all involved. Teachers could use these images as a prompt for dramatic role plays to support the building of empathy and understanding.
It’s up to U! is a valuable resource for both classroom teachers and parents that enables rich discussions about navigating the online world with kindness and with respect – for ourselves and for others.
Safer Internet Day with Mr David Southwick MP – 09 February 2021
The Shtick – 18 January 2021
Australian Jewish News – 11 September 2020
The Quick Six Interview with Jeremy Kalbstein on It’s Up to U!
Posted on by Just Write For Kids
Welcome to #TheQuickSixInterview with Jeremy Kalbstein!
It’s a pleasure to welcome debut picture book author, Jeremy Kalbstein, to our blog, to discuss his important, relevant and engaging new title on cyber safety, It’s Up to U! This book has a deeply meaningful message that captures the raw emotions of sadness and isolation, experienced by the fictional ‘I’ as a result of online bullying from ‘N’. With an uplifting and encouraging finale, children will understand that being kind and responsible on the internet, and making a positive difference to help others is ‘up to U!’
Thanks for joining us, Jeremy! ?
WHO wrote, illustrated and published this book?
The book was written by Jeremy Kalbstein.
Leigh Brown has been drawing for as long as she can remember. From multimedia, chapter books and educational illustration, the path has been varied and fascinating. Finally pitching up at children’s picture books where she is very happily settled.
Empowering Resources publish children’s picture books and junior novels that nurture, educate and empower children, with the goal of encouraging meaningful conversations in homes and in classrooms.
WHAT is it called and what is it about? What is your favourite part of this book?
The book is called, It’s Up to U! and is about encouraging young people to be upstanders and make the online experience a positive one for those around them.
The importance of being an upstander and being safe online have been emerging as points of focus for parents and educators in recent years and are even more relevant during the pandemic when children are required to be online more than ever before.
My favourite part of the book is how the colour of the main character, “I”, changes according to how “I” feels. I think this gives the character another layer of depth and encourages the reader to feel engaged and connected with “I”. I’m hoping this promotes a feeling of empathy in the reader so they can better understand the effects of the online bullying experienced by “I”.
WHEN is its release / launch date?
It’s Up to U! was released on 01 September 2020.
WHERE did the inspiration for this book come from?
As a child, I was a victim of school-yard bullying but in those days, we were taught to follow the idea of “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never harm me”. Of course, we now know that “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will always harm me” actually rings truer.
While bullying may take place via a different platform today, the consequences of this experience for a bullying victim can be just as profound, particularly with the 24/7 nature of the internet and social media.
I wrote this book with the hope of promoting open communication about this important topic and ultimately to build a global community of upstanders.
I wish that I had an upstander in my corner back in my school days.
WHY is this book meaningful to you and why would its message resonate with readers?
Essentially, I want to empower young people to be upstanders. Upstanders is a relatively new term meaning to stand up for a cause, or to speak up, or support, or intervene for others who are being attacked or bullied.
This book is meaningful to me because it is only as an adult and in retrospect, that I can fully appreciate the effect that bullying had on not only my school experience but my life as a child and an adult. I would like to turn my negative experiences into positive experiences for young people.
So, I hope that this book is a catalyst for improving the online experience for many children and their families and to inspire children to have the courage to stand up for others. We need to start early and develop good behaviours and habits. Our end game is for our children to be tech savvy and safe and to make good decisions and be independent.
HOW do you feel about the illustrations? Do they convey the feeling or mood you envisioned?
I absolutely love the illustrations. When I first came up with the idea for It’s Up to U!, I wasn’t sure that someone else would be able to capture the images I held in my head but Leigh has managed to do that and more. I appreciate and love what she has created. She is such an incredibly talented illustrator. With her wonderfully expressive illustrations she was able to make my dream become a reality.
I think the illustrations bring the characters to life making them relatable to readers.
How have you promoted this book and how can we find it?
It’s Up to U! has had some positive online reviews from some organisations such as the Anti-Defamation Commission and Impact for Women. I’ve just finished an interview with Josh Langley which I believe will be posted online on the weekend (29-30 August) and I’m booked for a couple more interviews following this one. Additionally, I have a YouTube Channel that I have just launched with eSafety Tips for Parents: https://www.youtube.com/c/JeremyKalbstein/playlists
2 thoughts on “The Quick Six Interview with Jeremy Kalbstein on It’s Up to U!”
Norah says: What an important topic. Jeremy seems to have found a good way of presenting it to children. I like the term ‘upstander’. We all need to be upstanders.- Just Write For Kids says: Thanks for your comment, Norah. Jeremy’s book certainly raises an awareness to younger children.
Norah says: What an important topic. Jeremy seems to have found a good way of presenting it to children. I like the term ‘upstander’. We all need to be upstanders.
Just Write For Kids says: Thanks for your comment, Norah. Jeremy’s book certainly raises an awareness to younger children.Josh Langley Gets To Know
Oakleigh Grammar – 29 July 2020
Oakleigh Grammar News – 27 July 2020
I would do art with A and play on the monkey bars with M. But most of the time, I would play alone. One night, N posted an embarrassing image online. I logged out and went to bed not feeling so happy.
I was a happy letter.
Sometimes things happen online that are difficult for young people to cope with.
It’s Up to U! encourages young people to be upstanders and make the online experience a positive one for those around them.
This is the synopsis for our E-Learning Coordinator, Jeremy Kalbstein’s latest book which speak about online safety, the effects of cyberbullying and the merit of being an upstander.
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Kathy Kaplan OAM – Impact for Women – 24 July 2020
Regardless of what screen-time rules existed in your home prior to COVID19, life’s reality has changed. Parents are now not only allowing but are being required to allow children to be on their screens even more than before for educational purposes and for social interaction and engagement.
But that comes with increased risks including cyberbullying.
Just as we teach our children to cross a street safely or what to do in case of a fire or to put on a seatbelt in a car, we also have to teach our children appropriate ways to be online.
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