I really loved Every Last Word, which dealt with the world of poetry, so I was really excited to see how Tamara Ireland Stone would handle the world of technology and apps. As this is a middle grade novel, I thought the author did a great job using the world of app development and the technology required in a way that felt realistic but without getting too detailed to overwhelm the reader. It was really great to see a middle grade book with a female character focused on coding and friendships. The writing was beautiful in a way I’ve come to expect for Tamara Ireland Stone and, while it was a short, quick read it still had a good message.

Allie was a young character, only twelve years old, so I thought it was understandable that she could be a little selfish and immature. She got caught up in the hype surrounding the app she designed and didn’t want to admit to her parents when there were glitches. Asking for help and taking responsibility for mistakes is a huge part of growing up and it was something Allie slowly did through the book.

I really liked the dynamics in the relationships Allie had with her friends, her parents, and her nemesis. The book was short so the turnaround between Allie and Nathan going from enemies to friends felt a little rushed and it would have been nice to see it fleshed out just a bit more, but overall it was really good.

I also liked the whole idea for the app. The scavenger hunt aspect of it sounded like a lot of fun and it’s always fun to find people you have something in common with and make new friends. The glitch in the app sounded like a legitimate problem that could easily happen, one that could end up being an app-killer if not solved. It also led to some good questions being raised about privacy on the internet and could create some good discussions.

Allie designs an app at code camp to help people find friends. It sounds great and everyone is excited about it. But does liking the same kind of cookie, or vacation spot really mean you should be friends? This book looks at friendship and brings up questions that students will really relate to. I like the use of profile pictures in the book and I think kids will too. I will definitely recommend this book in my 4th grade classroom.

This was a cute read. I like that it doesn't push the whole girl coders thing, it's just part of the story and who Anna is. Obviously it's a big part of the story, but it's not forced. It's very natural, and that's a rarity. It's also a totally age appropriate book. The 12 year olds act like 12 year olds and that's refreshing too.

Allie's first few nervous days at summer Code Camp inspire her to create an app to help new friends "click". Her app is selected for a competition, but in an attempt to share it with her friends and fellow students, things go awry. Privacy issues arise, but Allie is swept up in the excitement of the app and she struggles.

Some aspects of Click'd were a little too predictable. However, strengths of the novel are the inclusion of realistic coding aspects and strong, intelligent female (and male) characters. The novel's content is so current, the novel is sure to be a hit.

The inclusion of a couple coding activities (and where to find more) is a great touch, as many young readers are sure to be inspired by Click'd.

3.5/5 stars - Strong middle-grade novel.

Based off the premise alone, this book was very close to home for me, so from day one, I knew I had to read it and that I would be pretty critical of it, especially in terms of accuracy. Despite that, Click'd ended up both surprising and impressing me. I didn't know that Stone had it in her, but I respected her other novels and now I respect this one.

Click'd is about a promising young female coder who has to go through the growing pains of the development cycle, from the crushing lows of not knowing where a problem is to the soaring highs of figuring it out. I felt Allie's enthusiasm for code, and I loved her support network. I empathized with her fears and rooted for her all the way. Really, what this novel is about more than anything else is the magic that is computer science. The portrayal of the struggles and the joys made the book for me, and what sealed the deal was how Stone managed to leave a good taste in my mouth with the ending but still stayed true to her story.

It's fun, it's a bit fluffy, and it'd be a fantastic story to get middle school girls into coding. The growing relationship between Allie and Nathan was fun to follow, and it was great to see them work together despite continuing to be rivals. Click'd places a big emphasis on the good that technology can do, and I was inspired thinking about all the good that this generation can and will do for the world.

And while I enjoyed Allie's character and thought she was a great narrator, it was actually Nathan who turned out to be my favorite. I couldn't imagine being friends with Allie, but I could imagine Nathan, and he really endeared himself to me with his drive and skills as well as his weaknesses. Every character had just the right amount of depth for this story. On a similar note, I loved that Stone focused on strong, intelligent kids (who are still very much kids), the kind of kids who truly do exist, and didn't downplay their smarts or abilities. The challenges they faced were spot-on, and the plot was woven together excellently.

In terms of the writing, I ended up liking Stone's middle-grade writing style significantly. The social structure outside the main character relationships was a bit simplistic, too let's all-eat-cake-and-be-happy-because-the-world-is-full-of-sunshine-and-love, but otherwise, it was perfect. I would definitely be open to seeing more of this style from her.

However, the book wasn't without its faults. I did like Allie and Nathan's friendship, but it didn't start out that way at all. Allie had this passionate dislike of Nathan, and Nathan was just as bad to her. Then a few minor things happened and suddenly they became best buddies. I thought the turnaround was great, but it needed more time and development.

Another segment of the story that could've stood up to more editing was the beginning, which started out like a success story for Girls Who Code. Don't get me wrong--those are fun and inspiring, but they're irritating in novel form. When I read, I don't want to feel like the author is selling something. There's a time and place for that, but that time isn't now and that place isn't literature. Fortunately, that faded with time.

On that note, I really hope that the end of the book includes a link other than Code.org. Code.org is brilliant at certain things and not-so-brilliant at others. The fact remains that there will inevitably be high school girls and adult women who read this book, and when they do, they should have a resource a bit more grown-up than painfully slow block coding to get started with code. It's a solid introduction, but it's not generally engaging to older audiences, especially those that pick it quickly. It's for this very reason that my Computer Science Club is redesigning the way we run the annual Computer Science Education Week activities for the high school level in our district. We previously used Code.org's Hour of Code at all levels and made this decision after numerous visits to local middle schools to bring students through different kinds of coding workshops. Other link I would think about including are codecademy.com, Scratch, Kodu Game Lab, and more specialized resources for girls like Girls Who Code, Engineer Girl, and NCWIT. The graphic below has some more great resources for learning more about code from she++'s #include initiative pdf. I'm also a fan of student-run sites like CoderGirls and STEMpower Girls and story-based sites like ReigningIt.

Overall, I will be recommending Click'd. Maybe not to everyone because even though I liked the writing, it felt somewhat childish to me as a whole. I would be more hesitant to hand this to a high-schooler or adult (granted, that does depend on reader situation). But it is a phenomenal middle-grade novel, and I'm excited to see books moving in this direction and reflecting the changes in tech. 3.5 stars.

I really enjoyed this book. I think it teaches so many great lessons. I hope kids realize the importance of finding friendships in a variety of ways. I also liked that it subtly teaches the importance of appropriate pictures and content on phones. You never know who can see it. And once someone sees it they just need to screenshot and share. Great concept to learn in a good book.

I'm not familiar with coding, but this book was a hit! Can't wait to pass this little gem down!

This detailed description of coding was what I was looking for in When Dimple Met Rishi. Plus, you get a classic middle-grade story of what can go wrong when something secret gets out. Allie Navarro spent her Summer at a computer coding camp for girls. She made good friends and learned a lot more about coding. Enough, in fact, to create an app (Click'd) designed to help kids make friends by finding their common interests and matching them up to each other. At the end of camp, she is invited to participate in a youth coding competition against her sometimes friend/ sometimes rival Nathan at her school. Allie releases the app to her friends at school, and it quickly gets so popular almost her entire school has downloaded it. There is a glitch that tests Allie's friendships and puts her in the position of making some hard choices. I'm a sucker for stoIries about real kids who make mistakes and learn from them.

I'll bet that this will inspire more boys and girls to learn to code and in fact, the book includes a project and link to more information at the end. I've already preordered a finished copy for our own library. Thumbs way up.

I read a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Sometimes the best intentions can lead to bad results. In Click'd Allie invents a game during her time in the Game for Good camp. . The game takes over her life as she progresses from development of the game to its premature implementation. It triggers unexpected results. Consequently, she learns several important lessons. This novel reflects accurately middle school life, and I enjoyed reading it. It will perhaps create discussions about the importance of thinking before acting, the influence of computer games on adolescents, the value of friendships, and perhaps even cyber bullying. I would recommend not just to young adults, but also to their parents.

Coding isn't an easy topic to write about, especially when the target readers are tweens. Tamara Ireland Stone manages to find the perfect balance in Click'd so that the details about coding are realistic but not overwhelming.

But Click'd isn't really about coding. It's about a smart girl, Allie, who's a computer whiz. Her motivation and dedication were inspiring. My heart broke for her when her app crashed, but she'd proven to be strong throughout the story and even her failure didn't break her. Instead, it made her question her motives, pick up the pieces and start from scratch, fixing not just the app but also her friendships.

Click'd was a fast-paced, fun, geeky read. Every middle-grader should read it for how empowering the story is.

Click'd was an interesting middle grade novel about coding and friendship. Allie makes several bad decisions, but redeems herself in the end. Her interactions with her classmates felt sincere, and I was glad that the author allowed her to learn from her mistakes without reward. I have read other books by Tamara Ireland Stone that I liked better, but it was a fun quick read.

CLICK’D by Tamara Ireland Stone is a charming and funny coming-of-age story about coding, friendship, and taking risks.

Allie is a middle school student who builds an app to help new friends connect during her summer away at an all girls coding camp. The app turns out to be a big hit and lands Allie a spot in a highly competitive coding competition.

When she returns to school she decides to share her app with her peers and it becomes an overnight sensation. Everything seems lined up to deliver Allie a win over her school rival, Nathan, until she discovers a glitch that could potentially share her users’ private information. Allie is about ready to fall apart when Nathan offers to team up with her to see if they can fix each other’s code before the competition.

Not only is Stone a fantastic writer, but she delivers a story with tremendous heart and a fantastic message. Winning isn’t always about getting first place. What really matters is taking a risk in spite of potential failure. If you fail—then you pick yourself up and you learn from those mistakes. Furthermore, don’t be afraid to ask for help and be open to working with others—you may even find a great friend and valuable ally in an unexpected place…

I absolutely adored this book. Cannot recommend it enough!

Excited about her summer at a coding camp for girls, 7th grader Allie meets with her close friends during lunch the first day of school and shares a game that she created. The girls think it's so cool, they want to share it with others right away, and soon, everyone is playing it. Allie is excited about the popularity of the game, because it might help her win a contest, but then, disaster strikes. Is winning the contest worth losing a friendship? Find out in this clever story about computer coding, friendship, and perseverance. This book would be an excellent choice for readers interested in computers, middle school, and the power of making positive choices.

Hi, Hyperion.
I was unable to read this copy on Adobe Digital Editions because it failed to download. I keep getting a little pop-up window with this message:
Error getting License. License Server Communication Problem: E_STREAM_ERROR

I would show you a screenshot if it was possible to upload images here. Maybe it has a bug?
Just thought to alert you.

I received an ARC ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

5 out of 5 shining stars.

My experience in software made me curious about CLICK'D. Thing is, I've read a bunch of novels where the technical aspects and the programming fall into the magical-coding category. This is a tricky topic to write about--too much detail becomes tedious, while not enough detail is confusing or cheesy. I'm glad to say CLICK'D managed to be realistic without inundating us with geeky details. Very well handled.

CLICK'D is a quick read that flows as smooth as olive oil on marble. It's fun, fun, fun--a must for middle grade novels. And it has heart, and a message for the young ones. In summary, a wonderful "geeky" story for non-geeks and geeks. ;)