This was a captivating comic book ! Aimed to please a kids audience, I found myself enjoying it very much !

We follow Erin, a kid who wants to be popular but ends up without any technology as she is punished by her parents. She then realizes that everyone is mind controlled by aliens through technology and now that she's free of that influence, she needs to team up with older people to save the earth from an alien invasion !

This was a lot of fun and I love the drawing style. Erin was super cute, and I would have loved to read such comics when I was younger (even though I still enjoyed it as an adult haha !)

Obviously there is the "technology is making you a slave to it" message and it exaggerates a lot this aspect, but this is a comic for kids, and if you want to convey a message, you have to go a little over the top. I don't think it will make any kid stop using their phones, but it's still nice to see this topic adressed in a book,, especially for the youngest. I definitely would recommend it to kids between 8 and 13 !

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of the Graphic Novel Unplugged and Unpopular from the publishers via Netgalley. It is a story of Erin Song who was banned from using any tech devices after and incident at school. Erin begins to really see things clearly than she ever did before and realises that all is not what it seems. I found the story is very apt in today's world of being totally online that you forget to smell the roses or see what is happening around you. This book is written for the tween market but I think everyone should whether they are an adult or a middle grader there is much discussion and thoughts to be had. I therefore am giving 4 stars

Unplugged and Unpopular by Mat Heagerty

Like most teenagers today, Erin Song is attached to her phone. She lives in the digital world, and she knows that it is the key to unlocking all the secrets of popularity at her school. This leads her to make the choice to agree to let the most popular girl in school, Wendy, cheat off her during a test.

The girls are caught, and things come crashing down hard for Erin Song.

Her parents are naturally furious, and Erin's punishments come in the form of a technology ban. She loses her phone, TV, internet, everything!

It is during her technology-ban that Erin starts to notice some weird aliens all around her. She screams and tells everyone what she is seeing. They brush her off as crazy and quickly return to watching the screens in front of them.

Help comes from an unlikely trio, Erin’s grandmother, whom she thought had died, and two strange librarians that had been forgotten about during the town’s technology-based heights.

The four of them head off to fight the aliens that are using technology to take over the human world. Will Erin, the librarians, and her grandmother be able to save the world? You need to check out Unplugged and Unpopular by Mat Heagerty to find out!

Like all things graphic novels, this book will appeal to many students. It is brightly colored, hilariously illustrated, and it is packed full of aliens. For a preteen, what is there not to love?

For an adult, I wasn't as in love with the story. I thought the storyline between a technology-addicted society and aliens was pretty far-fetched. The transition into the alien subplot was a bit abrupt and confusing at times. In my opinion, I think younger readers will totally miss the underlying message of technology within this story.

*I received a copy of this graphic novel via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

This was a cute story, and my daughter enjoyed it. The idea is that technology is brainwashing everyone so that they don't realize there is an alien invasion going on. The story is a little short, so there are some loopholes, which I'm sure kids won't notice. It was entertaining though and the characters are quirky.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun and entertaining fast read, which will be great for kids just getting into reading. The art style is cute and colourful and easily draws you further into the story. Grandma is by far my favourite character.

Whilst not marketed for my age range i can see this being a favourite for those it is. Whilst being a little silly this does have a couple of serious messages. We are all guilty of spending far too much time on our phones and using technology, that even us adults could do with spending time away from it all.

This review and rating is based on what i believe it deserves based on the target audience. Whilst adults may find this slightly over the top, i believe this is what will keep a child engaged throughout the story and it is there enjoyment that matters most.

I really loved the art style of this graphic novel. I think the underlying theme is very fitting in today’s society, it was a fun read but the plot felt a little rushed

My 11 yr old read this book and she loved it! She loved how the plot was something she could relate to and the illustrations were really good with great blending. The characters were uniquely drawn.

This wasn't the most amazing graphic novel in the world. I won't lie. The illustrations were adorable and the premise was sweet but you can still tell that it was aimed for kids.

It felt like everything happened far too quickly, the book being finished in over a hundred pages. There was no real explanation of how things had happened, just a little bit which still didn't give much away. I understand the need for mystery but it just sort of felt that it was lacking. Other than the protagonist, Erin, we didn't really get any details on any of the characters which, for me, just made the book feel a bit flat. It left nothing really to behold and was a little bit bland if I'm honest.

I'm sure at a younger age I'd have found this a little bit more enjoyable. With a little bit more work, however, this could be a thoroughly enjoyable.

I’m a little mixed on this book! All though I do like the message that electronics shouldn’t rule our lives I feel like it was a little over the top. Saying that my 12 year old enjoyed it and thought it was quite funny. So maybe it’s an adults perspective and a child’s perspective. I was upset when they acted like a Library was a place for old people but again that’s probably just my adult self being sensitive. My daughter enjoyed it me I thought it was okay so I guess let your kids decide!

Cute story, but a little heavy handed with the anti-technology aspect of it. I also don't think school life was portrayed very well.

It was nice to see a GN for younger readers that features female characters as leads but the idea that a library is a dusty place filled with old people who are out of touch is completely wrong and dangerous given that funding levels are always at risk. Libraries are vibrant places, providing vital services.
Also, people who were young adults in the 80's would be in their 60's now and really know how to use the internet and use smart phones. My 70 something year old father has been using computers since the late 60's.
I get the riff on The Matrix and it was a nice idea but some of the details need work.

What a cute, funny read! There's a growing market for graphic novels and I think this one will do very well; it has the right balance of humour and storyline to really get people interested. The art is lovely, all bright colours and soft edges, and each character is distinct enough even for me. All in all, a great read. I hope to see more like this.


Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.

Yes, yes, yes, we know, if you onlky have your face in your phone all the time you miss stuff.

In this slightly heavy handed story, Erin, and all her friends are always in front of some sort of electronic device, as are her parents.

But there are clues that there is something odd going on, while everyone is staring at their screens. For one thing, there is a photo of the family, with a young man in it, and yet her parents say she is an only child.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5266" src="https://g2comm.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/unplugged-unpoluplar.png" alt="" />
<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5265" src="https://g2comm.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/unplugged-upopulaur.png" alt="" />

And then, Erin has her electronic privileges taken away for a month, and she learns there is something odd going on in the non-digital world.

Aliens. Aliens are kidnapping people, and no one is noticing, until Erin does, because she is no longer watching a screen, and getting hypnotized by the aliens.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

A digital graphic comic.

It’s aimed at Tweens but it does seem a bit on the daft side at times.
However the concept is acceptable because we have this girl who so much wants to be liked and accepted. But, she gets herself into trouble at school.

The results of that is for her parents to remove all her devices.

That surely in this day and age would peeve any child off.

But she discovers a whole bunch of things since not being able to use her technology devices!

Fun, entertaining and I can see Tweens enjoying this.

This book has a lot of merit and teaching value. In an age where unplugging kids seem to be a growing a struggle, it's a good reflection of how much adults are also glued to screens. We have an information overload of dancing hamsters and self important YouTubers who go on about nothing. I really enjoyed this book and will be sharing it with my own children and other teachers. I will also recommend this book be added to our school library.

Colorful, vivid — a wonderful text to share with young readers (or just enjoy). The art is eye-catching, for sure. Yet another strong graphic novel offering from this publisher.

This was a fun little story about technology brainwashing humanity while aliens kidnapped humans right before their eyes. Our main character goes on a journey to rescue the abducted, along with some other unlikely heroes. It was a nice adventure story. I really enjoyed the colorful cartoon-like artwork. I feel like this would make a great live action cartoon! It was a little more juvenile than I expected, although it makes sense with the main character being young herself. It had a great message behind it as well that is really good for children to hear.

Pretty Basic

Our heroine is banished by her parents from using electronic devices, and when that happens she breaks free from an alien brainwashing plot, recognizes the aliens for what they are, and coordinates a rebellion with others who have avoided electronics and escaped the aliens' clutches.

We touch a lot of the expected bases. Our heroine, Erin, is not very popular. She's obsessed with cell phones and social media. She thinks old people are smelly and creepy. Erin ends up learning that popular isn't everything, she learns to be less reliant on media, and finds out that "geezers" are really cool, especially when it is they who repel the aliens.

So, the book is not exactly subtle. That's O.K., because you have to start your reading adventure somewhere. For me, though, the whole alien invasion angle never really registered. And, apart from a few amusing lines from Erin's Grandma and her elderly pals, there isn't much that's funny or surprising going on.

But that's just me, and, as I say, this is a tween starter sort of book. The drawing is crisp and bright, there's a lot of energy, and it has ambitions beyond being just silly. That may be enough.

(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

So, the premise of the graphic novel is good, pointing out our culture's obsession with cell phones and social media. This main character is a teen trying to fit in with the popular kids. When she gets into trouble and her parenting ban her from all electronic devices, an alien plot is revealed. The story has potential, but I didn't personally find it all that entertaining. Okay, but not one I'd likely pick up for kids in my life.

Thank you to Oni Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

There was a lot I liked about this graphic novel. I liked that technology obsession was highlighted and poked fun at. I liked that there were aliens who wanted our world that needed to be defeated. I like the video game-ish feel of the storyline. I liked the illustrations and the pacing of the story.

However, I was really not a fan of the way libraries and librarians were portrayed. It seemed inaccurate and stereotypical, and not joke-y. I thought similarly of the way "old people" were portrayed. I feel like the story could be told with different "humor" in regards to both the librarians and the "old people."
SPOILER:
Yes, they end up being redeemed in their efforts to save the world, but it doesn't really overcome the negatives of how they were portrayed earlier.

That being said, I think that those kids who devour graphic novels would devour this just the same.