A vital bit of well-written information; I think every school – even the primary schools this is pitched at – needs a book about cyber threats. Note I said "a book" – here you would need to dip the hand in the pocket six times to get the set of small booklets, and I don't think that's the best approach for many. Here things are fine, if you prefer the bitty, self-interrupting nature of this text, with its many captions and bullet point factoids and box-outs. I don't, so this is three and a half stars, but it shows how important such content is going to be.

Cybersecurity and staying safe online are topics that are imperative for children to learn about. As they increasingly spend time online and are exposed to more sophisticated systems, it's important for them to be aware of targeted attacks that wish to do them harm in their digital spaces. In clear language, with short chapters and attached definitions, the text explains not only the "why" but also the "what" of phishing. showing young readers how it works and why it is dangerous. There's a good selection of phishing scenarios in here, some of which young readers may have encountered already in their digital lives. The suggestions for further reading in the back are very recent and accessible. I would have liked to see more examples throughout the book of phishing emails, texts and so forth for reference. There is one small diagram in here but I think the book could benefit from others to give readers a fuller scope of what phishing looks like across different platforms. I'm glad to see that this is part of a series and am curious to read about how other cyber threats are discussed.


The listed price point is steep for one volume, considering the overall book size. I can understand that librarians and educators would likely purchase the whole six book set, but even so, I do think that it could be lowered some. this is intended for an upper elementary audience, this can easily be used for teens and even adults, such as in an introductory computer course, and particularly for those who are not tech-savvy but want to learn more. I would use this, for example, with a group of seniors who are looking to expand their knowledge and understand how to protect themselves and their sensitive information, and to spot scams. I visited the publisher website and downloaded both the lesson plans and the quizzes, which were insightful and easily adaptable for classrooms and small groups.



Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, North Star Editions (Focus Readers) for this DRC in exchange for a fair and honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

These books are fine, but simply not for the cost that they get sold at. They definitely break stuff down simply, yet they are basically a quick article for $30. The focus questions are lack luster, and the glossary is certainly helpful, but maybe the concepts should be in the beginning before we dive immediately into a story about Google with no context. I found chapter one to be a weird start off before chapter 2. Fine, but nothing particularly insightful or special. The price point really dings it for me.

This is a very good nonfiction book on a current technological issue in cybersecurity. The book is written for elementary students, but the content is interesting and relevant enough that it would also make a good choice for a Hi-Lo reader for an English Language Learner or a striving reader who is older than elementary school age. I really enjoyed the wide spacing and larger print, and colorful pictures.

This edition has the most up-to-date information, making it a worthwhile investment for librarians and teachers looking to upgrade their non-fiction technology section.