PLEASE, LOOK UP AT ME

A girl preoccupied with texting and gaming learns to appreciate face-to-face fun.

According to Kate’s Mama, kids in her day played outdoors with each other rather than isolating themselves with their devices. Kate, a white girl with a black friend, ignores pals in real life in favor of her screen. And, while school might require devices, Mama feels it’s rude to be ignored at home: “I know you like to game, darling / but PLEASE, look up at me!” The girl has to admit that she felt shut out by her father’s texting during dinner and that she’s neglected playing with her dog. Kate comes to agree that “a device should always take / a back seat to a heart.” Mama’s view of the past might be rosy; in her day, the complaint was about TV screens, and rather than being necessarily isolating, social media can nurture some connections. Nevertheless, she has a good point to make about what’s lost when you ignore people (or pets) right in front of you, and she succeeds in conveying the charm of outdoor activities like building sand castles or catching fireflies. The lovely, softly colored watercolor illustrations help convey the humanistic message.

Not every point hits home, but this is a timely, encouraging message.