Junior Book of the Month: Sammy Versus the Smartphone by Victoria Williamson

For our July Book of the Month competition, we have five copies of Sammy Versus the Smartphone, published by Tiny Tree Books, to be won! All you need to do to be in with a chance of winning is answer the question at the bottom of the page.

Entries close at 11.59pm on Friday 31 July. All entrants must reside in the UK and full terms and conditions apply.

Check out our competitions page to find more giveaways.

About Sammy Versus the Smartphone

When Sammy is gifted a smartphone for her 11th birthday, it feels like a rite of passage – everyone is getting one for the big move up to high school! But Sammy's new phone comes with the added extra of a digital AI companion version of herself. Well, herself if she were poised, perfect, and as girly as can be – not exactly an accurate mirror of Sammy, the fun-loving star footballer. This new companion, Hollis, gets to work on influencing the whole family, drawing them further and further into the digital world of screens, socials, likes and comments, and further away from reality – and each other. Even as Sammy holds the best intentions and believes she understands the dangers of relying on a picture perfect, streamlined online world, we watch her begin to slowly lose herself in the noise; adapting her eating habits, her style, and her relationships to fit in. Is technology that claims to make things easier for her actually making everything much harder to come back from?

This is a timely new middle-grade novel from acclaimed Scottish author Victoria Williamson. Sammy vs the Smartphone captures the reality of home and school life in a digital landscape that is ever-changing for young people, with an incisive and empathetic accuracy. This could make for a powerful paired reading experience for parents and teachers, as well as young people.

Though dealt with in an age-appropriate manner, there are content warnings for: disordered eating, online grooming, and bullying.