Big Woo! My Not-So-Secret Teenage Blog
illustrations by
What’s inside...
Witness the hilarious, stunningly authentic and totally original blogsplosion that is serafina67's online account of her crazy teenage life. Emo-splurging daily in her blog for all to see, serafina's deliciously sarky voice and spot-on observations about her everyteen problems make her a character to remember... and get her in a whole load of trouble. Lolcakes. Rofl! This is the greatest book to have ever escaped from the internets. #omgiloveit; Little hands will eagerly touch to feel the various textures on every spread while listening to the gentle stories.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
1-4
Length
240 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What do you think Bluebell felt when she shared her personal thoughts on her blog? Have you ever shared your feelings in a similar way?
Bluebell faces many ups and downs in her teenage life. Can you relate to any of her experiences? How did you handle them?
Throughout the book, Bluebell learns a lot about friendship. What do you think makes a good friend?
How do you think keeping a blog like Bluebell's could help someone express themselves? Would you consider doing something similar?
In what ways do you think Bluebell changed from the beginning to the end of the book?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage open dialogue by being non-judgmental about your child’s responses, reflecting an understanding and supportive attitude.
Relate questions to your child's own experiences to make the conversation more personal and meaningful.
Highlight the importance of empathy by discussing the feelings and motivations of various characters in different situations.
Encourage your child to think critically by asking them what they would do differently if they were in Bluebell’s shoes.
Use the book’s themes to discuss broader life lessons, like the importance of honesty in friendship and the courage to be oneself.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: The importance of self-expression
Explanation: The protagonist, Serenity, uses her blog as an outlet to express her feelings and opinions. This honest form of self-expression is a central theme throughout the book.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to express themselves through creative outlets like writing, art, or digital media. Encouraging them to share their thoughts and feelings helps develop their communication skills and emotional intelligence.
Example Lesson: Understanding and managing emotions
Explanation: Serenity deals with various emotional challenges and learns to manage them, which is depicted through her blog entries and interactions with others.
Real-World Application: Children can be encouraged to recognize and talk about their emotions. This can help them develop better coping strategies for managing stress and adversity in their own lives.
Example Lesson: The value of friendship
Explanation: The book highlights the ups and downs of Serenity’s relationships, showing how true friends support each other through thick and thin.
Real-World Application: This lesson can teach children the importance of building and maintaining healthy relationships. Learning to be a good friend and resolving conflicts amicably are essential social skills.
Example Lesson: Respecting differences
Explanation: Serenity’s interactions with a diverse cast of characters teach her to appreciate and respect people’s differences, whether they relate to culture, personality, or personal choices.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to embrace diversity and approach differences with an open and respectful attitude. This is crucial in fostering an inclusive community at home or school.