The information silos of the digital world are challenged in the engaging, fact-filled Burst Your Bubble! by the duo behind the Gabby picture book series, author Joyce Grant, co-founder of TeachingKidsNews.com, and illustrator Jan Dolby. The algorithms that organize the Internet help users stay in their comfort zones, but Grant argues "that might not always be a good thing."
Dolby's illustrations of digital bubbles fill the pages with friendly figures akin to those of Chanel Miller or Charles Schulz, creating a welcoming atmosphere as Grant distills complicated ideas into easy-to-understand comparisons. "Algorithms are not 'good' or 'bad'--they're just tools" but "tools can be programmed, by humans, to do things you may not like." For example, choices that can at first seem harmless, like seeing posts about cats or dogs, can become more serious when "it's not only dogs or cats in your bubble but... only people who have the same skin color as you." Sidebars encourage readers to consider their echo chambers and lean into creative discomfort by expanding their bubbles. Grant's explanations of how "AI" and Google work to re-enforce bubbles are much needed, though more criticism could have been levied at the misinformation found in "artificial intelligence" and Google's biased algorithms.
Burst Your Bubble is a useful primer for young readers who want to learn more about the Internet and for librarians and teachers looking for a useful aid in the fight against digital misinformation. --Nicole Brinkley, bookseller and writer