Book Review
A short overview of this book
The Fabulous Friend Machine by Nick Bland in an internet safety book that can be used to talk to kids about making online friends. It tells the story of a chicken who discovers how much fun it is to chat to people online. Eventually the chicken invites her fabuous new online friends over and discovers that they are wolves – not what she expected!
There are many opportunities for conversations with this book. You could talk about how the chicken neglected her real friends so she could spend more time with her online friends. You could talk about how people may not always be honest about who they are online. You could talk about your family rules for what information you can (and can’t) give out online. And more.
You can learn more on this page, about how to talk to kids about sex education.
Ideal Age
Ideal for children aged 4 to 8 years.
Buy this book
✅ Buy a copy of The Fabulous Friend Machine by Nick Bland from Amazon.
Video Transcription
A transcription in case you are more of a reader than a listener
Hey there! I’m Cath Hak, and welcome to Sex Ed Rescue. On my YouTube channel, I review tons of books that can help you talk to kids about all sorts of topics related to sex education and cyber safety. Today, I want to talk about a book called The Fabulous Friend Machine by Nick Bland.
This book is perfect for younger children – it’s a picture book that focuses on cyber safety. As kids grow older, being online can sometimes involve sexual content, so it’s important to teach them how to stay safe. The Fabulous Friend Machine helps you have conversations with kids about being cautious online. It teaches them that not everyone they meet online may be who they say they are. It’s a great opportunity to remind them that while online friendships can be fun, we should never forget about our real-life friends.
The story follows a little chicken who discovers a mobile phone in the barn. She starts chatting with lots of people and becomes so engrossed in her online conversations that she starts neglecting her real friends. She even puts herself in danger by not paying attention while crossing the road. Eventually, she invites her online friends over, only to find out they’re actually wolves who want to harm her. Luckily, her real friends come to the rescue and take away the friend machine.
This book is a fantastic tool to start conversations with kids about important topics. It’s never too early to talk to them about online safety, especially before they get their first phone. By discussing these issues early on, we can help them make better choices when they start using technology. And remember, as parents, it’s crucial that we lead by example. If we’re always on our devices during family time, our kids will think it’s okay to do the same. Let’s show them the behavior we want them to emulate.
I really enjoyed The Fabulous Friend Machine and there are plenty of other great books like this out there. You can borrow them from the library and have multiple conversations over time. It’s a great way to reinforce these important lessons. So give it a try!
I hope this review was helpful. Cheers!
