Book Review
A short overview of this book
The Tweeting Galah by Kim Maslin is a cyber safety book for kids about posting inappropriate content, cyberbullying, online stranger danger & too much screentime.
This Australian book tells 4 short stories about cyber safety: posting inappropriate content, cyberbullying, online stranger danger and too much screen time. What I really like about this book, is that as well as having an entertaining story that teaches a lesson, that the author has provided questions and even some online activities to do. The scenarios are a great inclusion as they help your child to think about other situations that are relevant.
A great book. The only downside is that it’s is only sold through Australian bookstores or it can be ordered online through the author’s website.
I love this book, and it is already helping me to have meaningful conversations with my own kids.
Kim also has some other books as well, The Surfing Penguin and The Little Possum who Looked Up.
Ideal Age
Ideal for children aged 8 to 12 years.
Buy this book
✅ Buy a copy of The Tweeting Galah by Kim Maslin from Amazon.
Video Transcription
A transcription in case you are more of a reader than a listener
Hey there! I’m Cath Hak from Sex Ed Rescue, and I wanted to chat with you about this awesome book called The Tweeting Galah by Kim Maslin. Kim is an Australian school teacher who knows all about cybersafety. This book is super Aussie, with Australian animals and a setting in the Australian wildlife.
Now, let me tell you why this book is so great. It’s specifically designed to help school teachers talk to their students about the curriculum, especially when it comes to being smart and savvy online. As a parent, I’m always on the lookout for resources that can help me have those important conversations with my kids about staying safe on the internet.
You know, part of sex education is addressing the fact that kids often stumble upon sexually explicit images and videos online. It’s a topic that comes up a lot, and this book tackles it head-on. I read it yesterday while I was at the pool, and I have to say, I was seriously impressed.
One cool thing about the book is the interactive element. There’s this thing called Zapper that you can download onto your phone. I’m not really into games or anything, but even I managed to download the app and use it without any instructions. You just hold it over the book, and the screen of your phone becomes like a text conversation. It’s witty and engaging, with quizzes and scenarios to test your child’s knowledge.
I haven’t read it with my eight and a half-year-old son yet, but I’m really looking forward to it. We’ll work our way through the book together. And here’s another thing I love about it: Kim, being a teacher herself, includes questions at the back of the book. So you can read the story, which is about being safe when using your phone, and then discuss the important rules and potential dangers with your child.
Let me give you a couple of examples from the book. There’s a story about a little bilby who gets into an embarrassing situation, and someone takes a video of it without his consent. Kim has some great questions that allow you to talk about consent and the consequences of sharing things online. It’s so important!
Then there’s this story about a clownfish who becomes friends with someone online, but it turns out to be a catfish. Kim provides questions that help you discuss the importance of verifying online identities and staying safe when meeting people in person.
Oh, and there’s a platypus who gets too consumed by his iPad and ends up failing a test. It’s a great way to talk about balancing screen time and setting boundaries.
As a parent, I find this book to be an incredible resource. It’s hard to know exactly what to talk about when it comes to cybersafety, especially with so many other parenting responsibilities. But books like this make it easier to cover all the important topics. Kim really covers everything you need to know in the early years.
While the book doesn’t explicitly address pornography or explicit images, it’s written to align with the curriculum. And I’m pretty sure there’s a section in there about finding inappropriate pictures and how to handle them. It’s a comprehensive guide that you can use to have conversations about other important topics too.
I’m seriously impressed with The Tweeting Galah, and I’ll definitely be adding it to my list of recommended resources for parents who want to learn more about talking to their kids about cybersafety. It’s a fantastic tool, trust me!
Alright, I better go check if that wine I ordered has arrived. It’s probably too late, but hey, worth a shot! Cheers and have a great day. I hope this helps you out. Bye!
