"Relatable themes of friendship, falling-out, trust and online safety are explored in this edge-of-your seat tech thriller centred on a sinister app."
Interest Age 11+ Reading Age 8+
Globally-acclaimed for her richly-imagined YA fantasy novels, EchoStar sees Melinda Salisbury present a whip-smart tech thriller for our times. Super-readable and dyslexia- friendly, it tackles prescient topics, such as the dark side of new technologies and online safety, alongside exploring the timeless themes of friendship dynamics and the loneliness of falling out.
From the outset, Ruby’s voice rings through in engagingly authentic style. She’s funny, she’s driven and, in her words, “I really did live for Drama”. On that subject, Ruby and her best friend Deva have been offered places to attend a prestigious performing arts camp. So far, so exciting, except both girls have been told they can only go if their grades improve.
When Deva starts bagging impressive marks in every subject, she reveals to Ruby that her success is all down to EchoStar, an all-seeing, all-hearing AI app that “analyses what it hears or sees and tells you what to say and write”. Although the app was “originally designed to help people in social situations”, Deva has figured out “you can use it for other stuff”, such as being a tool to get good grades.
Though Ruby promises to keep EchoStar a secret, she becomes desperate to get hold of it for herself. Cue a painful falling out when Deva finds out, and worse when Ruby realises there’s more to EchoStar than meets its all-seeing eye.
With a fine twist in the tale setting the stage for the next instalment of this three-book sequence, EchoStar is a suspenseful, timely thriller.
Ruby Brookes and her best friend Deva have won free places at the Ash Tree Foundation Performing Arts Camp over the summer, but only if their school grades seriously improve. So when Deva suddenly starts getting high marks in all their subjects, leaving Ruby behind, she is confused and jealous.
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Ruby Brookes and her best friend Deva have won free places at the Ash Tree Foundation Performing Arts Camp over the summer, but only if their school grades seriously improve. So when Deva suddenly starts getting high marks in all their subjects, leaving Ruby behind, she is confused and jealous.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed ECHOSTAR is always listening... and determined it is suitable for children aged 11-12 years old
ECHOSTAR is always listening... features in the following genres: Dyslexia Friendly Books for Interest age 11+, Recommendations, Dyslexia Friendly Books for Teens, Science Fiction, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Thrillers, Adventure Stories, Featured Books for 11+ readers
Paperback. £7.19, down from the £7.99 cover price. Temporarily Out Of Stock.
ECHOSTAR is always listening... was written by Melinda Salisbury and published by Barrington Stoke Ltd
ECHOSTAR is always listening... has 129 pages
£7.19, reduced from £7.99. Temporarily Out Of Stock.
