Selfie (Allayne L Webster, Text)
Tully Sinclair is in eighth grade. She loves art, has a long-time best friend Kira and some complicated family issues to deal with. Dene Walker is a social media influencer and has been one since before she was even born (following in the footsteps of her mother, who documented her pregnancy online). When Dene starts at Tonsley High, Tully is amazed to find that Dene wants to be best friends with her. She tries her hardest to be the friend she believes Dene needs, even if that means thinking more with her heart than her head, and sometimes losing sight of who she is as Tully Sinclair—as well as of her friendships prior to meeting the influencer. With the realisation that being Dene’s friend is not all it seems comes heartache, compounded by revelations about her own family issues. Webster takes her readers on an authentic teenage journey in Selfie, their hearts breaking for and with Tully’s as she encounters various hurdles in life. I found myself relating to Tully and her desire to be worthy of friendship, and understanding the mistakes she made along the way. The excitement of wanting someone you hold in high regard to like you is universal. Young adults can learn a lot about miscommunications, as well as what is truly important in a friendship, from this contemporary story that understands the importance placed upon an online presence in today’s world.
Books+Publishing reviewer: Anneliese Gates is a writer and works in a primary school library. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.
