SuitabookUnplugged
Steve Antony
- Reading
- Read the illustrations closely, pausing at the change from pixels to colour. Afterwards, invite the child to compare indoor and outdoor play, without turning the discussion into a fixed rule about screens.
- Themes
- Screen use and outdoor experience: Blip enjoys computer-based games and activities, then discovers comparable pleasures outdoors after a power cut. Both worlds are presented as enjoyable, while the outdoor world is associated with colour, friendship and fresh experiences. The story encourages balance rather than simply rejecting screens.
- Friendship and shared play: Outside, Blip meets a fawn, duck and rabbit and takes part in games and activities with them. The new friendships are portrayed positively through play and companionship, contrasting with Blip’s earlier extensive computer-based routine.
- Gender assumptions: Blip is described by the author as a girl, despite lacking stereotypical visual markers such as eyelashes, bows or dresses. The author challenges the assumption that a female character must look traditionally feminine, creating an opportunity to discuss how people assign gender from appearance; the book’s own complete treatment of this issue is unclear.
- Worth knowing
- Notice the visual contrast between Blip’s black-and-white computer world and the bright outdoors. Ask what each setting makes possible, and whether Blip’s feelings about either world change.