Follow Me

July 1, 2016

Gr 6 Up-Dillon writes about his life-from growing up with few friends and a speech impediment to discovering YouTube and working his way to becoming a social media star. The narrative rambles, covering everything from his family life to music. Each chapter ends with a challenge to readers, accompanied by a hashtag that fans can use to upload their responses. While teens might be interested in learning more about their favorite YouTuber, this memoir lacks structure. Dillon encourages readers to try things like running a marathon, although he himself has never run one. Other issues undermine the book's message. Dillon blithely dives into problematic topics but lacks depth, empathy, and diversity when discussing things like rebellious teens, haters, and body image; his writing comes across more like pretentious personal branding than honest dialogue. VERDICT If readers want to read about the lives of YouTubers, they should try Dan Howell and Phil Lester's The Amazing Book Is Not on Fire. If they are seeking inspiration, Esther Earl's This Star Won't Go Out and Josh Sundquist's We Should Hang Out Sometime are better alternatives.-Jessica Bratt, Grand Rapids Public Library, MI

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