Hello Life!

December 1, 2015
Grades 8-11 British YouTuber Butler brings his quirky, sometimes self-deprecating humor to this book, part self-help and part autobiography. Covering topics ranging from physical health, to Internet safety, to healthy relationships with friends and family, Butler speaks with both honesty and sincerity, often using his personal stories as a means to impart advice. There's lots of slang in here, too, so those unfamiliar with terms like life hack and all things social media may be a little baffled. It's filled with a multitude of photographs and plenty of selfies, and while this may seem excessive to some, those who follow the vlogger will enjoy the personal touches. Inspirational quotes in sidebars are scattered throughout and tend to be hit-or-miss, though since they're in a different font, it adds to the feeling of reading a friend's journal. At times, Butler's stories might be a little too much, but many teens will be drawn to the conversational tone and the memorable pieces of advice. Butler's fans are a natural draw, but newcomers might be pleasantly surprised as well.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)