The Fabulous Friend Machine

The Fabulous Friend Machine is a humorous and thoughtful picture book that explores the complexities of online friendships and digital safety. When Popcorn the chicken discovers a mysterious glowing object-what turns out to be a phone-she soon finds herself making lots of new friends. But not all is as it seems. Through colourful illustrations and a clever storyline, this book introduces young readers to the idea that not everyone online is who they appear to be. It's a relevant and important resource for early discussions about cyber safety, digital citizenship, and the difference between online and real-life relationships.

Educational Benefits:

• Introduces early concepts of cyber safety and responsible technology use.
• Supports social-emotional learning through themes of trust and friendship.
• Encourages critical thinking about online behaviour and digital identity.
• Strengthens comprehension and inference through humour and visual cues.

Classroom Ideas:

• Use as a starting point for digital citizenship lessons in lower primary.
• Compare and contrast real-life friends with online connections.
• Create posters highlighting safe and unsafe online behaviours.
• Role-play scenarios to explore peer pressure and decision-making online.

Information:

• Ages: 5 to 8 years
• Measurements: 24.5 cm x 24.5 cm