A story of a girl who says goodbye to the world of digital screens and says hello to the rest of the world.

A young girl attempts to get her family's attention in this picture-book from author/artist Matthew Cordell, only to find that everyone is too absorbed in their electronic devices to pay her any attention. She wanders out into the real world, where her "hellos" to various flora and fauna result in a wild, exultant horseback ride. Returning home, she presents little tokens to her family-members, wooing them out into the world as well...

I enjoyed hello! hello!, which pairs a minimal text with incredibly expressive artwork. Cordell, who won a Caldecott Medal earlier this year (2018) for his Wolf in the Snow, at first depicts his main character and her world with a limited color palette, utilizing subtler shades and lots of white space on the page. The colors get bolder and more profuse as the story progresses, until the two-page "Hello, World" spread presents an explosion of color and excitement. This change parallels the story in an effective way, highlighting how much we miss, when we stay glued to electronic devices, instead of looking at the natural world around us. This one would make a good companion piece to Patrick McDonnell's Tek: The Modern Cave Boy, which also features a story about the drawbacks of staying permanently connected to one's devices. Recommended to Matthew Cordell fans, and to anyone looking for children's stories about stepping away from electronic gadgets and getting out into nature. ( )

I found the concept of this book very fitting for our day and age. The little girl is trying to communicate with her family yet everyone is attached to their electronic devices. She ends up finding entertainment outside and using her imagination. I think the best part of the story is when she is able to convenience her family to do the same. The book could help children see what they are missing when they are sitting inside planing video games any chance they have free time. ( )

A reminder to sometimes put down our technological advances for some outside adventures. Discuss fun activities.

This book is a great reminder of the things we miss when we are busy on technology. This story shows a little girl named Lydia who is curious what she and her family are missing by staying in on their computers and phones so she goes outside and has an amazing adventure. She then returns home to take away all her parents technology and has them join her in the adventures outside.