Book Review: I Lost My Mobile at the Mall by Wendy Harmer

I Lost My Mobile at the Mall
by Wendy Harmer
Non-series

Kane Miller
ISBN-10: 1-935279-97-1
ISBN-13: 978-1-935279-97-6
Publication Date: March, 2011
List Price: $16.99

Review: Can any of you imagine your life without a cell phone? Without the texts, emails, calls, Facebooks, Twitters? This is basically what our generation depends on. I can't imagine my life without a cell phone. Well, this is what Elly Pickering has to go through for two whole weeks in I Lost My Mobile at the Mall by Wendy Harmer. That's TWO WEEKS without a cell phone.

The story takes place in modern-day Australia. Elly Pickering is a sophomore at Old Castle High School, and her life revolves around FacePlace, (what would be Facebook in America), texts, calls, and emails…that and her dream surfie boyfriend, Will. Elly and Will have been going out for ten months, and Elly stresses over the fact that Will never tells her that he loves her. Elly's best friend, Bianca, is buried in her own boyfriend, Jai, and never treats Elly the way she should. Elly's true friend, Carmelita moved a year earlier, and thus leaving Elly stuck with blonde-hair, blue-eyed Bianca. But Elly finds her life turning upside down when she loses her entire handbag at the mall, which contains her friendship ring that Will gave her, and her precious mobile. When Elly's parents find that Elly has lost her mobile, she gets the lecture of The Days Before Mobiles Were Invented. But Elly doesn't see an end to her misery - in fact, everywhere she turns it only gets worse! Will Elly survive her technological breakdown? Only time, and posts on FacePlace will tell.

All in all, Wendy Harmer did a great job in I Lost My Mobile at the Mall. Not only does she sound exactly like a teenager herself but throughout the entire book I found myself laughing, crying, and agreeing to everything that Elly goes through. The misunderstandings of parents with teenagers' technology, the mishaps with best friends, and going for two weeks without your mobile! This book is so amazing that I found myself dreading the end of it. On the author's information on the back of the book, it says that this book is the first book that Wendy Harmer has written for teenagers. I hope it won't be her last! One thing that attracted me to the book was the word "mobile". I knew it was the practical way of saying "cell", but I didn't know who used that word! When I learned that the book took place in Australia, then I knew, and as a result I really wanted to read it because everything about Australia is something that just catches my attention. I hope that Wendy Harmer wins an award for her book, because I certainly think she deserves it. This book is so interesting…so different. I have never really read a book before that connects with a teenage girls' mind and life so well. I felt as if some of the experiences that I have faced were in the book as well. I finished this book in a matter of three days…that is how much I loved it. I don't think any other rating of stars or reviews could cover my feelings for this book. As a young readers request, I ask Wendy Harmer to please…WRITE ANOTHER BOOK FOR TEENAGERS!

Review written by Amber (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Kane Miller for providing a copy of I Lost My Mobile at the Mall for this review.

Have you read I Lost My Mobile at the Mall? How would you rate it?