Rebel Girls Level Up: 25 Tales of Gaming and the Metaverse Paperback – June 27, 2023

So much fun! And so many cool and different professions featured in the gaming world. Loved the artwork.

The book is calming.

First, a confession. I'm not into gaming other than idle moments with solitaire and such old-fashioned games now online. Not only were those showcased here unknown to me but so to was the background history shared. As a result, I was looking forward to learning something new. I did. I was impressed.Against an environment that maybe wasn't always hostile but wasn't welcoming to women, either, the women you'll meet here not only persevered but overcame obstacles. It's always difficult to pick just a few to highlight but one that stood out to me is known online as Mackenseize. She turned to gaming after an epilepsy diagnosis turned her world upside-down. Her future dreams shattered, she found herself turning to the Heartstone game community as a distraction. This ultimately lead her to create a streaming community as a safe place to open up about her disability. She soon discovered she wasn't alone and her stream thrived. Another, Marina Diez Pereire created a game called "Hey, Dad: A Brief Story of Mental Illness" in response to her own father's difficulties and her difficulty relating. In other words, it isn't all non-stop action.What I particularly admired about them all was that they worked from where the were, often building upon almost nothing. Each story opens with the dreams they had as a child and what ultimately lead them to a career focused on the gaming world,plus a portrait, quote, and info on where they are from. They come from all over. Sylvia Gathoni was in Kenya, hardly a place most would think of as a thriving game environment, when she first encountered Lara Croft in Tomb Raider. She's now an eSports player. Ever seen a virtual concert? You may have Cathy Hackl to thank. And...well, so much more, some of which is discussed in the blurb, so I won't go on at length.I'll simply say that once again Rebel Girls has hit it out of the park. They've also taken the unusual step for a group showcasing human skills of showing us some AI skills. Don't worry, they aren't switching to AI illustrations. They plan to continue with their worldwide host of talented artists. There's even a space for readers to create their own self-portrait and write down their own story included. The fun doesn't end there as they offer up a fun code based game (no computer required) and info on how to create your own character. I liked the suggestions that young gamers might benefit from talking to their elders, so to speak. It even offers up conversational ideas. Finally, there's an app icon readers can scan to take them to even more online.Bottom line, I recommend this book/series highly. The Rebel Girls group works "to raise the most inspired and confident generation of girls through content experiences, products, and community." It does so by amplifying real-life stories of women like these. Thanks #NetGalley and #RebelGirls for sharing more of your Rebel Girls community with me.

Another great book from Rebel Girls. We all know girls who game (or stream), yet the industry continues to be heavily male-dominated. Here are 25 vignettes about women in gaming, streaming, and the metaverse.Please buy for the young girls in your life that show interest - inspire them to create, to advocate, and to reimagine their digital world!

When I first saw this book I was thinking "hmm video games aren't really for me", but then I quickly realized I was forgetting about all the old school computer games I grew up with. As the editor mentions in the foreword I loved Roller Coaster Tycoon, the original Sims, minesweeper, and even The Oregon Trail. Not to mention the original video games I loved like Nintendo's Mario and Donkey Kong and the original Sega with Sonic.Those original games lead to so many new developments which this book highlights. Specifically this book points out all the rebel girls who played a role in game development!This book, like others in the Rebel Girls series features bold graphic illustrations and short one page biographies of various leaders in the gaming and tech industry. There were several woman who I had never heard of and many jobs I didn't even know existed! To create a game you need engineers, graphic designers and artists, writers to create storylines, directors, producers, and many more.This specific book features some unique art illustrations. Several of the images are 3D art as well as a variety of types of art. Some people look like a video game character, some are pixilated, some were created using AI (artificial intelligence). As with all of the Rebel Girls books, this was a wonderfully written book for kids to flip through. They can read it cover to cover, or pick out specific people to read about. It was really well done!

This is another one of those books I would have breezed past had it not been for the Rebel Girls imprint. I didn't grow up in the gaming generation, so the topic isn't something I would normally care about or be interested in, but since it was Rebel Girls, and since it was offered... I jumped at the chance to read. I'm so happy I did! What a delight!As with most Rebel Girls books, this one highlights women in the field - in this case, gaming and the metaverse. I learned about designers, streamers, CEOs, podcasters, players, and Esports (who knew!!). As usual, each meticulous bio was accompanied by a fantastic drawn/painted portrait - not just a stock photo, and the back of the book gave readers a chance to write their own stories, draw their own portraits, and try out some of the skills that the women in the book embody.I love that each Rebel Girls book gives young woman a new perspective, a new path to explore, and a new topic to delve into. I only wish this series had been around when I was growing up, or was available for my nieces. I have to settle for ensuring I have a complete set in my classrooms and that my students are inspired to become Rebel Girls.

This book is perfect book to incorporate to l for young girls to learn about the impact and role women have had in STEM. Gamer girls are usually looked down on, and it's taken some time for them to be considered a part of the gamer community. That can be a bit discouraging and books like this these are necessary for young girls to know they belong and they to can grow up to be a part of team and play a role in the future of this industry.The illustrations in this book are popping, absolutely love them.