Stu Proudfoot

Loooool! Stu Proudfoot

Nadia's got a new phone and she won't put it down for anyone. Not even Hamid.

Delightfully illustrated in full colour, this subtle treetop romance is a light-hearted look at communication in the digital age, but in a woodland context. Filled with delicious wordplay around mobile phones and social media, this is a highly relatable tale for... well, pretty much anybody, really.

Mobile devices aren't just a distraction for cute little owls, of course. I wrote this story on my own smartphone on my journey into work. I once missed my stop because I was so preoccupied with it. I've also walked into pedestrians, many of whom were similarly absorbed. It's so annoying when people are glued to these tiny screens, not looking where they're going, isn't it? Well, this is the point of my story. Research suggests around half of us are so attached to our phones that we even use them on the toilet. I certainly spend an awful lot of time on my device (my phone, not my toilet). Too much time. It's become an extension of my very being.

On the surface, LOOOOOL! looks like a children's story, and it will appeal to the kids in your life because of Beth's endearing artwork. She is the 18-year-old student who has worked around her studies over the past year, painstakingly humouring such observations as "I think I've found an inconsistency in Hamid's toenails" or "wormy's missing his poop on page 30". While Beth's never done anything quite like this before, I think she has a great future, but you can make up your own mind about that. Either way, Nadia is a grown-up and her story is the perfect gift for those screen addicts in your life, young or old.

Not for the first time (but that's another story), Hand in Hand for Aid and Development will benefit from Nadia's escapades, receiving all profits arising from this venture. To find out more, and for the story behind the story, take a look at www.nadiaandhamid.com.

I am Nadia. You may well be Nadia. If not, you'll almost certainly know a Nadia. My story might be for them.