Blitzers is the perfect book for modern, tech savvy kids who are charmed by social media influencers and must have the latest trends. I zoomed through it today, not wanting to put it down. With references to Tamagotchi and Pokémon GO type character battles, it’s a wonderfully current story older middle grade and teen readers will adore. Blitzers is an essential addition to Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 libraries.
Everyone at Danny’s school is desperate for a “Blitzer” – a small tech device (like a Tamagotchi) that contains a virtual creature. Instead of caring for their creatures, kids train them to fight. When two Blitzers come together, the screens magnetically join to create a battle arena. The creatures use their special moves to try to kill their opponents. There’s nothing nice or friendly about it – this is brutal combat.
It seems every kid except Danny has a Blitzer and it’s all they can talk about. He begs his mum for one but she just can’t afford it. Then, one day, his older brother comes home with one. It doesn’t seem quite right but Jay says it’s a factory reject – just a scratched screen or a faded hologram but it’s fine. Excited to meet his virtual creature, Danny discovers it’s not a killer robot or sharp-clawed crab like his friends’ – it’s a blue bear called “Chew Lip” who refuses to fight. He turns to on-line videos for help and is met with incredibly loud, angry influencers who tell him it’s all about dominance, combat, punishment and aggression. The more Danny listens to these influencers, the more aggressive he becomes.
Using unconventional methods, Chewy actually manages to start winning some on-line battles. However, when the school bully and daughter of the Head of Software at Blitzers sees his device, she mocks him. Danny makes a challenge he knows he can’t win and risks losing his Blitzer. A massive malfunction and some strange reactions from Chewy lead Danny to wonder just how real these virtual creatures are. Advanced AI and big-tech military partnerships reveal a reality that’s far more terrifying than the game.
Through an incredibly appealing story, Alastair Chisholm explores the thought-provoking themes of toxic masculinity, the power of influencers, addictive on-line games, and the ethics of tech companies. Readers will be challenged to think about what they personally believe and what they would do when faced with similar challenges. Is winning everything or is there still a place for caring in our world?
A huge thank you to Barrington Stoke for an early copy of this brilliant book that publishes on Thursday 14th August 2025.
Readers who enjoy Blitzers will also enjoy the YA tech thrillers by Melinda Salisbury, also published by Barrington Stoke.
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