ages 4-8

This book is a big hit at my daughter's elementary school school, where the teachers, library staff, parents and the community have worked together to incorporate the Internet into the curriculum as a resource for teachers and children.

The author contrasts the themes of reality and virtual reality against a backdrop of the digital frontier of the Internet, and uses the techniques of traditional fables along the way. My only criticism is I think the publisher would have produced better art by using an artist who specializes in digital imaging techniques to produce illustrations that were less static. This is a story that could use more complex images, which better convey movement and better accompany the vivid imagery the writer uses.

I highly recommend the book, though. Particularly after seeing the teachers' and kids' reaction to it. The Web is a new frontier. And the space metaphors and the character of Evelyn, the astronaut who advances the plot (and seems to be based on Amelia Earhart), fit perfectly with the book's theme of moderation and the need for a healthy balance between things in the digital world and the "real" world. I think this is an important issue for parents raising kids today. Overall, this is an imaginative and memorable book for elementary kids of all ages.

I'm a children's literature professor and our students use this book to introduce students at elementary schools in Los Angeles to Internet concepts. The children love it. The conversations it stimulates are wonderful! The author cleverly uses many metaphors to address issues the Net is raising in society. Often children pick up on more of the metaphors than the adults who read it. I recommend this book to parents and educators who are looking for a good way to start interesting discussions among children about the Web.

I am a third grader in Houston. I'm not a computer geek but I'm realinterested in technology and know a lot about computers for a kid myage. I love to read as much as I like to play sports. I think theInternet is one of the greatest inventions of all time. It's sort of the Michael Jordan of inventions.

Willie & the WWW is an incredible book. I usually read chapter books. This picture book is extremely cool and kids in all the grades here read it. Mr. Geissen was invited to our school and spoke about his book. I'll always remember meeting him. Some famous authors come to our school. But a lot of their presentations are boring. And these authors are usually sort of stuck up. The digital presentation Mr. Geissen did was awesome. Our librarian told me he is younger than most of the authors who write kid's books. I think this is probably why he is more with it when it comes to knowing a lot about the Net, and he knows how to talk to kids. He's just a nice guy. He told us all that the attention he's gotten because he came up with idea for Willie & the WWW, the ideas for illustrations, and wrote it doesn't make him special or better than anyone else.

Mr. Geissen talked to my dad and me about computer technology and writing and answered all the questions I had. Mr. Geissen isn't a computer geek either. He has written about computer technology for a long time and knows a lot about it. He said he included the basketball parts in the book because he loves this sport and has played basketball and tennis almost all his life. He's the only author who has come out to our school who can dunk a basketball.

I think he should write a sequel to Willie. He told me he didn't plan to write a sequel. That he just wrote Willie & the WWW for his son. He has gotten a lot of emails from parents and teachers asking for sequels. He said he would probably come out with two more Willie books after he publishes a chapter book called "The Blue Leaf Sled". This is going to be an awesome book. He read part of it at our school. My Mom and Dad encouraged me to write this review to tell other kids about the Willie book. They think other kids and parents will like this book as much as I do. And my Mom and Dad also want a sequel.