In a kid-friendly adaptation of his best-selling book, The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt teams up with Catherine Price, author of How to Break Up With Your Phone, to bring the power of good information directly to the hands of those that this issue affects most directly — kids on the cusp of getting their own smartphones. The book presents information about the drawbacks of having a smartphone and social media too soon in clear and easy-to-understand language, with eye-catching graphics and pop-outs. Throughout the book, quotes from real teens and young adults, called screen "rebels" by the authors, emphasize the points the authors are trying to make. Fictional characters are featured throughout in a graphic novel story, which further emphasizes the point that life is much more exciting offline.
Kids and parents interested in the research behind the growing revolution trying to protect kids online will find much to love in this book. Haidt and Price did a fantastic job in making the book accessible for children without dumbing down the information all tech users, specifically users of social media, should be aware of. Readers will walk away with a sense of empowerment as they make choices in their own lives regarding technology. This would be a wonderful book for parents and children to read together, as it would help foster impactful and productive conversations.
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