The Amazing Generation

The Amazing Generation by Jonathan Haidt and Catherine Price may be written for tweens, but it’s just as important for the adults around them. In fact, it works better when read together, as it becomes far more engaging when shared and discussed.

The book uses a mix of graphic storytelling and real-life examples to draw you in, and highlights important themes and issues of screen use, attention, and online influence. The apps children use every day are not neutral — they are designed to keep them engaged for as long as possible. Social media promises connection, yet often leads to the opposite.

One idea really stands out: we are quick to protect children in the real world, but far less aware of how exposed they are online.

The information is eye-opening; It makes you rethink everyday habits that seem harmless but are actually carefully shaped to hold attention.

This is not a book to hand over and walk away from. It should be read together, by parents and children, or used in classrooms to start honest discussions. The value of the book lies in the conversations it encourages, and those conversations feel necessary.

Here are a few selected quotes that I shared with my students to discuss and reflect on this topic.