There are a great selection of books for teens these days. And those people out there writing them know that not all teenagers want to sit down and read a book from cover to cover, especially after a long day at school. You might be surprised to find many of these books filled with pictures, thought-provokers and space to write or draw. You’ll probably be intrigued and find yourself enjoying the content as much as they do. Which is great in our opinion – hopefully it’ll lead to some excellent family chats!
Whether your teen is a reluctant reader or an avid bookworm, you’ll find a title here to engage them.
DIGITAL BALANCE
Survive The Modern World: How To Be Online and Also Be Happy
Issy Beech
An almost-pocket-sized handy guide to approaching life in a digitally-balanced way, this book will help your online experiences be more rewarding and productive. This book may look small, but it is jam-packed with handy tips, activities to try, and practical suggestions to make your relationship with the online world a happier one.
Reading the first page of chapter one gave me a good giggle. It was like reading my own first experiences with the internet. Making websites covered with sparkly wallpapers and filled with photos of celebrities. Anyone else remember ICQ, MSN Messenger and MySpace? How things have changed in a couple of decades!
The information and advice contained will make any teen or adult reconsider the ways they interact with the internet. You’ll find yourself setting boundaries with your devices, engaging online consciously, and living a happier, more balanced life.
Discussion Starters:
This book is full of them! In fact, they stand out with their full page layouts, so it’s quick and easy to flick to a page and find one. Why not turn to one at the next family meal and talk about it all together?!
Life Mode On: How to feel less stressed, more present and back in control when using technology
Dr Joanne Orlando
Haven’t we all found ourselves getting distracted by a pinging phone, or getting caught in the trap of a TV series binge, or even falling prey to the mindless scroll? No matter how in control of your technology use you are, I’d bet you’d like a strategy or two to help you feel even more in control. This bright coloured book is laid out in digestible chunks. Along with practical strategies for keeping your technology use in check, it will also define some tech terms (and perhaps even introduce you to some new ones!)
Discussion Starters:
As you flick through the book, you’ll come across red coloured pages. At the end of each chapter, these red pages have a “Take Action” theme with practical strategies for you to implement. But throughout the chapters, these red pages are filled with terms, quotes and ideas that can be used as great discussion starters amongst families and friends.
CONSENT
Welcome to Consent: How to say no, when to say yes, and everything in between
Yumi Stynes & Dr Melissa Kang
With teen-friendly language and bite size sections, your teen will find this book’s approach to consent relatable and practical. Yumi Stynes and Dr Melissa Kang are not only award-winning authors but also well-respected professionals. Their candid and amusing style covers consent thoroughly, including online consent – as we know, the internet and social media open up a whole extra level of consent, privacy, stranger danger and risks!
Discussion Starters:
The sections “Consent Challenges and Your Friends” and “Consent Challenges and Adults” provide a variety of examples of real-life scenarios where young adults may feel uncomfortable. Not only do they provide examples of situations, but they suggest ways to react appropriately, empowering young people with the confidence to speak up for themselves. You might use some of the example scenarios in these sections to open up discussion with your teens, perhaps talking about other appropriate actions to take, or giving examples of your past experiences and the way you stood up for yourself and others.
Can We Talk About Consent? A book about freedom, choices and agreement
Justin Hancock
This brightly coloured book is filled with cute illustrations, making a delicate topic easier to digest. Starting with you and the importance of agency, the book develops to cover consensual greetings, consent in groups, consent around drugs and alcohol, non-verbal communication, and sexual consent. An excellent handbook, for teens and young adults, it is filled with practical advice, including, how to ask for consent, how to say no, how to communicate effectively, and how to empower others through consent.
Discussion Starters:
– How might consent vary between different people?
– Why is it important to respect a person’s decision when they say no?
– How can you say no in an uncomfortable situation?
– What if you change your mind?
– How can you make sure everyone is consenting when you are out in a group?
– What can you do if something non-consensual happens?
DIGITAL WELLBEING
Your Head is a Houseboat: A chaotic guide to mental clarity
Campbell Walker
This humorous self-help book for teens is overflowing with hilarious graphics by illustration sensation, Struthless. These days, our minds are flooded with information from both the offline and online worlds. It can be a lot for our brains and bodies to handle, often leading to strain on our emotional wellbeing. This book takes the overwhelm and provides a practical journal to support young people to understand their own brain functions and mental health, with the complex terminology taken out and a few funny metaphors thrown in.
Discussion Starters:
Each chapter finishes with a list of questions, and encouragement to use these as a basis for journalling. Take some of these questions and statements and use them as the basis for a family chat. Note: you’ll need to read the chapter yourself, or else the metaphors your teen uses might be more confusing than insightful!
Have you or your teens read some of these books? We’d love to hear from you if you have, or if you know of another excellent book we should add to the list!
Looking for more resources to kick start conversations and learnings in your school or home? Our Family Workshops are accessible from the comfort of your home. And for educators, our Curriculum Portal makes cyber safety teaching simple.
Author: Jaclyn Tasker | Strategic Content Creator, Cyber Safety Project
