My Summer Reading Recommendations

Whelp– it’s definitely summer. For many of us that means a change in routine and, if we’re lucky, maybe some vacation time at some point. I have a stack of books I’m working my way through. So this week’s post is straight up book recommendations. Some are digital parenting rec’s and some are for fun.

But before we get into them, here are the latest Tech Headlines and some items Worth Flagging.

1. Last Tuesday Instagram rolled out an AI image generator that allowed users to generate images based on other people’s public accounts. People were not having it. The backlash was so fast, Meta pulled it down by Friday. More from NYT here.

2. University of Chicago Law School has become the first US law school to ban devices, including laptops, in classrooms. They are trying to prevent AI from undermining the socratic method and help students develop oral argument skills. More here.

3. Wired published a piece about how parents can use the Assistive Access setting on iPhones to essentially make them dumbphones. Its a solid idea but its not going to work for everybody. Wired story here. My response here.

1. Buy books locally instead of on Amazon (if you can)! All books mentioned below can be found on my bookshop.org pages: Essential Digital Parenting Book List and 2026 Favorites (so far) Book List. If you purchase there, it will benefit J. Anderson in Larchmont, NY.

*Note I receive an affiliate fee through a partnership with bookshop.org

2. Borrow books through Libby! Take out books from your library system and read them on your phone or kindle for free.

3. Listen to books on Libby or on Audible! I just found a discount for Audible– use this link for $5 off.

4. Last Call to learn about Routers. I know- so secy. The Smart TV’s & Routers Webinar is THIS Wednesday 7/22 at 8pm EST. This is for anyone with multiple kids and/or multiple devices. We’re going to sift through the options and figure out if a router solution is right for you. $30. Get your ticket here.

5. Gambling & Video Games Webinar is NEXT Wednesday 7/29 at 8pm EST. This is for the parents of Video Game Kids. Learn more about financial risk in games, what to look out for and what to do if your child is struggling. $30. Get your ticket here.

1. The Anxious Generation. By Jonathan Haidt. Duh. THE seminal book on digital parenting that raised the awareness and got more of us talk about this topic.

2. Parental Control. By Titania Jordan the CMO of Bark Technologies. She is a powerhouse in this field. Great advice in here.

3. ReWired. By Carl Marci, MD. Really compelling evidence about the effect of screens on brains.

4. Hold On To Your Kids. By Gordon Neufeld, PHD. and Gabor Mate, MD. This one really helped me think about the role and impact technology can and should play in kids lives v. the role of the family unit.

5. 14 Talks By Age 14. By Michelle Icard. For those of us with tweens, start these conversations now.

The Amazing Generation. By Jonathan Haidt and Catherine Price. Although in graphic novel form, the content is best suited to Middle Schoolers.

Girls. By Freya India. Really honest insight from a Gen Z on what it’s like growing up connected.

How To Raise A Healthy Gamer. By Anok Kanojia, MD, MPH. Great advice for creating balance.

10 Rules For Raising Kids In A High Tech World. By Jean M. Twenge, MD. This book has been recommended to me by several people in the digital parenting space.

These aren’t digital parenting related but as I look at them all together now, I can’t help but notice that they all have elements of modern social media & communication. Maybe that’s part of what I liked or maybe that’s just the world?

1. Yesteryear. By Caro Claire Burke. An Instagram Tradwife wakes up one day in the olden days and has to truly live as a settler.

2. None Of This Is True. By Lisa Jewell. Thriller about a disillusioned housewife and a podcaster.

3. Strangers. By Belle Burden. A memoir about the break up of a marriage, during COVID, where the wife didn’t see it coming. There was also quite a bit of social media controversy about the truthiness of the story–especially the financial aspects.

4. This Book Will Bury Me. By Ashley Winstead. A thriller about an online true crime sleuth.

5. Famesick. Lena Dunham. I’ve always loved Lena. This is a long memoir but so so good.