New Book "The Amazing Generation" Encourages Kids to Break Up with Their Smartphones

Published: May 20, 2025

By Ingrid Vasquez, Digital News Writer at PEOPLE

A year after examining the effect of smartphones on teen mental health" in "The Anxious Generation", NYU social psychologist Jonathan Haidt is back with a new companion book, "The Amazing Generation".

Haidt teams up with Catherine Price", author of "How to Break Up with Your Phone", to offer a "handbook for living a happy and exciting life that isn't hijacked by a smartphone". The book aims to empower kids and early teens with the tools they need to "stand up for themselves by choosing a life not dominated by screens".

The graphic novel, aimed at children in grades 5th to 8th, offers "interactive challenges, secrets that tech leaders don't want kids to know and real-life anecdotes from young adults who regret getting smartphones at a young age and want to help the next generation avoid making the same mistakes".

Beyond educating tweens about smartphones, the book also promises to guide them to becoming their "most authentic, confident and adventurous self".

In a statement, Catherine Price said she was "absolutely thrilled" to team up with Haidt to bring the message that "the best parts of life don't happen on a screen".

For Haidt, joining forces was something he did not have to think twice about. "When I wrote The Anxious Generation I was trying to reach parents, legislators and other adults who could start changing norms and laws quickly. I did not try to speak to young people," he said in a statement. "Catherine Price does that so much better than me, and I'm thrilled to be her partner in creating The Amazing Generation."

The Amazing Generation" arrives on bookshelves on Tuesday, Dec. 30 and is available for preorder now, wherever books are sold.

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