The Anxious Generation
by Jonathan Haidt
What it is
Jonathan Haidt's argument that a phone-based childhood changed adolescence, and the four shared norms he proposes to change course.
Why it's on the list
I'm including The Anxious Generation because it sits right beside what ALMA keeps coming back to: screens, attention and evenings at home. Haidt argues that childhood moved from play to phones in the early 2010s and connects that shift to rising anxiety among teenagers. Some researchers question how strong that connection is, and it is worth reading with their doubts in mind. His proposals, among them later smartphones and more unsupervised play, are concrete enough to talk through as a family.
Popularity when chosen: #6 · Amazon Best Sellers, Parenting & Relationships (seen 12 October 2026). A sales ranking, not a review.
Chosen for 12–18 October 2026.
Edition linked: Hardcover, Penguin Press, 26 March 2024 · ISBN 9780593655030.
Who this book is for
Parents deciding when to give a first phone, teachers, and anyone who wants the case for phone-free childhoods laid out in one place, together with its debates.
Where to find it
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