Essential summer reading for educators, students, and families
Summer reading isn’t just for students! Without the usual classroom obligations, summer allows us to dive into our interests that we might not have time for during the school year. We did some digging of our own and came up with a summer reading list of impactful books to inspire educators, students, and families! But you don’t have to take our word for it, we went out and found real reviews from real people.
Books for Educators on Self-Care, and Leadership, and Student Insights
I Wish My Teacher Knew: How One Question Can Change Everything for Our Kids
Third-grade teacher Kyle Schwartz once asked her students to fill in the blank with the following sentence: “I wish my teacher knew__.” The answers changed her life and opened her eyes to how she viewed education and the support given to students. The book shares the responses of students and is a great guide for teachers on creating a supportive space for students. Interested in learning more about what students wish adults knew? Check out this white paper.
“Wonderful book! Information that teachers are aware of but written in an eye-opening, inspiring way! It’s a teacher and administrator MUST READ!”
– Erica, Online Review
Hacking Leadership: 10 Ways Great Leaders Inspire Learning That Teachers, Students, and Parents Love (Hack Learning Series)
Award-winning school administrators and authors, Joe Sanfelippo and Tony Sinanis share how to engage with learning by identifying and providing 10 problems and solutions they have personally seen in schools. Read this book to learn how to encourage educators to lead, empower students’ voices, and bring passion into your school community.
“As a school superintendent, I’m always looking for the next great book study for our administration team and this one did not disappoint. It’s an easy read and every chapter has practical “what to do tomorrow” strategies that are easy to implement but offer high-impact.”
– Lisa, Online Review
The Teacher’s Guide to Self-Care: Build Resilience, Avoid Burnout, and Bring a Happier and Healthier You to the Classroom
We’re big believers in you can’t be what you can’t see. Teachers are some of our first role models and provide guidance, inspiration, and compassion. Setting the example of taking care of yourself is crucial to creating a positive space, not only for you but for your students as well. The Teacher’s Guide to Self-Care shares the value of creating a self-care routine, and how to do it.
“This book is a must-have for every teacher! I started reading and couldn’t put it down! I love how you can easily read it cover to cover, but then also pick it up and read certain sections as you need it! Over the years I am finding more and more how important self-care is in our profession and this book explains why and how to do it!“
– Diana, Online Review
Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience
Author Brené Brown takes readers through 87 different emotions of what it means to be human. She maps out a framework on how to form meaningful connections, and how we can create power and change in what we do. Brown shares, “I want this book to be an atlas for all of us because I believe that, with an adventurous heart and the right maps, we can travel anywhere and never fear losing ourselves.”
“A must-read for understanding and navigating emotions! It’s given me a new perspective and is especially helpful for educators when cultivating meaningful connections with students.”
– Brianna, TSI Team Member
Knowledge-ABLE: Igniting a New Generation of Lifelong Learners
Bradley Lands, Director of Technology and Innovation at the Langley School and author of Knowedge-ABLE, provides a unique collection of personal experiences in education, coupled with research and strategies that are synthesized into patterns and themes that highlight the importance of the learning process to enhance student achievement.
“Throughout the pages of Knowledge-ABLE: Igniting a New Generation of Lifelong Learners, Bradley Lands shares valuable strategies to help improve learning for both students and adults. Lands does a tremendous job sharing background knowledge as well as actionable steps to bring this work to life in your school.”
– Beth Houf, 2022 NASSP Principal of the Year
BONUS: The Social Student Report
Recently, we gathered insights from nearly 23,000 students nationwide, giving us the largest data set of its kind in the country. We compiled these findings into The Social Student Report, an E-book that provides valuable data that schools across the country are using to make informed decisions about addressing student well-being, building stronger school communities, and equipping students to make healthy decisions.
Books for Students
Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World
New York Times bestseller, Make Your Bed, is based on a Navy SEAL’s graduation speech that, according to the Wall Street Journal, should be read by every leader in America. Admiral McRaven shares 10 core tenets to change themselves and their surroundings.
“Excellent. Gave it to my 11-year-old grandson, he read it in 4 days and played back the message of never giving up when you encounter a tough situation and the importance of teamwork.”
-Paul, Online Review
The Gifts of Imperfection, 10th Anniversary Edition: Features a New Foreword
In this book, author Brené Brown writes, “This book is an invitation to join a wholehearted revolution. A small, quiet, grassroots movement that starts with each of us saying, ‘My story matters because I matter.’” With 10 strategies to live a wholehearted life, this book shares with us the tools and strategies we can use to not let expectations get in the way, and instead, allow ourselves to feel empowered by our imperfections.
“I read this book my sophomore year of high school with 6 of my best friends and our moms. This book helped me change the way I looked at my own story and my imperfections. It showed me that nobody is perfect and that we each have the power to change our mindset.”
-Zoe, TSI Team Member
The Circles All Around Us
New York Times Bestseller, The Circles All Around Us, tells the story of our lives. When we are first born, our circle is small. But as we grow up, our circle gets larger to include family, friends, and more. This book shares how we can expand our circle with “kindness and inclusivity- even if it seems scary or uncomfortable.”
“This book would be great for any kid and adult to be reminded of the power of showing love to ALL. So calling all teachers, parents, and all other human beings!! GET. THIS. BOOK. #drawacircle #buildyourworld”
–Becky, Online Review
Books for Parents
Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language
Named as one of TIME’s Best Books of 2019 and a Wired must-read of the summer, Because Internet, teaches readers the newfound language of the internet, understanding memes, and the intersection of social media and the English language.
“Gretchen McCulloch is the real deal: a trained linguist whose knowledge is deep *and* wide-ranging. Her understanding of the fluidity of language in an internet era is refreshing and celebratory. “Because Internet” is a guide for everyone: digital natives and the digitally baffled, and everyone else who uses, wants to use, or needs to decipher, memes, emojis, excessive punctuation and lolz.”
-Karen, Online Review
Media Moms and Digital Dads: A Fact-Not-Fear Approach to Parenting in the Digital Age
We know from our research and discussions with students that scaring and restricting their use of social media and tech rarely if ever, works. Media Moms and Digital Dads discusses the impact social media has on students, through science-backed research and data. Dr. Yalda Ulhs uses her experience as an expert on child development and as a mother of digital teens to show us the power of equipping students to navigate the digital world.
“As a parent of two teenagers, I am deep in the weeds with trying to figure out the most reasonable and healthy digital path for my family. As a researcher and parent, Dr. Uhls offers a nice blend of empirical evidence derived from a variety of studies and personal stories based on her experiences with her own family to help me with this task. It’s a very interesting read and one that I highly recommend.”
-Peter, Online Review
When You Wonder, You’re Learning: Mister Rogers’ Enduring Lessons for Raising Creative, Curious, Caring Kids
When You Wonder, You’re Learning, co-written by authors, Ryan Rydzewski and Gregg Behr, is a book about bringing Mister Rogers’ lessons into the digital age. It shares how Mister Rogers, just like teachers, continues to be a model of curiosity and an example of how to create safe spaces for students to learn. Check out our blog post about Mister Rogers’ teaching and how his inspiration still applies today.
“If you learned about life from Fred Rogers’ example, the better off you are. His beloved Neighborhood was a place of curiosity and kindness, of simple joys found in a complicated, yet safe world. Each of us has a role to play in building Neighborhoods of our own. What Behr and Rydzewski have done here is bring Fred Rogers’ essential humanity down to earth. That is a gift for all in the Neighborhood.”
―Tom Hanks, Academy Award-winning actor and star of A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Wired and Connected: Brain-Based Solutions To Ensure Your Child’s Social and Emotional Success
Wired and Connected, written by Craig Knippenberg, shares the different stages of brain development that children go through while offering practical strategies to raise positive and healthy children and nurture and empower them. Through his book, he shares brain-based solutions so that parents can ensure student-well being.
“This book is transformational for parents and kids alike! Thoughtfully prepared with years of data to support the conclusions.”
-Annmarie, Online Review
Positive Parenting: An Essential Guide
In her essential guide, Parenting Blogger, Rebecca Eanes, shares that parenting is more than getting children to behave. She shares the lessons learned from each stage of parenting, with solution-oriented advice from one parent to another. Through her advice and strategies, she shares wisdom and experience to foster connections while raising children.
“If you are looking for the one positive parenting book to read first and/or share with your spouse or friend who is about to become a parent, this is the one. This book gives a sense of inspiration and motivation rather than the complete overwhelm that can come along with trying to learn a new and more positive, connected way to parent than the way most of us were raised.”
-Mandy, Online Review
Books We Love
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
A #1 New York Times bestseller, and with over a million copies sold, Atomic Habits leads readers into the practical strategies of building healthy habits and how we can break bad ones. In this book, author James Clear shares how to make time for new habits, overcome a lack of motivation and willpower, get back on track when you fall off course, and so much more!
“Not only is this scientifically backed and driven at every step, but its steps are also simplified down to a single page that you can reference as much as you need (it’s so easy though that you won’t need to). I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has been putting off learning a new skill or trying to get rid of a bad habit. You’ll be upset how easy it actually was all long but glad you finally did it.”
–Andy, Online Review
Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life
Designing Your Life, written by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans, teaches readers how design thinking can empower us to create a meaningful and fulfilling life, “regardless of who or where we are, what we do or have done for a living, or how young or old we are.” This book goes into detail about how the design thinking process that happens behind the scenes in our technology is the same process that we can use to build our life.
“This is great if you’re trying to figure out what you’d like to do in life. It’s also not high pressure either, so I definitely recommend it.”
–LC, Online Review
Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration
Creativity, Inc is a fun book for Disney fans, animation fans, and budding creatives to learn about Pixar Animation’s history and get an inside scoop into the creative process of how some of the most successful films in history have been made. In this book, author Ed Catmul shares the strategies that have made Pixar movies so loved.
“Creativity, INC. is the best management and leadership book I have read for a long time. Ed Catmull, probably because of his background in storytelling at Pixar, provides three books in one.”
-Timothy, Online Review
Bindi & Beam: An illustrated near-SciFi/LowFantasy adventure series for upper elementary
Nowadays, with ever-evolving social media and technology, it’s crucial to have someone, real or fictional, to empower students with important life skills. That’s why Casper Pieters focuses on “edufiction”. As an author, scientist, and editor, he combines cool stories with important lessons to teach students life skills for the modern world. Check out our webinar with Casper to find out what else he has to say about empowering students to navigate their modern world through inspiring characters and positive storytelling!
“The Bindi & Beam series comes at an interesting juncture in human history, as millennials take the rein of our future, using cyber technology to shape it. It’s a great read for people of all ages, as it takes an edufictional approach to our present times.”
-Amitabh Kumar, Digital Activist at Centre For Social Research.
How to Win Friends & Influence People
Dale Carnegie’s book, How to Win Friends & Influence People, shares with readers the skills and strategies to change the way people think, how to make people like you and influence others and your surroundings. For over 60 years, this book has helped thousands around the world “climb up the ladder of success in their business and personal lives.”
“I wish I had purchased this book sooner. If you’re having troubles in life and simply can’t figure out what you’re doing wrong, this is a fantastic place to start. Good luck on your journey!”
-CJ, Online Review
We’re excited to use this summer to recharge, rejuvenate, and explore new interests, hobbies, and skills. Always stay up-to-date with the latest and greatest trends online by subscribing to our newsletter where we talk about trending tech and social media news weekly! In the meantime, check out our Instagram and TikTok @thesocialinst for tips, trends, and highlights when it comes to social media.
The Social Institute (TSI) is the leader in understanding student experiences and creator of #WinAtSocial, a gamified, online learning platform that equips students, educators, and families to navigate social experiences — online and offline — in healthy ways. Our unique, student-respected approach incorporates topics like social media, technology use, and current events that have a significant impact on student well-being. Lessons teach life skills for the modern day to inspire high-character decisions that support the health, happiness, and future success of students. For schools, our turnkey technology allows for easy implementation and a comprehensive game plan to support the well-being of school communities.