The Best Books for Educators, Students, and Parents in 2024
The start of a new school year is the perfect time to set goals and equip ourselves for success. As schools gear up for the year, we’ve curated a list of books that empower high-character decision-making, inspire growth, and support the learning journey for educators, students, and families alike. Whether you’re looking for innovative ways to use AI, insightful data on what impacts student well-being, or engaging reads for students, this list has something for everyone. Plus, we’ve gathered real reviews from readers to give you an authentic glimpse into each book’s impact.
Books for Educators on Self-Care, Leadership, and Student Insights
The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness
It’s no secret that there is a growing concern for Gen-Z mental health. With the rising percentage of students diagnosed with depression and anxiety, educators are curious to know the cause behind these well-being concerns. From social media to childhood play, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt reveals what factors impact mental health and breaks down everything educators need to know about the rise of anxiety in students. Learn more about The Anxious Generation and best practices for helping students navigate social media and technology positively in The Social Institute’s Huddle Up.
“This great rewiring of childhood, I argue, is the single largest reason for the tidal wave of adolescent mental illness that began in the early 2010s.”
– Jonathan Haidt
Trust and Inspire: How Truly Great Leaders Unleash Greatness in Others
New York Times Best Selling Author Stephen M.R. Covey reveals that great leadership is not “command and control” but instead “trust and inspire.” Whether you are a teacher, counselor, or school leader, Covey promotes a leadership approach of collaboration, diversity in people and ideas, and the importance of a technology-advanced workforce.
“What a time to be learning about the new type of leadership that’s much needed. Leadership is not a title but a choice, so we all are leaders in some way and have the ability to inspire those around us to live their potential.”
– Neil, Online Review
AI for Educators: Learning Strategies, Teacher Efficiencies, and a Vision for an Artificial Intelligence
From ChatGPT to Snapchat’s My AI, artificial intelligence (AI) is making its way into our students’ lives. And AI isn’t only changing students’ experiences online, but it’s revolutionizing the classroom experience, too. However, students aren’t the only ones that can benefit from AI use. Author Matt Miller breaks down how educators can make the most of AI in the classroom, and how it can streamline teaching and save time.
“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, combined with research and strategies 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, The Social Institute gathered insights from nearly 30,000 students in their annual student survey, and more than 1 million responses from K-12 students across the U.S. and Canada, collected through the learning platform, #WinAtSocial. This report stands as the world’s largest dataset on how social media, tech, and current events are impacting students’ learning and well-being.
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 ten 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
Unwinding Anxiety
Using more than 20 years of research to support their work, Dr. Brewer has outlined a step-by-step guide to overcoming anxiety. No matter your age or severity of anxiety, Dr. Brewer reveals strategies for healthy ways to cope with anxious feelings, how to identify triggers, and how to practice mindfulness.
“This book was recommended to me by my therapist. As someone who didn’t struggle with anxiety until my 30s, I found this book so helpful. Mindfulness was already a practice I experienced within the classroom as we tried to help students understand their fixed vs growth mindset. So when I learned this could actually help me with my anxiety, I jumped right in.”
-Jill, 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 ten 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
Raising a Screen-Smart Kid: Embrace the Good and Avoid the Bad in the Digital Age
Author and public health expert, Julianna Miner, highlights the importance of empowering and equipping students to use social media and tech positively, rather than scaring and restricting them. Raising a Screen-Smart Kid dives into how parents can help their children navigate social media positively while growing up. Miner explores strategies parents can use to equip their children with the skills to protect their reputation and make positive choices online, and offline.
“Let’s face it – digital devices are here to stay. We can try our best to keep our kids off them and risk them not making connections with other kids- or we can teach them (and us!) how to properly and healthily handle this digital age. Super easy to read, great advice, well laid out and well-researched. I highly recommend this for all parents.”
-Anonymous, 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 The Social Institute’s blog post about Mister Rogers’ teachings 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. Through his book, he shares brain-based solutions so that parents can ensure they are supporting their children’s mental and physical well-being.
“This book is transformational for parents and kids alike! Thoughtfully prepared with years of data to support the conclusions.”
-Annmarie, Online Review
Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic-and What We Can Do About It
In Never Enough, award-winning reporter Jennifer Breheny Wallace investigates the deep roots of toxic achievement culture and finds out what we must do to fight back. Drawing on interviews with families, educators, an original survey of nearly 6,000 parents, and interviews with today’s leading child psychologists, Wallace shows that what kids need from the adults in the room is not more pressure, but to feel like they matter.
“As someone who works for an extremely high-achieving school, I can relate in many ways. I think anyone who is a parent or who works with adolescents will appreciate and learn from this book. In addition, one of Wallace’s central themes is that what’s most important is to feel like you matter. I finished this audiobook feeling like I understand that concept (and agree!), and I want to implement making sure people in my life know they matter.”
-Kerry, Online Review
BONUS: Family Standards Agreement
With 91% of students having a smartphone by age 14, families are looking to huddle with their children about navigating tech in positive, high-character ways. To empower students to use tech responsibly from a young age, explore The Social Institute’s Family Standards Agreement, which eases students into using screens and helps them develop healthy habits for navigating social media and tech.
Books We Love
Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI
Cutting through the noise of AI evangelists and AI doom-mongers, Wharton professor Ethan Mollick has become one of the most prominent and provocative explainers of AI, focusing on the practical aspects of how these new tools for thought can transform our world. In Co-Intelligence, he urges us to engage with AI as co-workers, co-teachers, and coaches. Wide-ranging, hugely thought-provoking, and optimistic, Co-Intelligence reveals the promise and power of this new era.
“This is an interesting and useful book, and if you’re an academic or educator who’s trying to find a good strategy for dealing with the AI revolution then I strongly recommend reading it.”
–Manny, Online Review
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
Atomic Habits, a #1 New York Times bestseller with over a million copies sold, 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
Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed
Accountable, written by Dashka Slater, takes a deep dive into what accountability truly means, specifically when it comes to what we post online. This true story reveals the harmful impact that a few high school students’ racist posts had on those in the school community. Slater explores the negative sociological and psychological impact of sharing offensive content online, highlighting the importance of positive social media and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) education.
“I read this book with my school colleagues, principal, and superintendent of curriculum. Wow! What an important book! We had some deep, thoughtful conversations each week as we read this in 3 parts. Honestly, I can’t get it out of my head. How can we, as a staff, better protect our students where social media is concerned?”
-Jeanne, Online Review
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
Curious about what is impacting your students online? Stay ahead of the curve by subscribing to our newsletter for weekly insights on the latest trends in tech and social media. In the meantime, check out The Social Institute’s Instagram @thesocialinst for tips, trends, and highlights when it comes to social media.
The Social Institute (TSI) is the leader in empowering students by understanding students. Through #WinAtSocial, our gamified, peer-to-peer learning platform, we equip students, educators, and families to navigate their social world – in the classroom and beyond, online and offline – in healthy, high-character ways. Our unique, student-respected approach empowers and equips, rather than scares and restricts. We incorporate timely topics about social media, tech use, and current events that are impacting student well-being and learning. #WinAtSocial Lessons teach life skills for the modern day, capture student voice, and provide school leaders with actionable insights. Through these insights, students play an essential role in school efforts to support their own health, happiness, and future success as we enable high-impact teaching, meaningful family conversations, and a healthy school culture.