Read, discuss, and pair with lessons to address important topics about digital life.
We often think about books as a way to unplug from our digital lives, and that's a great reason to read. But the lines between online and "irl" are increasingly blurred, so it only makes sense that some books wrap their stories around devices and digital media. And what better way to get some perspective and reflect on digital citizenship topics than to approach them in the steadily-paced pages of a great book?
This collection does just that: It features books for each grade level, both fiction and nonfiction, that feature digital dilemmas, citizenship, and well-being. Remember: It's never too early to start these conversations, since even little kids are often online! So whether you have these selections in your classroom library, use them for read-alouds, or offer them for assignments, they're an excellent in-road to meaningful discussions.
Note: If we've reviewed a book on Common Sense Media, we've linked to it!
Blackout
Kindergarten and up
Description: On a hot, noisy night in the city, a kid wants to play a board game with his family, but they're too busy. Then the power goes out, and the neighborhood comes alive with fun, communal activities. When the power is restored, everyone goes back to their business, so the kid turns the lights off and the family comes together to play the board game.
Discussion Questions:
- Why does the neighborhood go outside and play together when the power goes out?
- When the power comes back on, why does the kid turn off the lights again?
- Do devices ever get in the way of playing together? If so, what can we do about it?
Digital Literacy Lesson: Why We Pause for People
The Couch Potato: The Food Group, Book 4
Kindergarten and up
Description: The Couch Potato loves sitting around, playing video games, doing livestreams, and watching his favorite TV shows. But then the power goes out! He decides to go outside for a walk, and he realizes all he's been missing in the outside world.
Discussion Questions:
- What are some of the things Couch Potato noticed and enjoyed when he went outside?
- Watching videos and playing video games can be fun. But why is it important to do off-screen activities, too?
- Does the power need to go out for us to stop using screens? How can we make the decision for ourselves?
Digital Literacy Lesson: Media Balance Is Important
Dot.
Kindergarten and up
Description: Dot is great at using technology and loves it! But when she's feeling burned out by too much screen time, her mom encourages her to go outside. Getting away from devices reminds her of all of the off-screen fun she also enjoys.
Discussion Questions:
- What are the signs that Dot is ready to stop using technology? Can you feel when you need to do something else? What are your signs?
- Dot remembers that she loves playing outside, painting, and being with friends. What off-screen activities do you love?
- How can we make sure to balance tech time with other activities?
Digital Literacy Lesson: How Media Makes Me Feel
Nerdy Birdy Tweets
Kindergarten and up
Description: Nerdy Birdy loves Tweetster, a new video game, but his friend Vulture doesn't want to play it. They both try to compromise a bit to maintain their friendship, but then Nerdy Birdy makes a big mistake: He posts an embarrassing picture of Vulture with a mean caption! Vulture gets upset, and Nerdy Birdy apologizes and realizes his friends on Tweetster can't compare to his in-person buddy.
Discussion Questions:
- Why does Vulture get frustrated with Nerdy Birdy at the beginning of the book? How does Nerdy Birdy feel? Why?
- Why do you think Nerdy Birdy posts the picture and comment about Vulture?
- How are online friends different from in-person friends?
Digital Literacy Lesson: Choosing Kindness
Selfie
First grade and up
Description: Sylvie the squirrel sure likes to take selfies, but being so focused on her device and taking pictures of herself makes her ignore what's right in front of her. When her friends help her during a scary situation, Sylvie starts to realize that taking so many selfies can take away from being in the moment.
Discussion Questions:
- What do you think is fun about taking selfies? Do you like to take selfies? Why or why not?
- Why is it so important to pause device use to pay attention to the people in front of us?
- What are some ways you balance using devices with playing with friends and family offline?
Digital Literacy Lesson: Curiosity Tellers
Staying Safe Online (Library Skills)
First grade and up
Description: Animal characters teach kids lessons about how to find the helpful and fun parts of being online while also staying safe. Cute songs are included to help kids remember the messages!
Discussion Questions:
- What lesson or advice really got your attention? Why?
- If you wrote a song about how to stay safe online, what advice would you give?
- In addition to staying safe, what are some other things you know about being a good digital citizen?
Digital Literacy Lesson: Internet Traffic Light
The Technology Tail
First grade and up
Description:In this picture book, "Screen" gives some solid advice about the "tail" we all create online. What we do and say affects that tail, so being kind and careful is super important!
Discussion questions:
- What part of the book really got your attention? Why?
- If you use devices, what's fun about it? Are there any parts that aren't so fun? Why?
- When someone isn't kind, what are some choices about how we react?
Digital Literacy Lesson: My Digital Footprint
Cat on the Run in Cucumber Madness!: Cat on the Run, Book 2
Second grade and up
Description: World-famous internet celebrity Princess Beautiful wakes up in an unfamiliar place, with an unfamiliar captor. Along the way, she reveals the reasons why she originally wanted to get famous online.
Discussion Questions:
- Princess Beautiful wakes up in a place that doesn't have an internet connection. If you know what that's like, describe it. If you don't, what do you think it's like?
- Do the Princess's reasons for wanting to make a job of being online make sense to you? Why or why not?
- Would you want to be an internet celebrity? Why or why not?
Digital Literacy Lesson: Who Is in Your Online Community?
Gabby Torres Gets a Billion Followers: Gabby Torres, Book 1
Second grade and up
Description: Fourth grader Gabby is excited to have been invited to join a club for kids who love oceans that was founded by her idol. She's one of the youngest members of the group and sometimes feels that the other kids don't take her seriously. When she offers to create a social media page for the club, it doesn't work out exactly the way she expects..
Discussion Questions:
- How do you think you'd feel in Gabby's shoes when she reads the reviews? What do you think you'd do?
- What do you think of Gabby's parents' advice for her? Would you change or add to the it in any way?
- Have you ever had to be honest about something you did, even though it was hard? What happened, and how were you so brave?
Digital Literacy Lesson: Dealing with Online Meanness
When Charlie McButton Lost Power
Second grade and up
Description: When a thunderstorm knocks out Charlie's power, he can't keep playing the video games he loves without batteries. His sister's doll has some, but should he take them from her just because it's hard to stop playing? What if he played with her instead?
Discussion Questions:
- It's hard for Charlie when the power goes out because he can't play his video games. Have you ever felt like Charlie? What happened?
- Why do you think it can be so hard to stop using devices? Can you stop using them without feeling upset? Why or why not?
- Why is it important to play with people off screen? How is it different than playing games online?
Digital Literacy Lesson: Device-Free Moments
Bad Kitty Gets a Phone
Third grade and up
Description: Kitty works hard to get a phone and then finds out that using it comes with some not-so-fun surprises—and lots of responsibility. As Kitty runs into challenges, it becomes clear that having good digital well-being habits is important.
Discussion Questions:
- How does Kitty get a device? Why doesn't Kitty's owner just give Kitty a phone?
- What kinds of issues does Kitty discover online? Have you encountered any of these issues? If so, what did you do?
- What kinds of healthy online habits might help so that Kitty's owner doesn't have to set new limits?
Digital Literacy Lesson: Our Rings of Responsibility
Finally Heard
Third grade and up
Description: To help their Chinese immigrant mom promote her struggling new business, Lina and her sister make videos to post online. But when Lina sees events she wasn't invited to, the houses fancier than her own, and especially the comments in her classmates' group chat, she reacts. Along the way, she learns the science behind some of those reactions.
Discussion Questions:
- Social media makes it easy for people to compare themselves to others or feel left out. What advice would you give Lina when she starts to struggle with these feelings?
- What science did you learn from this book? In your own use of devices, when and how have you noticed this science affecting you?
- What are the pros and cons of going viral?
Digital Literacy Lesson: When Words Hurt Online
Marcus Makes It Big
Third grade and up
Description: Marcus and Sierra post a short film online that gets super popular, very fast! Marcus feels pressure to get even more subscribers and keep the attention that the first video got. But the pressure leads to conflict, and Marcus and Sierra have to figure out what's really important to them.
Discussion Questions:
- Why does Marcus feel so much pressure to get more subscribers and followers? Do you think you would feel that way? Why or why not?
- What are the factors that make things go viral online?
- Do you ever feel pressure or get into conflicts about online life? If so, what about?
Digital Literacy Lesson: Resolving Conflicts Online
Can You Believe It?
Fourth grade and up
Description: With cute illustrations, pop-out factoids, and vocabulary words in bold, this book offers kid-friendly explanations about how to evaluate sources and information. There's even a chapter called "Whoops! Mistakes Happen," which encourages a growth mindset around these topics.
Discussion Questions:
- Based on what you learned from this book, what are some ways to evaluate online sources? How can you make sure what you're reading or seeing is real?
- How do you think AI is changing how we evaluate sources and information?
- Have you ever been fooled by something you saw online? What did you learn from the experience?
Digital Literacy Lesson: S.I.F.T. for Sources
Unplugged
Fourth grade and up
Description: Jett is a rich kid with very busy parents who don't pay much attention to him. But when he gets in big trouble yet again, they send him to a "wellness" camp that doesn't allow devices of any kind. Jett tries to get kicked out, but when Grace, another kid at the camp, adopts what seems to be a baby lizard, Jett and others join the cause to keep it safe.
Discussion Questions:
- The kids at the camp feel different ways about not having devices and going online. How would you feel? Why?
- How do you think working together in person on a problem can be different from working together virtually, online?
- Why do you think it's hard for many people to not have access to their devices?
Digital Literacy Lesson: Healthy Tech Habits & Our Feelings
You Go First
Fourth grade and up
Description: Charlotte and Ben are facing some challenges at home and at school. Their family and friendships are going through changes. But through an online word game, they're able to find each other and some connection.
Discussion Questions:
- How does the game help to connect Charlotte and Ben? Have you ever made friends through an online game? How did it happen?
- Not all communication in online games is friendly: How does it sometimes look and feel different than the experience in the book?
- What are some ways we can use digital media to find connection with others in a safe, fun way?
Digital Literacy Lesson: Communicating Clearly Online
Accuracy in Media
Fifth grade and up
Description: This nonfiction book examines the rise in online reporting of all kinds, and explains how the reported information isn't always factual. Kids will learn about bias, misinformation, and evaluating sources.
Discussion Questions:
- How is journalism different from the news stories that influencers share?
- What are some ways you can evaluate sources and make sure information is accurate?
- What's the difference between bias and misinformation? Can you think of an example of each?
Digital Literacy Lesson: Media Frames: Looking Beyond Headlines
Breaking the News
Fifth grade and up
Description: This resource from National Geographic Kids addresses news and media literacy. In addition to evaluating sources and information, this book also discusses freedom of speech, propaganda, and journalistic integrity. It also includes why it's so important to know fact from fiction.
Discussion Questions:
- How has the way we research and report news changed over time? What do you think it'll be like in the future?
- If you can find 20 sources on a topic, how might it still be fake/fiction?
- Why do you think it's so important to be able to evaluate online sources and find facts?
Digital Literacy Lesson: Media Frames: Looking Beyond Headlines
Posted
Fifth grade and up
Description: Frost is in middle school and has a close group of friends who are sometimes picked on by other kids. A new girl, Rose, starts to change things. Meanwhile, their school bans cellphones, so Frost's friend, Deedee, starts using sticky notes instead of text messages. A cruel sticky note war begins, and the friends have to decide how to handle it.
Discussion Questions:
- Why does the school decide to ban cellphones? What do you think about this approach?
- People can be mean—and kind—to each other in lots of ways. But how are mean sticky notes different from mean text messages or social media posts?
- What do you think about Rose's approach to the school conflict? What would you have done?
Digital Literacy Lesson: S.T.A.N.D. Up to Cyberbullying
Semi-Famous: A True Story of Near Celebrity
Eighth grade and up
Description: Josh Sundquist is an internet comedian who's always wanted to be famous. But as he builds a social media following and gets some tastes of fame, he wonders if it will really make him happy.
Discussion Questions:
- What are the pros and cons of internet fame? How does the author feel about it?
- Can you think of any examples of how social media impacts celebrities? Do you know of anyone who has taken a break from social media? Why did they?
- What are some reasons that people go viral online? Since those reasons don't always reflect talent or effort, how does it happen? Would you ever want to be famous online? Why or why not? Would it matter how you achieve it?
Digital Literacy Lesson: Life in Public
Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed
Ninth grade and up
Description: A high school student starts an Instagram account that targets fellow students with racist language and memes. The community is in turmoil, with people conflicted about the punishment for the account's creator and followers. Meanwhile the students who were targeted deal with nightmares and just try to get through each school day. Though the incident was in 2017, readers also get a window into continued consequences in 2020.
Discussion Questions:
- The account's creator used a social media account to express racist views. What are some differences between sharing these views in person versus online?
- What are the specific rules of First Amendment rights? What do you think the consequences should have been for the account's followers?
- Research shows that people of color and those in LGBTQ+ communities experience more online hate, whether directed at them personally or at their community as a whole. What are some steps we can take to deal with this problem?
Digital Literacy Lesson: When Hate Escalates
Information Now, Second Edition: A Graphic Guide to Student Research and Web Literacy
Ninth grade and up
Description: This graphic novel-style guide starts with the basics of finding information in libraries and databases but also addresses evaluating online sources, searching efficiently, and citing someone else's information. It even has a glossary so students can learn helpful terms.
Discussion Questions:
- What does this book say about how to evaluate online sources? Any tips you think are missing? What are they?
- How does AI impact these tips, if at all? What about AI search summaries? What steps can you take to evaluate AI-generated information?
- What steps can you take to use AI but not plagiarize? Is generative AI itself a form of plagiarism? Why or why not?
Digital Literacy Lesson: Artificial Intelligence: Is It Plagiarism?
Never Coming Home
Ninth grade and up
Description: An Agatha Christie-style mystery for the modern age, this murder-driven story centers around a group of social media influencers, the effects of their online identities, and the secrets they keep.
Discussion Questions:
- What are some of the differences between the characters' online identities and their real lives and personalities? Do you think it's common for people's online personas to be different from their authentic selves? Why or why not?
- Are there any influencers you like and follow? What is it about them that appeals to you? How authentic do you think they are?
- If someone described your online identity, what do you think they would say? Does your online identity match your real one? Why or why not?
Digital Literacy Lesson: Curated Lives
You can check out the full list of books on Common Sense Media!
