Purchased this for my middle school library. Relevant topic and guide for today's teen and how to navigate social media.

Jonathan McKee provides teens and their parents an easy to read guide to social media. The book is divided into 21 "tips" which include everything from being kind online to sexting. While he pulls no punches, he does deliver his message in a clear, reasoned tone well supported by both research and Biblical texts...both of which is uses sparingly and very well. The preface includes notes to parents, grandparents and other adults who might be screening or sharing this book, a note to the teen reader, and lots of solid advice. Each Tip or chapter covers a concern about social media use, a bit of research on that particular point, questions to ponder, and something to think about. This title would make an excellent group book study for parent groups, youth groups, or both. I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Teen’s Guide To Social Media & Mobile Devices: 21 Tips To Wise Posting In An Insecure World, by Jonathan McKee, is a must have for any parent and teen.
Although aimed at teens, I found this book to be very insightful, and would recommend that parents and teens go through the book together, and so does the author, which is why he starts the book with an introduction for parents. I love how he sums up why, we as parents, shouldn’t just hand a phone or other mobile device over to our teens with a strict list of rules, but rather, we should “…create a climate of continual conversation about social media and screen entertainment. The best rules after all, are those that cultivate conversation and equip kids to make decisions.”
Speaking in a down to earth, and sometimes funny manner, McKee starts the book with what it really means to be social and the importance of relating to each other in real life, and not just across the screen. He then dives into practical posting tips like privacy settings, downloading safe apps and no texting or driving. McKee than does a fantastic job of interweaving scripture if necessary with heavier such as obsessive selfies and porn and finding value in “whose” you are. He also covers things like online bullying and making good music or video choices.
His book is very thoughtful and thorough. I highly suggest buying this book the same time you make the decision to allow your teen (and he does recommend that only children 13 and older have them and gives good reasons why) to have a device and go through the book together, perhaps before they get control of their device.
If your teen already has a phone, still grab this, and make a weekend of going through the book together. You may be surprised at the bonding and conversations that will come from it.

I was given a review copy from Barbour Publishing through Net Galley. All opinions are my own.

This is a guide to help teens be safer on social media. It lists numerous safety factors such as ones we have already heard of like don't put personal information out there. How to be more social without being more Personal. Its a great guide for teens but it basically everything we have already heard of that is why I am rating it three stars

This book was very well written and informative. This is a great resource to guide teens in making good choices regarding technology and social media. I was expecting a dry and more adult friendly book but the writing style is perfect for the target audience of teens. I would highly recommend this to any teenagers and am certainly going to be ordering some for gifts.

Thanks to NetGalley and Shiloh Run Press for the opportunity to read and review The Teen’s Guide to Social Media by Jonathan McKee. This helpful guide contains “21 Tips to Wise Posting in an Insecure World”. Each tip is given its own chapter and a clever name, which summarizes the advice. The book opens with a letter of relevant advice to parents and all caring adults that might be feeling overwhelmed with the technology overload and in need of possible rules and guidelines for raising children in a world with constant internet access. This guide reminds us: to keep up our social skills, to check privacy settings, that posting is permanent, of the detrimental effects of pornography, to seek out a mentor, to be accountable, don’t talk to strangers, to take less selfies, don’t become addicted to likes, to know the apps, to reevaluate online time, to find tech-free zones, to friend people you know, to rethink your media, to think before posting, to use kind words, don’t let your driving become distracted, no nude posts, to be truthful, sleep and stay aware.
Questions to ponder and something to think about sections at the close of each chapter/tip and a resource list at the end of the book give readers more to think about and research. 5 stars for this beneficial, relevant guide to online safety!

A handy book on managing social media for teens. Not too cumbersome and easy reading.

This title is not accurate as this is a book with the first few chapters aimed at the parents or carers of teenagers which is off putting enough but then the self proclaimed educator is lecturing in tone and no teenager will read this book.

It's a lovely idea but the majority of teenagers know more about social media than we ever will as they experiment with and learn their social skills.

As a book targeted at parents it would be much more effective as it gives good insight into the guidance education provides teenagers and shows adults how to model good social media etiquette.

Not for those of us who want to be ostrich-like and imagine social media is not some scary back alley but a friendly chat over coffee with friends.

I received a free copy from net galley.com for my fair and honest review.

I picked this book cause I was totally aware on how nowadays tech consumes most of my socialization between people. This book really expresses my concern especially towards myself and how my future children gonna be, How can they survive in the real world if they have a mom who is attached to the devices all the time. And this thought makes me sad.

Reading this is like reading something that you already know the consequences but had been buried inside yourself so deep that you neglect the issues, you feel it was unimportant until this very book raise it. This was a perspective changing book as I glad to choose it in the first place.

It is a must read to all teenagers to make them aware that how ugly this situation is. I like the author affirm his point on it was not the tech problem, is how you use it.

I would like to share my personal stories while reading this books. I've been in a unpredicted mood just by engaging myself in socmed, I didnt remember that actually this act just makes me less social. So by reading this, I realize a bit on the times a loose by spending too much on socmed, and yeah most of the facts in this books was reliable, its true, some of us experience it, just like me experience it. That how much this socmed make me depressed. So I take a huge step in deciding to reduce my involvement in socmed and that really helps. This book helps me a lot too in taking those step, the awareness is very important, it is sad how our generation sometimes neglect this issues although we already know how it affects our lifestyle.

Helpful resource that could be very useful for my students to have access to. Many of them are technologically illiterate and they need to learn these skills to succeed

I was very excited as a school librarian when I read the title and blurb of this book. I thought this would be a definite book for the shelves of my library, but no, it can’t be. I was given a copy of this book and asked to read it, no where on the blurb did it say anything about the large Christianity sections of this book. I am a catholic myself but was not expecting to read a book telling me that Mathew would not post something on Instagram that he would later disapprove of. Their is practical Information in this book and it did prompt me to check my phone settings. I will not be stocking this book in my library though, which is a shame because it did have some very positive ideas in it, because it tells of the Christian God so much, maybe to make it more readable across the world it could about a general religion, faith or God.

The Teen’s Guide to Social Media… and Mobile Devices

21 Tips to Wise Posting in an Insecure World
by Jonathan McKee

Barbour Publishing, Inc.

Shiloh Run Press
Christian , Teens & YA

Pub Date 01 Oct 2017

I am reviewing a copy of The Teen’s Guide to Social Media…and Mobile Devices through Barbour Publishing and Netgalley:

This book will help teens navigate the digital world with humorous and honest tips. While reminding parents that children as a general rule should not be allowed to open social media accounts until their thirteen, and that those rules are put into their play for safety. With tips like love the people you are with, check your privacy settings, we are reminded too that we often complain about things until they end up saving us. Teens are reminded too that nothing they post is temporary, advise like live your life in a way that no one can accuse you, is also brought into play. And the author goes on to remind of the long lasting affect of porn, and the importance of steering clear from such actions.

The readers are reminded of the importance of seeking out mentors, as well as being reminded that anonymity in social media is a myth. The readers are reminded too of the importance of not talking to strangers, even the danger of to many selfies is brought up.

The importance of knowing the app you are using is also brought up. We learn that Snapchat was actually created under the guise “the best way to sext”. We are reminded too that Snapchat pictures do not always dissapear. This does not necessarily mean Snapchat is bad, it can be a tool used for good. Teens are reminded too of the importance of keeping an eye on their screen time, and not to overdo it. They are also encouraged to frequent tech free zones. Teens are even encouraged to friend their parents on social media.

The author goes on to encourage teens to dissect their entertainment media. Teens and everyone else really is reminded to think before they post. We are encouraged too to crush cruelty and criticism. We are reminded too of the dangers of distraction, including the deadly danger of texting while driving. The importance of not letting social media interfere with sleep is also brought up, along with the negative effect it can have on a students grades. As well as the importance of being aware of your surroundings.

I give The Teens Guide to Social Media and Mobile Devices five out of five stars!

Happy Reading

All three of my children received their first devices last year. Since then I’ve been struggling to know how much monitoring to do. This book is written for teens, but it greatly encouraged me in my learning curve as a mom in the information age.

The author speaks to many churches and groups year round. He knows his stuff well. This book is full to the brim with anecdotes, news stories, and statistics, and they are shared in an engaging way. The author also deftly weaves in biblical wisdom in a way that promotes common sense and good values. He has a gift for speaking with teens, and I think my 13-year-old son will like his style.

Using a breezy 21-tip format, this book is ideal even for teens who aren’t into reading. It presents warnings that don’t feel melodramatic. I was surprised at how affirming this book was to me as a mom. The author says most parents don’t monitor their child’s online activity, and that’s okay because it gives your teen a chance to develop personal responsibility. That fact relieved the guilt I was experiencing. But I also want to encourage my children’s critical thinking skills, and this book will open up some fruitful conversations in our home.

Great quotes:

- Keep your phone in your pocket during meals with friends or family, and see if it becomes contagious.
- Anonymity is actually only perceived anonymity, and it breeds carelessness.
- Don’t get so caught up in posting the moment that you miss the moment.
- Likes don’t determine your value.
- Your phone is not the problem. The problem is when we let our phone captivate us so significantly with the unimportant that we ignore the important all around us.

If you’re unsure how to talk to your teen about social media use, The Teen’s Guide to Social Media will serve as a valuable road map.

Even though this book is targeted to teens, the message is for all ages. Social media is still considered as new to people and most of us aren't aware of their limitations and danger. This book is very helpful and important. I believe this sort of topic should be discussed to students in school during homeroom or even just once a week to make them aware of the circumstances and help guide and protect the students.

"Nothing is temporary."

This book is addressed to parents and their children. The author Jonathan McKee gives 21 useful tips on how younger people can experience and discover the world of mobile devices and social medias with their parents together. I liked how the author has a really friendly touch and advise parents to look at it with their kids together as "friends". Parents should treat their kids with respect and they are on the same level. Discover this new world together.
The author used a lot of studies for his arguments. From time to time he tells us about his own experience with this family...
At the end of every chapter were "Question to Ponder" and "Something to think about". The idea is that parents and kids have a talk about this two things to exchange their opinions and grow to respect each others opinion and get a chance to understand each other.
The author himself says about him that he is "social researcher who spends a lot of time studying trends in youth culture", therefore he knows what he is talking about, which you notice while reading.
At the end of the book, it gets a bit long-winded, because the other tried to talk about a lot of different situation, which is quite similar.
In my eyes, the book it really up to date and the author gives some really specific tips e.g. for Snapchat and the Snap Map.

After All, I rate this book with 3 out of 5 stars.
I would recommend this book, especially to religious parents, because the author compares a lot of situations to the Bibel stories and arguments with it.

-------------------------------------------German review------------------------------------------------------------
In dem Buch gibt der Autor Jonathan McKee 21 Tipps, wie man, gerade als jüngerer Mensch, auf Sozialen Netzwerken unterwegs ist.
Seine Idee ist, das Eltern ( die Wahrscheinlich eher die Zielgruppe sind) dieses Buch gemeinsam mit ihren Kindern lesen. Am Ende jedes Kapitels "Question to Ponder" und "Something to think about" über das sich die Eltern und Kinder austauschen können/ sollen.

"This book provides stories, research, humor, and good common sense about using the phone in your pocket wisely."
Gerade zu Beginn des Buches gefällt mir McKees Einstellung zu dem Thema. Es ist sehr interessant, wie er an das Thema herangeht. Er bezieht viele Studien und wahre Begebenheiten mit ein. Teilweise erzählt er aus seiner eigenen Erfahrung von Zuhause und wie seine Familie bestimmte Situationen geregelt hat. Dabei versucht er zu schildern, wie sich sowohl die Eltern als auch die Kindern
fühlen, sodass gegenseitiges Verständnis entsteht.
Überrascht war ich, als der Autor anfing spezielle Situationen mit Bibelzitaten und Geschichten belegt und argumentiert. Zu Beginn fand ich das eine sehr interessante Ansichtsweisen. Mir ist es noch nie unterbekommen, dass jemand diese beiden Medien mit einander vergleichen und Handys auf Grundlage der Bibel beurteilt.
Im Verlaufe des Buches nimmt die Anzahl an Bibelstellen und -vergleichen stark zu und wurde für meinen Geschmack zu sehr thematisiert.
Seine anfängliche Aussage hat mir jedoch sehr zugesagt:
"So please understand, I'm not about to tell you that your phone is bad. Phones aren't the problem. People just make bad decisions with their phones."
Er vergleicht die Handys zu Autos. Es passieren täglich schlimme Unfälle auf den Straßen, trotzdem schlägt keiner vor Autos zu verbieten, sondern einfach, dass die Leute lernen müssen besser zu fahren. Seiner Ansicht nach gilt das auch für die Handybesitzer.

Der Autor spricht sehr unterschiedliche Themen an. Zum einen, die Handy dafür sorgen, dass wir uns zwar mit Menschen außerhalb unserer vier Wände verbinden können, dadurch aber die Kommunikation mit den Menschen im gleichen Raum leidet.
Des Weiteren ist das Buch auf dem aktuellsten Stand der Technik und gibt einem Hilfestellungen mit aktuellen Sozialen Netzwerken. wie Snapchat und der SnapMap.
Desweiteren ist das Buch auf dem aktuellsten Stand der Technik und gibt einem Hilfestellung mit aktuellen S.M. wie Snapchat und der SnapMap.
"Looking at porn doesn't hurt us; it hurts God and our future spouse."
Der Autor selber beschreibt sich als "social researcher who spends a lot of time studying trends in youth culture". Man merkt während des Lesens, dass er sich viel mit Jugendlichen und deren Denkweise auseinandergesetzt hat. Sein Schreibstile ist sehr angenehm zu lesen. Er bemüht sich flott auf den Punkt zukommen.
Zum Ende hin des Buches hatte ich das Gefühl, dass sich viele Tipps und Situationen sehr stark wiederholen oder sehr ähnliche Situationen schon in einem vorherigen Tipp durchgekaut wurde.
"Your smartphone is a helpful little tool, but that's all it is. A tool. Don't be a tool. Own a tool. And if you feel like a tool, enslaved to social media and your devices, my hope is that this book will help you move from being a tech-dependent to becoming tech-enabled."
Ich wurde das Buch Eltern ans Herz legen, die auf eine freundschaftlicheweise gemeinsam mit ihren Kindern sich an das Thema Soziale Medien und Handys herantrauen wollen. Das Buch ist sehr stark christlich geprägt und enthält viele Bibelzitate. Daher würde ich es besonders religiösen Familien ans Herz legen.

Mein Lieblingszitat aus dem Buch ist:
"Likes often reflect popularity. Popularity doesn't equal value. Remember, even Hitler was popular, but that doesn't mean he was truly liked."

"The Teen Guide to Social Media and Mobile Devices" von Jonathan McKee bekommt von mir 3 von 5 möglichen Punkten. Im Großen und Ganzen ein sehr hilfreicher Guide, der auf dem neusten Stand der Technik ist. Das Buch konnte mich mit sehr ausgearbeiteten Argumenten und interessanten Blickweisen überzeugen. Lediglich etwas zu religiös veranlagt für meinen Geschmack.