A book by Sophie Bordet-Pétillon for 10-14-year-olds, with the expertise of Serge Tisseron
The collection “T’inquiète, je gère !” (Don’t worry, I’ve got this!), published by Éditions Hygée, offers illustrated books for lower secondary school pupils, to deliver health and prevention messages on themes that concern them. It relies on collaboration between a children’s author, an expert on the subject and an illustrator.
The first volume, published in collaboration with MIDELCA (the interministerial mission to combat drugs and addictive behaviours), is about screens.
Divided into about fifteen short chapters, this playful and interactive little book makes an excellent basis for discussion between parents and young teenagers.
“Why do we get hooked?”, “What does too much screen time do?”, “Do video games develop the brain?”, “I want to be popular on social media!”, through to “I saw shocking images” and “Is everything on the internet true?”, most of the questions that parents want their children to be aware of are asked straight out. Each time there is an “expert’s opinion”, written in a way that is very accessible to young people, but also tips to help them manage their use better, questions they should ask themselves to pin down their relationship with screens as accurately as possible, and little boxes to spark their curiosity such as: “Can you survive without a smartphone?”, “What is a SMOMBIE?”, “Why respect the age shown on games?”, or “What is cyberbullying?”
At the end of the book there are also many resources on all the themes touching on screens: books, videos, podcasts, websites, games…
The tone is well pitched, and the layout is cheerful and attractive. “Les écrans et moi” avoids the trap of needless and all too often counter-productive alarmism. It prefers pragmatic advice to share as a family.
A small, essential book for building a constructive dialogue with lower secondary school pupils.
PS: for those who don’t know – as I didn’t before reading this book! – a SMOMBIE is a blend of “smartphone” and “zombie”. It refers to pedestrians who walk along the pavement or cross the street while looking at their mobile. It might be simply funny or irritating, but this lack of attention multiplies the risks of accidents!
Medical director of the Hôpital de Jour pour Enfants André Boulloche in Paris, she works more particularly on the relationships young people have with screens, communication with young children, and autism.
