Screen Time Research, Book Spotlight, Holiday Promo  /  November 2017


Screen Time and Your Child:
Recent Research
Concerned with effects of screen time on children and finding balance? Check out Jeane Twenge's recent book iGen. Key findings for today's teens based on this detailed research study:
  • Increased screen time correlates with precipitous declines in in-person social activities and overall happiness.
  • Depressive symptoms and feelings of loneliness have skyrocketed since 2007 and correlate with smartphone and social media use.
  • College entrance test scores on focus-related skills such as reading comprehension, writing, and math have declined since 2007 and correlate with increased smartphone use.
Twenge focuses on teens, but any educator or parent can connect the dots and see that healthy habits and balance are built in early childhood. The American Academy of Pediatrics Books Build Connections Toolkit and Recommendations for Children's Media Use underscore the importance of reading aloud as critical to a child's development and well-being. Below are some suggested titles for the holiday season. Happy reading!

- Kathy Balch, BookTree Founder
Book Spotlight: Holiday Themes
Winter Candle, by  Jeron Ashford  and illustrator  Stacey Schuett. An enlightening story of solstice holiday spirit, community, and diversity, for Pre-K and up.

Turk and Runt, by Lisa Wheeler and illustrator  Frank Ansley. A classic Thanksgiving comedy, for ages 3 and up.

A Christmas for Bear, by Bonny Becker and illustrator  Kady MacDonald Denton. An engaging story of friendship and holiday cheer, for ages 3 and up.

Over and Under the Snow, by Kate Messner and illustrator Christopher Silas Neal. An exquisite non-fiction exploration of the natural world, for ages 3 and up.

Ten on the Sled, by Kim Norman and illustrator Liza Woodruff. A playful and adventurous wintertime romp, for ages 1 and up.
Holiday Promotion at Partner Locations!

Special Offer:  Email us  a photo of a receipt for $25 or more from a BookTree partner retail location, and we will email you back a gift certificate for 2 free months of BookTree*. Great stocking-stuffer gift for a family who you think might enjoy trying BookTree!

This promotion is valid for the following neighborhood shops where BookTree members can pick up and return book totes: A Child's Delight (SF Cow Hollow, Corte Madera), Chloe's Closet (SF Bernal Hts, SF Inner Sunset), Memento Press (SF Union Square), Small Frys (SF Noe Valley), Secret Garden (Greenbrae), Toy Crazy (Larkspur), Paper Caper (Burlingame), Adventure Toys (Los Altos), and Cheeky Monkey Toys (Menlo Park).

*Limitations: This is a 2-month free trial, redeemable by families who have never received a BookTree tote and are not currently signed up for BookTree. Limit one redemption per household. Receipt must be for purchase of $25 or more and show a November or December 2017 date. Cannot be combined with other BookTree offers. Offer expires 12/31/17.

BookTree serves over 200 locations in San Francisco, the peninsula from Sunnyvale north, Marin County,
and western Los Angeles County. Have an idea for a location we should serve? Email us!
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