100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿

Auckland Bookstore open Saturday & Sunday 🎉 Don't forget Father's Day is next weekend 📅

Screen Smart Children

A guide to helping kids thrive in a world that never switches off
Brief Description
Whether you’re a parent or teacher, this is your guide to raising capable, compassionate and tech-wise kids in a hyperconnected age.In a world where screens dominate childhood in both classrooms and bedrooms, many parents feel overwhelmed. Are devices stealing attention, empathy and imagination from our children?... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
Save 11% Off
Savings are calculated from our regular price of $28.00 compared to the current price of $25.00.
$2500
Elsewhere:
$3500
On Sale
in Book Hero's Moving Sale until 31 Aug or while stocks last
OVERNIGHT NZ-WIDE DELIVERY

Found a better price? Request a price match

A guide to helping kids thrive in a world that never switches off

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Whether you’re a parent or teacher, this is your guide to raising capable, compassionate and tech-wise kids in a hyperconnected age.

In a world where screens dominate childhood in both classrooms and bedrooms, many parents feel overwhelmed. Are devices stealing attention, empathy and imagination from our children? Or can they be part of a healthy, balanced life?

Internationally acclaimed neuroscientist Dr Mark Williams and award-winning educator Gavin McCormack team up for this book. They draw on decades of cutting-edge brain research and real-world classroom experience to reveal how screen exposure is rewiring young minds.

Packed with relatable stories, practical tools and science-backed strategies, this book offers a roadmap for guiding children toward healthy tech habits, deeper focus and genuine human connection, without banning screens or battling over devices. In it you will:

  •  Understand the impact of technology and screens on children’s development.
  •  Learn how to reduce the risks of overexposure to screens.
  • Gain tools to support mental health and wellbeing across the whole family.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781761639715

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 28 January 2026

Country: Australia

Imprint: Simon & Schuster Australia

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 153.0mm

Height: 216.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 256

About the Author

Dr Mark A Williams is an internationally recognised professor of cognitive neuroscience, with more than 25 years’ experience conducting behavioural and brain imaging research focusing on our social skills. He has taught the fundamentals of neuroscience to a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as publishing more than 70 scientific articles. Mark has been awarded numerous high-profile fellowships and grants and worked both at MIT in the USA and at universities in Australia. Dr Mark A Williams is an international expert on the neuroscience of screen time, whose research has informed school policies and sparked global conversations about banning digital devices in classrooms. Gavin McCormack is the co-founder of Upschool.co, a platform that inspires children to develop real-world skills and take action that creates genuine impact. With more than 25 years of experience in education – including a decade as a trained Montessori teacher – Gavin has taught in classrooms across the globe and championed innovative, purposeful learning. He is the Montessori Australia Ambassador, a TEDx speaker, and the author of numerous children’s books, including a biography of legendary Liverpool manager Sir Kenny Dalglish. Gavin has built schools, libraries, and teacher training centres in Nepal and was recently awarded the 2024 Outstanding Global Contribution to Education Award at the GESS Awards in Dubai. For the past five consecutive years, he has been recognised by The Educator magazine as one of Australia’s Most Influential Educators.

Also by Gavin McCormack

View all
  • Raising Resilient Children
    A life-changing 7-step programme for parents who are struggling to help their kids navigate today's complex world, written by one of Australia's most influential teachers. As school refusal, mental health struggles and social challenges in the playground continue to rise, trailblazing teacher Gavin McCormack is redefining what it means to receive a good education. They say it takes a village...
    Paperback
    $4199
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

More from Parenting & Family

View all
  • Raising Human Beings
    Raising Human Beings by Dr. Ross W. Greene, renowned child psychologist and bestselling author of Lost at School and The Explosive Child, presents a transformative approach to parenting that helps foster strong parent-child relationships while nurturing key traits such as empathy, honesty, resilience, and independence. This insightful guide is not only a manual for good parenting but also a roadmap...
    Paperback
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Buy to Win
    Dad, I Want to Hear Your Story (Expanded Edition)
    Honour his legacy with the greatest gift of all—his story. The Official Hear Your Story Collection Your dad's story is more than just memories—it's a journey filled with wisdom, experiences, and defining moments that shaped his life. Dad, I Want to Hear Your Story is a guided journal that gives him the chance to share those stories in his own...
    Paperback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Modern Dad
    New Release
    The Modern Dad
    A love letter to modern fatherhood and being a stay-at-home dad by one of NZ's most popular storytellers. Louis Davis (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua) is one of Aotearoa's most popular storytellers, with a combined global audience of three million people tuning in to see his heartfelt and funny videos about fatherhood, fishing, and whānau life. But even with three young children—and...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Mum, I Want to Hear Your Story
    Give Your Mum a Beautiful Gift of Legacy, Love, and Lasting Memories Mum, I Want to Hear Your Story is the fun and delightful way for you to discover everything from your mother's childhood memories to the profound turning points in her life. Featuring specially selected questions in an easy-to-use layout, each intentional section gives Mum a place to share...
    Paperback
    $2099
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Things I Told My Notes App
    The candid, laugh-out-loud guide on self-love and learning to choose yourself from a self-proclaimed oversharer—perfect for fans of Dolly Alderton's Everything I Know About Love. A relatable, honest and inspiring collection of inside thoughts about love, life, and personal growth—the good, the bad, the laugh-out-loud funny—from viral storyteller and queen of oversharing, Milly Goldsmith. Milly has captured the online hearts...
    Hardback
    Sold Out
  • The Explosive Child [Sixth Edition]
    The Explosive Child by Ross W. Greene, PhD, now in its revised and updated sixth edition, delves deeply into a revolutionary, research-based approach to understanding and parenting children who frequently display severe fits of temper and other challenging behaviours. Penned by a distinguished clinician and pioneer in addressing the needs of children with social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties, this ground-breaking...
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $3299
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • The Whole-Brain Child: 12 revolutionary strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind
    Are you often left bewildered by your child's outbursts or stubborn behaviour? Do you find it challenging to understand why they seem to act irrationally? The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind by esteemed neuropsychiatrist Daniel J. Siegel and parenting expert Tina Payne Bryson provides enlightening answers to these common parenting dilemmas. This groundbreaking and...
    Paperback
    $2800
    Elsewhere:
    $3500
    Backorder
    Ships mid September
  • How To Talk So Little Kids Will Listen
    How do you respond to the toddler who won't brush his teeth? The five-year old who pinches the baby? The child who throws everything she can reach? Well, parenting experts Joanna Faber and Julie King have the answers, and are here to help. Part of the internationally bestselling How to Talk... parenting series, this user-friendly guide provides insights and tried-and-tested...
    Paperback
    $2799
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Matrescence
    A revelatory account of the transition into motherhood and how it affects the mind, brain and body A New Statesman and Daily Mail Book of the Year During pregnancy, childbirth, and early motherhood, women undergo a far-reaching physiological and psychological metamorphosis. There is no other time in a human's life course that entails such dramatic change—other than adolescence. And yet,...
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    Backorder
    Ships mid September
  • Why Men Love Bitches
    Why Men Love Bitches by Sherry Argov is an eye-opening and empowering guide for women who are ready to transform their dating and relationship habits. This insightful book delves into the dynamics of male-female relationships and teaches women how to embrace their inner strength, confidence, and independence to attract and keep the man they desire. Avoiding conventional advice, Argov offers...
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $4300
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • On Sale
    17% off
    Grandmother, I Want to Hear Your Story (Expanded Edition)
    The best gift you can give to Grandma is the chance to share her story. The Official Hear Your Story Collection Grandmother, I Want to Hear Your Story is a treasured space for your grandmother to capture her life's journey, creating a lasting legacy for your family. Within these pages lies the opportunity to explore who she is—her experiences, her...
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • We're Pregnant! The First Time Dad's Pregnancy Handbook
    Become an excellent first-time dad and a supportive partner with this go-to guide to fatherhood! Or get the perfect Father's Day gift for any dad-to-be! Being a great dad doesn't mean being perfect; it means participating in the experience with empathy and confidence. From the basics of pregnancy, to designing a birthing plan to tips on being helpful and supportive...
    Paperback
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships Monday

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.