By Juliana Chen, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Cartwheel
This summer, we're doing something a little different.
Cartwheel is partnering with The Anxious Generation — the organization behind Jonathan Haidt's #1 New York Times bestselling book — on a national summer reading challenge designed for students. It's called The Amazing Generation Summer Challenge, and I'm excited about what it could mean for the students and families in your district.
The idea is simple
Over the summer, students read The Amazing Generation — the new book from Jonathan Haidt and Catherine Price, written directly for kids ages 9–12. They try something new offline. And in the fall, they share a short reflection about what it meant to them. A written response, a photo essay, a drawing, a poem — their choice.
We're calling them rebels. Because choosing to do something real over the summer — something that isn't handed to them by an algorithm — takes a little courage. And we want to recognize that.
Every student who participates receives a certificate. Five featured rebels will have their story spotlighted nationally and receive a $100 Bookshop.org gift card. And based on participation and submission quality, Cartwheel will select four standout districts to receive $250 in library funding — plus one grand prize of $1,000.
Why this matters to me
I work with students and families every day, and I hear what they're navigating — the anxiety, the social pressure, the challenges they carry outside of school. I also hear from counselors and student services directors about how hard it is to keep students connected to something meaningful once summer hits.
The Amazing Generation speaks directly to kids about all of this — in a voice that meets them where they are. It's packed with surprising facts, interactive challenges, a mini graphic novel, and real stories from young adults reflecting on their own experiences. A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, it's designed to engage students, not lecture them.
When the opportunity to partner with The Anxious Generation team came together, it felt like a natural fit — a chance to put something genuinely valuable into students' hands before summer, in a way that doesn't add work to an already stretched district staff.
What makes this different
This isn't a curriculum. It's not a program that requires facilitation, scheduling, or summer check-ins. It's a self-guided challenge that districts can plug into what they're already doing — a summer reading list, an end-of-year counselor recommendation, a summer enrichment program, a back-to-school kickoff in the fall.
When you sign up, you'll receive a free digital toolkit so that you can launch this with zero prep time. Here's what's inside:
→ Challenge Overview + Coordinator Guide — Everything your team needs on one page: what the challenge is, how to share it, how reflections get collected in the fall
→ "My Amazing Summer" Student Challenge Card — The card students get with their book. It has the prompt, format options, and a built-in warmup exercise to get them thinking before they create
→ "Rebel Conversations" Discussion Sparks — Six conversation starters I wrote for students to use with friends, family, or a trusted adult. These aren't discussion questions — they're designed to get kids talking honestly about what they noticed in the book and what they want to do about it
→ Parent & Caregiver Letter — Ready to send home, with conversation starters so families can be part of the experience too
→ Games + Activities — Crossword puzzles, a maze, a word search, and a coloring page from The Anxious Generation team — because sometimes the best way to engage with a book is to play with it
→ Discussion Guide + Educator's Guide — For districts that want to go deeper with classroom conversations or a more structured experience (completely optional)
→ Free copies of the book — Limited supply, up to 15 per district. Tell us how you'd share them when you sign up.
Sign up for the challenge to receive the free digital toolkit and request books for your students.
Join the Amazing Generation Webinar on May 1 at 12 PM ET to hear from Alexa Arnold, Executive Director of The Anxious Generation, and me about what students are navigating — and how your district can participate. Register now.
The Anxious Generation started an important conversation about childhood and technology. The Amazing Generation puts that conversation directly into kids' hands. And this challenge gives your district an easy way to be part of it.
We hope you'll join us!
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