by Cindy L. Oats (2020)
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Audience: Media & ELA teachers, high school and undergraduate students

This fun and factual text feels more urgent than ever. The book spans the history of fake news, from the Jack the Ripper to Yellow Journalism. But the most pressing portions to tackle with students are the chapters that describe the current media landscape and how to fight back. Highly relatable to any consumer of media, I strongly recommend this as an instructional text. I have developed lessons and activities that accompany the following chapters: Chapter 11: Going Digital, Chapter 12: Fake News Goes Viral, and Chapter 13: Fake News Goes Viral, and Chapter 14: Fake News Takes Over Elections.

by Jer Thorp (2021)
Publisher: MCD Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

Audience: Adult media consumers; a great nonfiction read for literature lovers

Thorp beautifully explores how data shape our world and the systems in which we live and offers us a way to self-reflect on the roles we play in these systems. A coder himself, Thorp’s writing is artful, contemplative, and has me wanting to read more of his work. The icing on this cake is the clean, cool graphic design found in each section divide, making the experience of reading as visual as it is intellectual.

by Julie Smith (2015)
Publisher: Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc.

Audience: ELA teachers and students

This is a great jumping off point for teachers interested in understanding media literacy and its many facets. It has many links to resources and activities that are helpful at teaching media literacy. My only critique is that the book and its references already feel quite dated, since the media landscape changes so rapidly, and so much has evolved and transpired since 2015. An updated edition would be great, especially since many of the references feel very white-centric.

by Jaron Lanier (2018)
Publisher: Picador, Inc.

Audience: All social media users

I realize the irony in promoting this book, since my mission is to help students and organizations elevate their content creation, and I regularly use social media to promote services, performances, and life updates. Nonetheless, this book gives a concise counterclaim that might just convince the reader to step back and take pause at all toxic consequences of these media. It may be time to delete and walk away.

by Erica Dhawan (2021)
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Audience: Entrepreneurs, Businesses, Educational fields

One of the things I speak about with my students is that 93% of communication is nonverbal, and only 7% is verbal. With that in mind, with face to face communication we employ many nonverbal skills and strategies to bolster and deliver our words so they achieve the intended impact. But what happens when we are texting, emailing, or messaging on social media? How can we encode “body language” and tone into our typed messages so that we can get the most out of our professional and personal communication? Erica Dhawan is here to help.