What if Smartphones Were Living, Breathing Creatures? When Maisy gets a monster for her 12th birthday, she couldn't be more excited! After all, the other kids all have their own already. Now she can post, share, and keep up with everything happening online - she just doesn't count on how fast monsters grow, or how tricky they can make school, family life, and friendships! Will she manage to take back control before her monster causes too much trouble? Using fun and colorful imagery, "The Monster in My Pocket" helps kids understand the potential pitfalls of smartphone addiction and overusing social media through relatable metaphors, allowing them to better navigate these technologies once they have access to them. It can also provide parents a jumping-off point for discussing more challenging topics such as cyberbullying, online safety, and mental health issues that can arise as youth become increasingly dependent on connected devices and social media for communication, entertainment, education and self-expression. This book is recommended for: Elementary and middle school-aged kids taking an interest in smartphones and social media - Teachers, counselors, or anyone working with youth who use these technologies - Parents looking to discuss and implement safe, healthy and balanced social media and screen time habits with their children