Jessica Speer is an award-winning author and a regular media contributor, sharing expertise on parenting, friendship, screen time, mindfulness, mental health, and social-emotional development.

BFF or NRF BOOK ACCOLADES
- FINALIST: 2022 Kids Book Choice Awards (Best Non-Prose Book)
- WINNER: 2021 Royal Dragonfly Book Award (Children’s Activity Book)
- READING MIDDLE GRADE: 10 Best Middle Grade Fiction and Non-Fiction Pairings
- SCBWI’s Impact and Legacy Fund’s Ten Books that Address Meanness (January 2024)

MIDDLE SCHOOL BOOK ACCOLADES
- WINNER: 2023 Purple Dragonfly Book Award (School Issues Category)
- FINALIST: 2023 Colorado Book Award (Juvenile Literature)
- STARRED BOOK REVIEW: ETrain Talks Book Podcast and Review
- SCBWI’s Impact and Legacy Fund’s Ten Books that Address Bullying (December 2023)

THE PHONE BOOK ACCOLADES
- WINNER: 2023-25 Librarian Favorites Award
- SILVER MEDAL: 2025 Moonbeam Book Award (Nonfiction Chapter Book)
- WINNER: 2025 Purple Dragonfly Award (Educational Book Category)
- NOMINEE: 2024 READING THE WEST AWARD (Young Readers Category)
- E TRAIN BOOK REVIEW: Good Morning TV
- IMAGINATION SOUP: 2023 Best Kids Nonfiction Books

BROADCASTS – TV
NBC BOSTON: Technology Tips: How to Model Healthy Tech Habits for Kids
ABC NEWS: Why Kids Friendships Are Important
FOX NEWS: Colorado Author Dives Into the Minds of Middle Schoolers
BROADCASTS – PODCASTS
THE CHILDREN’S BOOK REVIEW PODCAST: The Phone Book
MOMS OF TWEENS AND TEENS PODCAST: How to Support Your Middle Schooler Navigate Cliques, Friendships & the Weird Stuff
DR. SHERYL ZIEGLER’S PODCOUCH: The Phone Book
BRAINY MOMS PODCAST: Problems with Friends? Help Your Daughter Navigate Difficult Friendships, and How Parents and Preteens Can Navigate Technology Together
SINGLE PARENT RESET PODCAST: Navigating the Middle School Years, Girls Friendships in the Tween/Teen Years
HEALTHY SCREEN HABITS PODCAST: Congratulations on Your First Phone
DADS MAKING A DIFFERENCE PODCAST: Middle School and Devices – Setting Kids Up For Success
THE SJ CHILDS SHOW: Purposeful Parenting
HEALTHY U PODCAST: Friendship Truths to Guide Your Social World
IMPERFECT LOVE WITH DR. CARLA MANLY: Crafting Healthy Friendships at Every Stage in Life
KNOW THEM, BE THEM, RAISE THEM PODCAST: Grappling with Girl Friendships and Tackling Tricky Friendship Scenarios
REAL LIFE MOMZ: While Middle School is So Tricky, Exploring the Impact of Phones and Social Media
BROADCASTS – MORE PODCASTS
DEAR NINA PODCAST: What if My Kid is Not Interested in Pursuing a Friendship?
WEEK BY WEEK PODCAST: Social Boundaries, Friendship, and Trust
GET WRITING PODCAST: Finding Your People
THE PUBERTY PROF PODCAST: Navigating Friendship During the Preteen Years
PARENTING AND BONDING THROUGH CHILDREN’S BOOKS: Interview with Jessica Speer
THE PEACEFUL PARENTING PODCAST: Helping Your Kids Navigate Friendship
FATHERING TOGETHER PODCAST: Learning About Girls Friendships with Jessica Speer
LOVE RAISING US: Healthy Friendships and Surviving Middle School
HELPING FAMILIES BE HAPPY PODCAST: Understanding Preteen Friendships & BFF or NRF (Not Really Friends)?, Smartphones and Kids
ARTICLES
AUTHORITY MAGAZINE: How to Raise Children Who Feel Loved and Connected and Raising Children With Healthy Social Media & Digital Media Habits
RAISING TEENS TODAY: The Perfect Storm: Why Girls’ Social Struggles Peak in Adolescence, Why Middle School Is Just Plain Hard
PARENTING TWEENS & TEENS: Why Popularity is So Important in Middle School and How to Navigate It, Six Ways to Foster Healthy Phone Habits with Teens
CYBERWISE: Advertising and Algorithms: Conversations that Help Kids Become Informed Digital Consumers
IMAGINATION SOUP: Have You Had These 2 Conversations About Digital Literacy With Your Kids?
DENVER LIFE MAGAZINE: Helpful Hints for Middle Schoolers
US NEWS & WORLD REPORT: Mindfulness Activities for Kids
TINY BEANS: Why Dining Together is Good For Your Family’s Health, Blaming Vs. Giving the Benefit of the Doubt, Yes, Sexting Happens in Middle School – How to Talk to Kids About It, Mean or Bullying? Helping Kids Understand the Difference, Tattling vs. Reporting, Helping Kids Re-Enter Their Post Pandemic Social World
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL-TEEN LIBRARY TOOLBOX: Why Girls’ Social Struggles Intensify During Adolescence and The Inspiration Behind BFF or NRF (Not Really Friends) , A Deep Dive Into Middle School and Help Kids and Teens Be Informed Digital Consumers
THRIVE GLOBAL: Back-to-School, Back-to-Friendships, Three Magic Phrases to Connect With Your Kids
SMART SOCIAL: How Sexting Can Damage a Student’s Reputation, Future or Lead to Lawsuits, The Negative Effects of Social Media on Mental Health
FAMILIUS: Helping Kids Manage Emotions (video), How to Support Your Kids Through Friendship Struggles, Back to School and Friendships, Behind the Book BFF or NRF (Not Really Friends), Is it Mean or Bullying Behavior?, Why Girls Social Struggles Intensify in Adolescence, How a Growth Mindset Benefits Kids’ Social-Emotional Development, Practicing Kindness and Boundaries