TALK TO YOUR BOYS - Book Announcement
SO THRILLED to tell you about this new book, which is now available to preorder
Dear readers,
For the last four years, Joanna Schroeder and I have been planning, writing, and editing our book TALK TO YOUR BOYS together. It’s a first book for both of us, and we’ve really poured our hearts and souls into the process of creating it.
So many of you have shown your support along the way, with little “I can’t wait to read this book!” notes, referrals to experts, and speaking opportunities. Some of you even nominated your own sons to be part of the “boy panel” that’s quoted throughout the book. I appreciate all of that enthusiasm and encouragement, and I’m thrilled to get to share the book cover with you today.
You can preorder the book right now! Keep reading to find out why preorders are so important, and get some additional ideas for ways to lend your support. Thank you so much!!!
— Christopher
Introducing TALK TO YOUR BOYS
Here’s the official announcement from our publisher, Workman.
We’re thrilled to share that TALK TO YOUR BOYS, an urgent and practical guide to raising confident and emotionally intelligent young men, will be published on September 9th!
This book is a lifesaving tool designed to help families get better at having crucial but sometimes awkward conversations, with the larger goal of raising men who aren’t hemmed in by outdated ideas of masculinity. Written by parenting journalist Joanna Schroeder and award-winning educator Christopher Pepper, the book focuses on 16 essential and wide‑ranging conversations on mental health, masculinity, sex and relationships, power, violence and guns, bullying, friendship, and more.
It is packed with helpful advice, conversation starters, tips and scripts to help parents navigate the ever‑changing worlds of teenagers with compassion, wisdom, and understanding. The practical and approachable advice in this book is woven together with expert interviews and perspectives from dozens of teen boys with varied backgrounds.
Why You Should Preorder This Book Right Now
Having an official cover means it’s also time for me to start telling you to preorder the book. TALK TO YOUR BOYS comes out on September 9, 2025, so we have some time. And yes, I’m going to remind you to preorder a lot, like probably every week in some small way between now and then. But you can just go right ahead and order it now from Bookshop.org, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million or anywhere you like to buy books.
Preorders, as I’m sure you’ve heard other authors explain, are hugely, hugely important to the success of a book. Let’s talk about why:
Preorders help us reach more families of boys who need support: Preorders indicate to not only booksellers, but also media, magazines, television shows, podcasts, etc. that there is a real need for this book; our boys and their families need us now more than ever, and preorders are a great way to show that there are many people who care about this topic. The more we can demonstrate the need for this book, the more likely we are to get prominent placement in stores and online, more press coverage, and most importantly, wider recognition and visibility, allowing us to more easily reach the families that need this book the most.
Preorders help spur future sales of the book: Preorders are an indication to bookstores and retailers that the book has significant sales potential, so they are more likely to make bigger book purchases up front to ensure they have enough copies available on publication day to meet the demand. Higher preorder numbers can also help us gain recognition on various bestseller lists, which would also, in turn, lead to even more book sales.
Preordering is a great way to support me and my work: It took four years to write this book, but in many ways the finished product reflects a lifetime of learning and building community. Preordering is a great way to continue to show support for this crucial work .
Preorders are gifts to your future self. I can’t tell you how much I love being surprised by a book I ordered 5 months ago once it arrives in my mailbox. It’s a wonderful thing.
But there’s a bigger reason that I care about sales for TALK TO YOUR BOYS. And that is: I care deeply about boys, and I see how many of them are struggling right now. Having lots of boys feeling lonely, disconnected, sad, or angry is not good for those boys or for the rest of our society. This book is our attempt to help with that problem, and its my sincere hope that it will help adults better connect with the teen and tween boys in their lives.
Another way you can support me, Joanna, and TALK TO YOUR BOYS is by suggesting your local library or book club place a preorder. Libraries are so important in terms of access, so suggesting your library preorder a copy is a great way to ensure that access for as many readers as possible. Many even have an easy request form to fill out.
You can let your local bookstore know about your interest in TALK TO YOUR BOYS. Multiple requests for a particular title could lead the bookstore to preorder more copies for their shelves. This is not only a great way to be a good literary citizen by supporting local bookstores, but it’s also a great way to support authors.
I am so grateful for all of your support. Please share this post with all your friends — whether or not they already subscribe! — so that they can learn about this new book. Thank you for sharing this important life moment with me!
Recent Teen Health Today Highlights
No, Don't Show "Adolescence" In Schools
A masculinity researcher is worried that our rush to respond to the Netflix series may produce unexpected consequencesHow To Talk To Teens About Food Without Triggering Eating Disorders
Is it possible to teach about food and nutrition without making people feel bad about themselves or what they eat?I Asked Two Teenagers To Speak On A Giant Stage
Here's what happened next
Yes, Teens Need To Practice Putting On Condoms
This hands-on lesson may not happen at school, but it should happen
If you enjoyed this post, please forward it to someone else who might like it, and click the ❤️ or 🔁 button on this post so more people can discover it on Substack. 🙏🏼
Exciting! Love it
Congrats!