Better questions. Brighter ideas.
Thinking skills young readers can use the moment they need them.
Three illustrated books by Kit Harlow for situations children and teenagers run into: confident claims, AI that sounds certain, online pressure, and working out what a friendship owes you.
The problem these books were written for
Young people have plenty of information. What they need is a way to work out what to believe.
A clip can be edited, a voice imitated, a claim repeated across every feed a child opens. The old thinking skills of evidence, logic, probability, source checking and self-control are how a young reader keeps up.
A method you can disagree with
The books show a reader how to work out what to make of an app, a claim or a relationship, and say plainly that you may disagree with the characters.
Short enough to remember
The THINK method is five moves a reader can run through in about five seconds, and every chapter follows the same five-part shape. Each method is built to be recalled in the moment something is happening.
Written for two readers
A young person gets a practical move. The adult next to them gets to understand what’s going on, and what to say when they’re told something difficult.
The series
Three books, three different problems
Each one stands alone. Start wherever the question is loudest.
Paperback & KindleAges 8–14
Think Smarter
A Kid’s Guide to Logic, Fake News, AI, Social Media & Better Decisions
Every day, kids meet confident claims, viral clips, sponsored posts, AI-generated answers, group pressure, and choices that feel urgent. Think Smarter gives them 30 case files, starting with an app that promises to double your grades in a week, and a five-move THINK method they can use under pressure.
Paperback & KindleAges 12–17
Think Smarter About AI
A Teen and Parent Guide to Privacy, Deepfakes, AI Friends, Schoolwork & Staying in Control
AI can answer homework questions, imitate a familiar voice, offer friendship, generate convincing images, and collect more personal information than families realize.
Paperback availableAges 8–18, in three sections
Dating for Preteens and Teens
Friendship, feelings, boundaries, and respect
You don’t need to be dating to use this book. You don’t need a crush, a partner, or a label. Friendship, personal space, kindness, and asking for help matter whether you date now, later, or never.
Free printables
Take something home before you buy anything
Printables pulled straight from the books: the method card, the family AI agreement, a first-hour checklist and thirty conversation starters.
The THINK Method Card
Five moves, one card, stuck to the fridge.
Get it free Printable, fill-inThe Family AI Agreement
The conversation most families keep meaning to have.
Get it free Printable checklistThe First Hour Checklist
For the hour when nobody can think straight.
Get it free Printable questions30 Conversation Starters
Questions that survive a car journey.
Get it freeFree and reviewed regularly
Think Smarter About Scams
Plain-language warnings for the calls, texts, copied websites, voice impersonations and urgent requests reaching North American families.
Every entry explains the story, what the scammer wants, and how to check before acting.
One habit for every scam
- Pause. Give yourself a moment.
- Disconnect. End the call or stop replying.
- Verify. Use a saved number or official app.
“Critical thinking is not about teaching children to doubt everything. It is about helping them know what deserves trust, what deserves checking, and what deserves more time.”
Kit Harlow, from the opening pages of Think Smarter
The listFree download
Get the THINK Method card
Two printable cards on one sheet: the five THINK moves and the five-second habit. Join the list and it’s yours; you’ll also hear first when the dating book is ready.Free to print, and yours without leaving an address.
Open the printable directly. No email address required.
Questions
Before you choose one
Do the books need to be read in order?
No. They’re three separate books for three different situations, and each stands alone. Think Smarter is the broadest starting point if you want one book for a younger reader.
What ages are they actually for?
Think Smarter is written for ages 8–14. Think Smarter About AI is for ages 12–17 and is built to be read by a teen and an adult together. The dating book has three reader sections (ages 8–12, 13–15 and 16–18) plus a separate caregiver guide.
Are these religious or political books?
No. They teach a method for thinking and a set of boundaries, and they deliberately avoid presenting one correct life path.
Can I use them with a class or a library group?
Yes. That’s what the discussion tools at the back are for. There’s a free ten-session classroom guide in the free resources, and the educators page covers bulk enquiries.
Is there an ebook?
Yes, for two of the three. Think Smarter and Think Smarter About AI are on Kindle. The dating book is print only for now, because its heavily illustrated interior is laid out for a 7 × 10 inch page. Get on the list if you want to hear when that changes.
Will the AI book date quickly?
It’s written to avoid that. The chapters are about categories of behaviour rather than particular products.