Teaching others to critically think

September 2025

I’ve got some AWESOME updates this month! I’m leading with one of them and giving you the rest below, so stick around to get more fun news!!

Very excited to announce that Shad Hadid, the hero of my first book series, is getting a comic!

I wrote a wonderful story for the upcoming first issue of Hullaballoo, a new comic magazine for kids ages 8-13. Please back this project on Kickstarter because I do believe it’ll be helpful in fostering reading among kids!

Can you spot Shad Hadid below? 👀

Teaching others to critically think

Now to the essay of the month. . .

It seems every newsletter lately has carried hints of the same flavor, in which I note the world is a mess, both here at home and elsewhere. Then I go on to write a monologue about it, occasionally offering an idea of how best to navigate the times.

If you expected that to change now. . . well, buckle up because the world’s still a mess and I have more thoughts. In fact, I’m just getting started!

In the wake of recent political violence, there’s been a suppression of free speech. Even teachers themselves are being told not to engage with students. To avoid discussing these topics, despite what the kids wanted, for fear of retaliation. Indeed, when I attended a wonderful meeting of The Maine Council of English Teachers, an organization of which I’m on the board, the sentiment was a matter of discussion and concern.

But without discussing topics that can be difficult and collectively wrestling with them, how can we foster critical thinking?

Let’s take a second to note that this lack of critical thinking is the problem that has led the world here, after all. Without critical thinking, there’s no parsing out lies from truth. No being aware of propaganda, which sows division and manipulates the population.

So, returning to the topic at hand, not being able to teach kids critical thinking means they’ll grow up to be. . . well, the adults who are responsible for the problems we face today.

And let’s be clear that this is a problem furthered by addictive social media, clickbait news, and other symptoms of an unchecked capitalist system. Yet what’s there to do about all of the above? With book banning, censorship, and the fact that none of the aforementioned issues seemingly going away, maybe there’s nothing to do.

Or maybe we can get a little clever about our approach.

Where I’ve landed on all this is that, in order to resist the steady decline of critical thought, as a society, is to approach imparting it in a new light. I personally won’t stop engaging directly on the most difficult subjects, but I’m fortunate enough not to be tethered to any institution or under any requirement that demands silence. Even still, there may be times—like with the pressure towards silence many are facing today—that, perhaps, we shy away from direct discussion of a particular issue.

This is where the new approach comes in. The stealth approach. To subtly foster critical thinking, train it like a muscle. Engage with your audience on a series of unrelated topics meant to force them to think and think deeply. The more they build that muscle, the better equipped they’ll be to engage with the world critically. That includes putting thought into the exact topic you’ve had to avoid, and seeing through the repression and distraction obscuring it.

Books do this, by the way. You may read a novel about a magical school and end up being challenged to think about who deserves to be at that school. Or there may be a story about war and you’ll have to confront if there are any good guys, uncovering that things aren’t always black and white. In reading about characters, we’re developing the empathy to think critically about how they are who they are, and in turn can apply that deeper level of thought to other arenas of life.

In conclusion, this month I want to challenge you to play the long game. Many folks aren’t as privileged to have the critical thinking skills you do, and we do have a responsibility to spread this gift. Be sneaky about it if you need to, and help others build that muscle over time.

Our future may depend on it.

Author updates

September has been a busy month, and it’s not even over yet. . .

One little thing that I already know will be a literary highlight, however, is having my book shouted out by someone I respect.

Last time I got a shout out, it was in a James Patterson book. Now, Rick Riordan of the Percy Jackson novels offered some love to both my Shad Hadid and Bashir Boutros series, which is pretty neat!

In other news, I got to sign a bunch of books at my favorite Maine-based book event, the Bath Book Bash! Check out some of the highlights from that below!

Thanks for sticking with me for another newsletter. Please continue to read books (including my own), follow me for more info, whether here or on my Instagram page, and critically think about pressing issues. Heck, if you can, get involved with some groups working to address critical issues like saving Palestine or pushing for better healthcare for all.

You are the future, and together, we can make this place a whole lot better for everyone ❤️