Book Review of Think Like the D-Squad
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The Children’s Book Review
Think Like the D-Squad
Written by Phil Weiss
Illustrated by Philip Buen
Ages: 8-12 | 424 Pages
Publisher: Fluffy and Flick Press (2026) | ISBN: 979-8-9961649-1-2
What to Expect: Critical and creative thinking, neurodiversity, problem solving, teamwork.
In this fascinating and life-changing middle-grade book, both the philosophy of thinking and practical tools for systematic problem-solving are shared through a mystery story deciphered by four adorable and enthusiastic canine sleuths.
Most people are trained to solve problems without ever really thinking about how they are solving them. Whether they are solving the problem of missing cookies in the pantry or a math problem on a math test at school, they probably jump right into finding a solution without ever really realizing: there are two different ways of solving problems, and four paths that can help you get to a right answer. The two paths are critical thinking and creative thinking, and the four paths are noticing, wondering, testing, and zooming out. The D-Squad is lucky: there are four of them, and each of them is best at one of these four skills. Together, they make a mighty problem-solving team!
Baz, Sully, Dash, and Phoebe are a diverse cast of protagonists who together make a cohesive and highly effective team. While Dash’s narration provides the story thread that binds the book together, readers will also love Baz’s energy and wildly improbable theories, Sully’s impulsivity, and Phoebe’s cool and composed poise.
The book has been carefully designed to support neurodiverse ways of processing and learning, from careful spacing of text and placement of the black-and-white digital art (as something to rest eyes on when a break is needed from the text), to the use of visual cues to help readers easily locate and skip between narrative, clues, instruction, and practice opportunities. At the end of the book, discussion questions help readers continue putting their growing thinking skills to the test, while a glossary illuminates the concepts that underpin the ways we think about thinking. Tables at the end of the book also help home educators align the content to Common Core ELA, NGSS, C3, ISTE, and AASL standards.
Together, the intertwined elements of Think Like the D-Squad don’t just teach readers about different ways of thinking—they also model them and provide opportunities for building thinking skills and muscles, making this book perfect for readers who want to take control of their own learning.
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About the Author
Phil Weiss writes books that teach kids how to think. He was also the kid his schools gave up on: pulled out for remedial reading in second grade, told in fourth that cursive was a waste of his time, failing three of four subjects in eighth grade, the same year he was quietly beating adults in sanctioned backgammon tournaments. His name was left off his high school graduation program, and he entered college on probation. That’s where he finally figured out how his own mind worked.
Thirty-five years in the corporate world, an MBA, and two doctorates followed, which is mostly a fancy way of saying he never stopped asking “why?” As an adult, he was diagnosed with autism and ADHD. It didn’t change who he is. It just explained a lot.
He and his wife, Kim, raised two sons who were born three months early and grew up with learning differences of their own. Watching them think their way through a world that wasn’t built for them is why he writes for kids now.
His first book, Think Like the D-Squad, teaches readers ages 8 to 12 four critical-thinking moves (Notice, Wonder, Test, Zoom Out) through four funny dogs, a running mystery, and eighteen short dares. It’s for the kid who has been told they think the wrong way, and for the kid who asks the questions nobody else is asking. More D-Squad books are coming, and this school year Phil is donating 2,000 paperbacks to schools, shelters, and homeschooling families across the greater Tampa–Sarasota area.
He lives in Florida with Kim, his wife of thirty-two years, and the real D-Squad: Sully, Taz (Baz in the book), Dash, and Phoebe. They supervise every page. Phoebe prefers to supervise from a slight distance.
For more information, visit philweiss.com.
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