Choice Carnival: A Story About Choices, Mistakes, and How Minds Really Work

The Choice Carnival has arrived in town - and every ride, game, and prize is designed to test how children make decisions.

Twelve-year-old twins Lila and Leo enter a mysterious carnival led by the purple-suited Professor Ponder, a strange guide who believes the best way to learn is by making magnificent mistakes. As the twins move through the carnival, they face games and challenges that reveal the hidden forces behind everyday choices: temptation, loss aversion, overconfidence, comparison, fairness, risk, reward, and the fear of missing out.

At first, the carnival seems like pure fun. But each attraction teaches Lila and Leo that choices are rarely as simple as they appear. A prize may not be worth the cost. A "sure thing" may not be so sure. A bargain may not really be a bargain. And sometimes the hardest choice is walking away.

Professor Ponder's Academy of Magnificent Mistakes: The Choice Carnival is a funny, thoughtful children's chapter book for ages 8-12 that introduces young readers to behavioral economics, decision-making, and critical thinking through an entertaining adventure.

It is ideal for curious readers, parents, teachers, homeschool families, and anyone who wants children to become sharper thinkers in a world full of choices.