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His high school left his name off the graduation program. He came back with two doctorates, and decades later, a diagnosis of autism and ADHD that explained the whole thing. Now he's written a book for the kids school is still giving up on — and he's giving 2,000 copies to schools, youth programs, and homeschool groups across the Tampa–Sarasota area.

Media inquiries: press@fluffyandflick.com

Phil Weiss lives in Manatee County, Florida, between Tampa and Sarasota, and is available for interviews in person or by Zoom anywhere.

Story angles

• Local author donating 2,000 books to Tampa–Sarasota kids. Phil is giving paperbacks, up to 50 per site, to schools, shelters, youth programs, and homeschool groups in Hillsborough, Manatee, Pinellas, and Sarasota counties. Nominations are open now at philweiss.com/donations; deliveries begin when the print run arrives this winter.
• The kid school gave up on. Phil failed three of his four major subjects in eighth grade and was placed in remedial basic skills. His high school left his name off the graduation program; the school called it a mistake, and his family knew exactly what it was. He went on to earn an MBA and two doctorates, and was diagnosed with autism and ADHD as an adult.
• The backgammon kid. The same year he was failing eighth grade, at fourteen, he was winning sanctioned backgammon tournaments against adults at night. The state tested him for minimum basic skills; the game rated him in master points.
• Twins who weren't supposed to make it. His sons were born three months early at one pound, thirteen ounces each. Doctors warned of blindness or severe brain damage. Both survived, both with learning differences. One is now a paramedic applying to nursing school.
• Testing done right. One son tested at the bottom of the scale in visual memory and near the top in other areas on the same evaluation. School saw the bottom. The family used the whole report to figure out how he learned.
• The pens. For years Phil brought lathes into his sons' school for kids with learning differences and taught every student there to turn their own wooden pen, in wood they chose.
• A book built so the page doesn't fight the kid. Larger type, open lines, short sections, art near every page — accessibility as part of the promise, not decoration.
• He listens to his readers. A ten-year-old reviewer said she sometimes forgot which dog did which thinking move. The new printing has a French flap showing all four dogs and their moves, so a reader can check without hunting.
• Not done yet. As he wrote the book, his wife, both sons, and he were all in treatment for recently diagnosed Lyme disease and the chronic co-infections that come with it — between the four of them, four to nine infections each. The book's last words, "I'm not done yet," are about this.
• Four real dogs, four thinking moves. Sully notices, Baz wonders, Dash tests, Phoebe zooms out. They live in Florida and have opinions about where you sit.

The book

Think Like the D-Squad: Notice. Wonder. Test. Zoom Out. Four real dogs teach kids ages 8 to 12 four thinking moves — Notice, Wonder, Test, and Zoom Out — through stories, mysteries, and five-minute dares. Written and designed for kids who struggle with the page: larger type, open lines, short sections, and art near every page.

Narrated by Dash. Illustrations by Philip Buen. Published by Fluffy & Flick Press, St. Petersburg, Florida.

Paperback (ISBN 979-8-9961649-2-9) and e-book (979-8-9961649-1-2) are available now on Amazon. Hardcover (979-8-9961649-3-6) and trade paperback (979-8-9961649-0-5) editions arrive December 2026.

Reviews

“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.” — The Children’s Book Review

“A well-crafted, thoughtful guide to problem-solving that carves out a place for neurodivergent thinkers both in the classroom and the world beyond.” — IndieReader, 4.8/5, IR Approved

“In this insightful book, Weiss gives young readers a crash course in how thinking works.” — Kirkus Reviews

What kids are saying

“The book's strongest idea is that being wrong can help you get somewhere.” — Riley, age 14, Kids' BookBuzz

“I learned that you can look at a problem in more than one way.” — Nevaeh, age 10, Kids' BookBuzz

“It's aimed at younger readers, but the ideas aren't babyish.” — Riley, age 14, Kids' BookBuzz

Free teacher and family materials — the Four-Dog Field Guide, My Case worksheet, Standards Alignment (Common Core ELA, NGSS, C3, ISTE, AASL), Discussion Questions, 18 dares, and Glossary — are at /downloads.

Read an excerpt.

Bio

Phil Weiss is a children’s author who lives in Manatee County, Florida, between Tampa and Sarasota, with his wife, Kim, and the real D-Squad: Sully, Taz (Baz in the book), Dash, and Phoebe.

Phil Weiss spent thirty-five years in the corporate world and picked up a PhD in international entrepreneurship and a doctorate in innovation and creativity along the way. He failed three subjects in eighth grade and was diagnosed with autism and ADHD as an adult. He and his wife raised twin sons born three months early, both with learning differences; one is now a paramedic. The whole family is in treatment for Lyme disease. Think Like the D-Squad is his first book. He lives in Manatee County, Florida, with his wife of over thirty-two years, Kim, and four dogs who supervise every page.

Questions to ask him

• You failed three subjects in eighth grade and were winning adult backgammon tournaments the same year. How does that happen?
• Your high school left your name off the graduation program. What did that do to you, and what did you do with it?
• Your sons were born at one pound, thirteen ounces. What did the doctors tell you, and what happened instead?
• One son tested at the bottom of the scale in one area and near the top in another on the same evaluation. What did school see, and what did you see?
• Why dogs? And why four?
• Why does the book look different: the type, the spacing, the short sections?
• You're giving away 2,000 books. Why, and where are they going?
• Your whole family is being treated for Lyme disease right now. How does that fit with a book that ends "I'm not done yet"?

The full author’s note

The complete author’s note from the book — the twins, the backgammon, the graduation program, the pens, the Lyme diagnosis, and why the book exists — is on the About page.

Photos

High-resolution photos of the author, the dogs, the book, and family archive images are available on request. Email press@fluffyandflick.com.

Details

• Available to visit schools, libraries, and youth programs in person and by Zoom; media are welcome to attend.
• Book donation program and nominations: /donations
• Partnered with Bookshare to donate the book, so qualifying readers with print disabilities can read it in accessible formats, free for U.S. students.
• Publisher: Fluffy & Flick Press, an imprint of Fluffy & Flick LLC, St. Petersburg, Florida