An illustrated guide that teaches anyone — a nine-year-old or their grandparent — how to talk to AI so it actually understands them. Five little steps, one friendly robot named Claudia, and a surprise party that only works if somebody learns how to ask.
A robot can't read your mind. This book teaches you what to tell it.
Sam typed three words — make it better — and got forty exclamation points.
Claudia the robot isn't being difficult. She just can't read minds. And when Pop decides to throw Nana a surprise party for their fiftieth anniversary, Sam and Pop have two weeks to learn the one skill that makes a robot actually useful: how to ask.
Five letters. One word. CLEAR — Context, Length, Examples, Action, Role.
Each chapter teaches one letter through a Claudia comic, a lesson in two voices (big words for kids, a box for grown-ups), and a Try-It page for your own robot. By the last page there's a party in the backyard, a card that sounds exactly like Sam, a robot in a chef's hat — and a fridge-ready cheat sheet you'll reach for every day.
For readers 9 to 99, and anyone who has ever typed help and got a guess.
The Method
The CLEAR method, one letter at a time.
CLEAR is a five-step way to ask an AI for what you actually want. Each chapter teaches one letter, with a Claudia comic that shows what goes wrong without it and what goes right with it.
C
Context
Set the scene.
Tell the robot what's going on — who you are and what you're doing.
Chapter 2
L
Length
Say how big and what shape.
One sentence or a page? A list, a poem or a table? Ask for the size and shape you want.
Chapter 3
E
Examples
Show it one you like.
Don't just tell — show. The robot is a great copycat when you give it something to copy.
Chapter 4
A
Action
Use a strong doing-word.
Write, list, compare, fix, draw. A clear verb gets a clear answer.
Chapter 5
R
Role
Give the robot a hat to wear.
Be a chef. Be a teacher. Same question, different hat, very different help.
Chapter 6
Put it together: Context → Role → Action → Examples → Length. Chapter 7 walks a whole surprise party through all five steps. And one bonus rule goes in the back of the book: the first answer is a draft — keep, change, add or remove.
Inside the Book
Meet the cast.
A robot, a ten-year-old, her grandfather, and the guest of honour. The two-voice design follows the two humans: Sam carries the big-word lessons, and Pop carries the For Grown-Ups boxes.
Claudia
The robot guide. She isn't dumb, and she can't read your mind — tell her CLEARly and she shines.
Sam
About ten years old, and Pop's co-conspirator. She carries the big-word lessons.
Pop
Sam's grandfather. He can barely work the TV, and he carries the For Grown-Ups boxes.
Nana
The guest of honour. Fifty years married to Pop — and about to be surprised.
How It Works
Every chapter works the same way.
Read it
A Claudia comic shows what happens when the ask is vague, and what happens when it's CLEAR.
Learn it
A lesson in two voices: big words for kids, and a For Grown-Ups box that goes one level deeper.
Try it
A Try-It page with fix-this-prompt drills, a fill-in-the-blank template and a real-world challenge for your own robot.
In the Back
A cheat sheet for the fridge.
The CLEAR Cheat Sheet. One tear-out page with all five steps and the templates, ready for the fridge.
Claudia's Golden Rules. Short, funny reminders, including "The first answer is a draft."
Being Kind & Careful. Double-check important facts, keep secrets and passwords private, and ask a grown-up when unsure.
For Parents & Teachers. How to use the book at home or in a classroom, with discussion prompts.
Who It's For
Prompting is a skill kids and grown-ups start on equal footing.
🤖
Kids (9–12)
A funny robot, a secret party and five steps that make an AI give you what you actually asked for.
👨👩👧
Parents
Learn the method alongside your child, and see how a young reader should talk to AI, safely and kindly.
🧓
Grandparents
If you've ever typed "help" and got a guess, Pop's For Grown-Ups boxes were written for you.
🍎
Teachers & Homeschoolers
One letter per chapter, hands-on Try-It pages, and discussion prompts for the classroom.
Release-Day Notification
One short note on release day.
Add your email to be notified when How to Talk to a Robot: The CLEAR Way to Get AI to Understand You arrives on 24 November 2026. Want to hear about the press's other books too — Four Little PIGS, Rosemary & Sage, The Lockout Club, or the adult Bill Cosgrove mysteries? Tick those boxes too. Each option means one short note per release.
Frequently Asked
Quick answers.
When does the book come out?
The release date is 24 November 2026. You can pre-order the eBook on Amazon now, and the paperback is available on release day. Prefer a reminder instead? Sign up above and we'll send you a single message on the day it goes live, with a short link to the book on Amazon.
Where will it be available?
Paperback and eBook are purchased through Amazon. The eBook can be pre-ordered now, and the paperback becomes available on release day. This website links you straight to the Amazon page.
How old does my reader need to be?
The book is written for ages 9–12, and it is just as useful for the grown-ups beside them. The big-word lessons are for kids; the For Grown-Ups boxes go one level deeper. Read it together or on your own.
Do I need a particular AI tool or an account?
No. The book teaches a method, not a product. CLEAR works with any AI chat assistant, and the Try-It pages are written so you can use whichever one you already have. A grown-up should always choose which assistant a young reader uses, and the Being Kind & Careful page covers checking facts, keeping secrets and asking a grown-up when unsure.
Is Claudia a real AI?
No. Claudia is a cartoon robot guide and her own character. Her name is an affectionate nod to the AI assistants people already talk to, and the book is not affiliated with any AI company.
Is this part of a series?
No. How to Talk to a Robot stands on its own, so you don't need to have read anything else first.
Was this book made with AI?
Yes, and the book says so. The author wrote the text with AI assistance, and the illustrations were created with AI image tools. The front of the book explains how it was made, and you can read our full process on the How We Make Our Books page.
Will my email be used for anything else?
No. The notification list is used only to send release notices for the books you select. We do not share, sell, or use it for any other newsletter. Read our full Privacy Policy.
