series arc 5: the growing up
years
ARC 5: GROWING UP YEARS
Books 25-29 | Ages 12-13
Harold navigates the complexities of adolescence: technology, mental health, identity, and discovering who he's becoming.
BOOK 25: HAROLD'S AI ANXIETY
Theme: Artificial Intelligence & Human Value
Harold discovers AI and is amazed—then terrified. If AI can write essays and create art, what's the point of human creativity? Will there be jobs for his generation? Does anything he creates matter? When he uses AI to write an essay and gets caught, it becomes his wake-up call. He learns that AI is powerful at computation, but what makes humans uniquely valuable is thinking, creating, connecting, and caring. He can use AI as a tool, but human meaning-making is fundamentally human.
What Harold Learns: AI is a tool. What makes you valuable can't be automated.
Key Scene: Harold realizing that the AI-generated essay taught him nothing and created nothing—he just became a middleman between a prompt and a machine.
Character Growth: Harold develops perspective on AI and deepens his understanding of human value.
Sneak Peek: "AI can do amazing things. But what Harold discovers is that some things are only valuable when humans do them."
BOOK 26: HAROLD'S FRIENDSHIP FRICTION
Theme: Relationships Evolving & Accepting Change
Harold and Murphy have been inseparable. But they're developing different interests. Less in common. Less time together. Harold fears the friendship is ending. Rather than letting it drift, they have a real conversation. They acknowledge the changes, the sadness, but also the reality that friendship has transformed rather than ended. They model what healthy friendship evolution looks like—it changes shape but remains genuine.
What Harold Learns: Growing apart doesn't mean friendship failed. It means it's changing.
Key Scene: Harold and Murphy having the hard conversation and both breaking down, then making peace with the new reality of their friendship.
Character Growth: Harold learns to accept change and to maintain connection in different forms.
Sneak Peek: "Harold and Murphy have been best friends forever. But growing up means growing apart—and that's not the end of the story."
BOOK 27: HAROLD'S ANXIETY ADVENTURE
Theme: Mental Health & Seeking Help
Harold develops anxiety symptoms and is ashamed. He thinks anxiety means weakness. When his mom brings him to therapy, he's terrified and embarrassed. But through therapy, he learns that anxiety is treatable, and that seeking help is the brave thing to do. His fear of therapy transforms into gratitude. He learns that vulnerability is strength.
What Harold Learns: Mental health is health. Seeking help is brave. Therapy works.
Key Scene: Harold's first therapy session where he's terrified, and his therapist normalizing everything he's feeling.
Character Growth: Harold learns that vulnerability is strength and that asking for help is one of the bravest things you can do.
Sneak Peek: "Harold's anxiety is overwhelming. But what he discovers in therapy will change everything."
BOOK 28: HAROLD'S CHANGE CHALLENGE
Theme: Puberty & Self-Acceptance
Harold's body is changing. He's growing taller, his voice is cracking, everything feels awkward and permanent. He feels hyperaware and mortified. But through conversations with his parents, he learns that puberty is universal, temporary, and normal. His body is healthy. What feels extreme and permanent right now is actually temporary. Understanding this helps him move from shame toward acceptance.
What Harold Learns: Puberty is universal, temporary, and normal. You will adjust.
Key Scene: Harold freaking out about his changing body and his parents laughing (kindly) and reminding him that they went through this too.
Character Growth: Harold moves from embarrassment toward body acceptance and confidence.
Sneak Peek: "Harold's body is changing in ways that mortify him. But he's about to learn something that makes it all make sense."
BOOK 29: HAROLD'S FUTURE FOCUS
Theme: Dreams, Goals & Defining Success
Adults keep asking: "What do you want to be?" Harold panics because he doesn't know. Everyone else seems certain. Through conversations with trusted adults, Harold shifts from trying to pick a career to exploring his values. What matters to him? What kind of person does he want to be? He doesn't need the whole future planned. He needs direction based on values. And that's enough.
What Harold Learns: You don't need the whole life planned. Direction based on values is enough.
Key Scene: Harold realizing that he doesn't need to know his entire future—he just needs to know what he values and let that guide him.
Character Growth: Harold learns that wisdom includes accepting uncertainty and that personal values are better than external expectations.
Sneak Peek: "Everyone keeps asking what Harold wants to be. But Harold's about to discover that's the wrong question."
READER RECOMMENDATIONS
Reading Order: The Harold series is designed to be read sequentially. Each book stands alone, but the character development and thematic progression are strongest when read in order.
For First-Time Readers: Start with Book 1. You'll fall in love with Harold and won't be able to stop.
For Parents: Each book is designed to be a conversation starter with your child. The topics are age-appropriate and meaningful.
For Educators: Each arc aligns with grade levels and developmental stages. The books integrate seamlessly with social-emotional learning curricula.
Pacing Options:
2-3 books per month — Balanced with other reading
1 book per month — Allows deeper discussion and processing
Sequential over school year — One per month aligns with school calendars
WANT MORE WITH EACH BOOK?
Join Harold's Circle of Friends for:
Exclusive monthly guides for deeper discussions
Author letters sharing the "why" behind each book
Activity ideas and reflection prompts
A community of readers, parents, and educators
Early access to new books
READY TO START READING?
Harold is waiting. And he's about to teach you something you didn't know you needed to learn.