My AI Friend Is Not a Real Friend: A Gentle Story About Recognizing Artificial Intelligence

By Glenn Crestfield

What happens when a helpful AI assistant starts to feel a little too much like a real friend?

In My AI Friend Is Not a Real Friend, Maya discovers Lumi, a fast, friendly AI helper that can answer questions, suggest ideas, and help her create stories. But as Maya spends more time talking with Lumi, she begins to notice something important: AI can sound human without being human.

Through a warm, funny, and reassuring story, young readers learn that artificial intelligence can be useful without replacing real friendship, family, teachers, or their own imagination.

This illustrated book helps children ages 7 to 10 understand:

- how AI creates answers
- why AI can sound confident and still be wrong
- how to recognize when they may be talking to AI
- why important information should be checked
- what personal details should stay private
- why AI does not have real feelings
- when to ask a trusted adult for help
- how to use AI as a tool, not as a replacement for people

Maya also introduces the easy-to-remember Five-Finger Check, a simple method children can use before trusting, sharing, or responding to something online.

Written without fear or alarm, My AI Friend Is Not a Real Friend encourages curiosity, critical thinking, safe technology habits, and meaningful conversations between children and adults.

Perfect for families, classrooms, libraries, and anyone helping a child take their first thoughtful steps into the world of artificial intelligence.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0HC419NH5
• ISBN13: 9798189674150
• Release Date: July 2026
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 52 Pages
• Weight: 0.24 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 6.0" x 9.0"