The Series

Big Adventures Begin with Play

A children's book series that helps kids put down electronics, use their imaginations, and rediscover classic games together.

Four children playing hopscotch outdoors, with cacti and a brick wall in the background.
Colorful illustration of a diamond-shaped kite with four different colored sections, flying among two light blue clouds and smaller triangular kites in pink, yellow, purple, and green.

Welcome to Gideon's House

Gideon's Got Games is a children's book series about getting kids away from screens and back to playing together.

At Gideon's house, there are two simple rules: no electronics and no saying "I'm bored."

Gideon and his friends discover classic games that encourage imagination, creativity, friendship, movement, and fun. Each book introduces a different game and gives kids ideas they can take from the story into the real world.

The first adventure is Four Square, with more games and adventures planned for future books.

A person in a black shirt sits on a bed with a black dog, both looking at the camera in a bedroom with a beige wall and a window in the background.
A spiral-shaped orange gummy candy at the center with elongated orange gummies radiating outward, all set against a yellow background.

No electronics

Never say “I'm bored”

A pink, glittery star with a textured surface and glowing outline.

Why Play Matters

The stories celebrate the real skills children build when they create, move, and solve problems together.

Confidence

A lifelong skill strengthened through shared, screen-free adventures.

Friendship

Growing stronger bonds through laughter, play, and unforgettable moments.

Teamwork

Learning to listen, cooperate, and achieve more by playing together.

Creativity

Sparking new ideas through imagination, exploration, and hands-on play.

A digitally edited image of a spiral-shaped mineral or fossil with light blue, white, and faint purple hues on a black background.
A children's book titled "Gideon's Got Games: Four Square" by Lenny Doerfler, featuring an animated boy with blonde hair holding a basketball on a four square court, with a blue sky, clouds, and cacti in the background. The book is displayed next to a sign that says "Available on Amazon.com."
A children's book titled "Gideon's Got Games: Four Square" by Lenny Doerfler, featuring an animated boy with blonde hair holding a basketball on a four square court, with a blue sky, clouds, and cacti in the background. The book is displayed next to a sign that says "Available on Amazon.com."
A colorful illustration of a cube divided into four sections, each labeled with a number from 1 to 4, with a blue dotted outline and vibrant colors inside.

Four Square: The First Adventure

What happens when seven friends turn off the TV and discover the fun of playing together? In Gideon’s Got Games: Four Square, Gideon and his friends bring a classic playground game to life with laughter, creativity, teamwork, and a few silly new rules along the way.

A fun-filled story that inspires kids to put down their screens, get outside, and rediscover the joy of playing together.

BUY THE BOOK ON AMAZON
Illustration of a basketball with orange color and black lines.
Colorful abstract sun design with a spiral center and radiating lines, resembling a stylized sun.