Design thinking prompts students to consider: "I’ve learned it. Now what am I going to do with it?"

2020 Royal Dragonfly First Place Winner, 2020 National Indie Excellence Award Finalist & 2020 American Book Fest Finalist

"It's critically important for Portnoy's argument to get heard at every level--citizens, teachers, and schools of education. She proposes an excitingly different paradigm for meeting the challenge. I'm hoping soon to see my colleagues put it into action!" —Deborah Meier, MacArthur award-winning educator, reformer, and author

"A timely resource that needs to be in every teacher and administrator's hands" —Michael J. Hynes, Superintendent of Schools for the Port Washington School District

"Part teacher, part cognitive scientist, part instructional designer, part historian, part educational futurist. She is the perfect guide to help our schools navigate this uncertain time. Her book is essential reading." —Greg Toppo, author, The Game Believes in You: How Digital Play Can Make Our Kids Smarter

With educators continually pushed toward canned curriculums and standardized testing, Portnoy reminds all those invested in education that there’s a better way to learn: through play.

2021 Book Excellence Award Winner, 2021 Readers Views Winner

“The best informed, most usable, and best-written book on games and learning we now have for educators, teachers and parents.” – James Paul Gee, “What Video Games Have to Teach Us about Learning and Literacy

Portnoy does a wonderful job emphasizing the importance of play in learning and how we need to ensure that we are addressing equity in terms of play."– Steve Isaacs, teacher, game design and development, Bernards Township Public Schools

“Portnoy brilliantly shows us why and how to bring play’s power into classrooms through games. The lessons learned in games are limitless. Fun and learning coincide. — Peter Gray, Free to Learn: Why Releasing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, and Better Students for Life