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Wonderfy CEO Kei Kawashima's First Book on Learning

On August 29, 2025, Kei Kawashima, CEO of Wonderfy, will release his debut book titled "Nurturing a Child to Think for Themselves: How to Enhance Learning Abilities," published by Discover Twenty One. Kawashima is best known for creating the educational app "Think!Think!", which captivates over three million children worldwide, and for his involvement in bestselling educational materials like "Nazope!" and the production of math Olympiad problems. In his book, he offers insights on how to foster children’s inherent curiosity and problem-solving skills, essential for thriving in the age of AI.

Addressing Parental Concerns

Many parents struggle with their children's seemingly troublesome behaviors: "Isn’t my child always getting into mischief?" or "Why does my child zone out so easily?" Rather than frowning upon these tendencies, Kawashima encourages parents to recognize them as seeds of intellectual potential. His extensive experience in developing educational materials and interacting with over 10,000 children allows him to challenge the prevailing notion that special study methods are necessary for cultivating thinking skills.

The Natural Growth of Children

Kawashima emphasizes that nurturing thinking skills doesn’t require rigorous training. Instead, he proposes that respected views on 'natural growth' can transform parental anxieties about their children’s behaviors into optimistic expectations for their futures. His book includes the following key themes:

1. How to Cultivate Thinking Skills at Home: Guidance from a math and thinking skills expert on practical methods for enhancing a child's cognitive capabilities within their daily environment.
2. Reframing Concerns into Opportunities: A perspective shift helps parents see their child's uncertain behaviors as positive indicators of budding talents.
3. Foundations of Problem-Solving: Understanding thinking skills as the ability to make the best use of existing resources and how to lay that groundwork effectively.
4. Real Learning vs. Exam Preparation: Insights on how to cultivate true academic strength that extends beyond preparation for junior high school entrance exams.

Author's Background

Kawashima, born in 1985 in Kanagawa, graduated from the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Engineering. He initially joined Koyuu Co., Ltd. (Hanamaru Learning Group) in 2011, where he worked in educational support and teacher training, serving children from ages four to university students. In 2014, he founded Wonderfy, developing the successful thinking skills app "Think!Think!", which has since garnered over three million users across 150 countries, winning multiple awards like the Google Play Awards.

Kawashima also took on roles such as problem designer for various international math competitions and served as a lecturer at the University of Tokyo. In July 2025, he contributed to the education supervision and problem design for the globally released app "Pokemon Friends".

Aimed at Transforming Perspectives

In the book, Kawashima shares insights gained from his interactions with thousands of children and their parents, proposing that many parents intuitively grasp the essentials for fostering their child’s natural growth. However, due to overwhelming information and external opinions, this understanding can often get clouded. By altering their perspective slightly, parents can contribute positively to their children's healthy development. The goal is for caregivers to start viewing previously worrying signs as delightful or remarkable traits.

Read Endorsements and Reviews

Kawashima's work has garnered high praise, as seen in endorsements from educational leaders:

• - Masafumi Takahama, founder of Hanamaru Learning Group, lauds the book for its positive reinforcement approach, urging parents to trust their instincts for nurturing their child's intellectual engagement.
• - Haruhisa Imoto, a prominent math teacher, praises Kawashima's methodology, which emphasizes an interconnected learning experience over mere efficiency.

Book Launch Information

• - Title: "Nurturing a Child to Think for Themselves: How to Enhance Learning Abilities"
• - Author: Kei Kawashima
• - Release Date: August 29, 2025, with early Amazon sales on August 26.
• - Format: Paperback
• - Pages: 216
• - Price: 1,870 yen (tax included)
• - ISBN: 978-4-7993-3195-8
• - Publisher: Discover Twenty One
• - Available at bookstores nationwide and online, including Amazon.

With this book, Kawashima aims to inspire confidence in parents and unlock the full potential of their children's learning abilities while preparing them for future challenges.