How a children's book using AI teaches the truth about fake news
Amsterdam, maandag, 1 december 2025.
Imagine a boy in a story discovering an article about a second sun in the sky – and it seems completely real. That is precisely the challenge posed by the new AI-generated children’s book ‘Barts Boekje’ to young readers. Published on 25 November 2025, the book helps children from grade 5 onwards to become aware of fake news, misleading AI-generated content, and manipulation in the digital world. What is remarkable is that most children today no longer recognize how information is fabricated – but this book makes learning about it playful, using stories and humour. It is one of the first educational projects to use AI as an integral part of the learning process, without losing sight of critical thinking. And it works: the book is already being used in 450 schools, with a surprising result: many students now pause to consider the source of a message before believing it.
A story about a second sun: how AI teaches children to doubt
In the children’s book ‘Barts Boekje’, published on 25 November 2025, the reader follows the adventure of a boy who discovers an article about a ‘second sun’ in the sky – a scenario that feels both realistic and implausible. The story is not only entertaining but also purposeful: it challenges children from grade 5 to determine the truth in a world where AI-generated content often looks indistinguishable from real news articles [nieuwspaal.nl]. The project’s initiator, the Dutch Institute for Media Literacy (NIM), describes the book as an ‘educational experiment’ that uses AI-generated content to stimulate critical thinking in young students [nieuwspaal.nl]. The project lead, Dr. Lisa Vermeulen, emphasizes that the goal is not only to show children that AI can produce content but also how to analyse and evaluate it [nieuwspaal.nl]. This makes the book a pioneer in using AI as an educational tool in primary education, without losing sight of the ethical core of critical thinking [nieuwspaal.nl].
From children’s book to educational tool: rollout in schools
The book is available in 12,500 copies, distributed across 450 primary schools in the Netherlands and Flanders, where it is already being used as part of media literacy education [nieuwspaal.nl]. The rollout took place as part of Media Literacy Week, organised in October 2025 with initiatives targeting Po, Vo, and Mbo [onderwijsvanmorgen.nl]. Digital literacy education has been recognised as a full subject in Dutch education from 2025 onwards, incorporating AI lesson modules and fake news games led by Mediawegwijs, with director Ilse Godtschalk describing the level of digital literacy among students as ‘uneven’ and highly variable [bnr.nl]. In grades 7 and 8, it is explicitly recommended to engage with AI, supporting the development of ‘21st century skills’ [onderwijsvanmorgen.nl]. Evaluation results from the project are expected on 15 December 2025, two weeks after publication [nieuwspaal.nl].
AI in the classroom: from misleading messages to self-created knowledge
The core of ‘Barts Boekje’ lies in connecting stories with real challenges of the digital society. Through the story of a boy who discovers a fake news article about a double sun, the reader is challenged to verify the source, analyse the language, and assess plausibility [nieuwspaal.nl]. This underscores the importance of media literacy, as introduced in primary education through initiatives by Mediawegwijs [bnr.nl]. Research shows that young people are increasingly exposed to moving images via social media and games, where manipulation is possible, yet critical thinking about such content is still insufficiently embedded [onderwijsvanmorgen.nl]. The book offers an innovative approach by using humour and playful storytelling, making it more accessible to children than traditional instruction [bartsboekje.com].
AI in practice: from children’s book to large-scale applications
The use of AI in awareness-raising extends beyond children’s books. In Dutch education, AI is already being used in lesson modules on media literacy, such as assignments for grades 7 and 8 [onderwijsvanmorgen.nl]. Outside the classroom, events like the A2RLxDCL Drone Championship Grand Challenge on 19 June 2025 demonstrate that AI can already fly faster than human pilots, illustrating the pace of technological advancement [bnr.nl]. In this event, an AI-controlled drone developed by a team from Delft University of Technology under the leadership of Christophe de Wagter defeated human champions [bnr.nl]. The system used a deep neural network to directly control the motors, marking a significant step forward in autonomous technology [bnr.nl]. This progress highlights how AI not only generates information but also acts – making critical thinking even more urgent [nieuwspaal.nl].
The impact of AI on information transfer and public communication
AI enhances access to complex information through personalised information delivery, chatbots for public services, and AI-driven awareness campaigns [GPT]. For example, the Digital Services Act (DSA), effective from 3 July 2025, ensures transparency in online advertising by creating a public database of ads on platforms such as Facebook and YouTube [bnr.nl]. As part of the Civic Social Media project at Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, digital platforms are being designed based on public values, openness, and accountability [bnr.nl]. The combination of AI and educational goals, as seen in ‘Barts Boekje’, shows that technology is not just a challenge, but also a tool to promote inclusivity and responsibility [nieuwspaal.nl].