The AI Incident
The AI Incident
The Wild Robot meets Restart when Colorado's unluckiest foster kid battles a rogue AI robot at school.
Malcolm Montgomery is the new kid at Shirley Chisholm Charter Middle School. In no time at all, he’s been slapped with the weird kid label. Is it because he's a foster kid who's been in nine homes? Or maybe because he burps when he gets nervous…which is often? Malcolm has a plan to finally get adopted by a forever family before it's too late. But then on Visiting Professionals' Day, his school invites Dr. Alphonse Hatch, president of Hatch-ED—one of the fastest-growing artificial intelligence companies in the state—to give a presentation. Dr. Hatch brings his AI-powered robot, and events get set in motion that create...THE INCIDENT.
An irresistible MG novel about the role of AI in schools and in our lives…and what it means to be human.
pRAISE
"Thomas dishes up a diverse cast of complex, (mostly) likeable children and grown-ups, expertly showing relationships in flux while steering events to satisfying resolutions that leave her protagonist with new friends and the real prospect of a much-desired 'forever home.' The perils of replacing live teaching with AI instruction get a good, brisk airing too." — Booklist
“Poignant and humorous… nuanced and realistic… A complex and entertaining look at AI and human relationships.” – Kirkus Reviews
“Beneath the madcap plotline of this AI-focused adventure by Thomas lies a touching story about belonging and overcoming obstacles... [a] potent portrayal of human vulnerability as a necessary component in personal and relational development.” — Publishers Weekly
J.E. Thomas grew up near Colorado’s Front Range mountains. She spent her early summers stuffing grocery bags with books at the local library, reading feverishly, then repeating the process week after week. J.E. has bachelors’ degrees in Mass Communications and Political Science, as well as a master’s degree in Public Communications. Her first book, Control Freaks, was a People Magazine Summer Must-Read and a "Best of the Best" pick by the Black Caucus of the ALA.
Author residence: Denver, CO
Type: Middle Grade
Pages: 256
Format: Hardcover (Trade)
Publication: 07/08/2025
ISBN: 9781646145089
