What do you think?
Rate this book
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, founder of Artificial Integrity—one of the fastest-growing artificial intelligence companies in the state—to give a presentation. Dr. Hatch brings his robot, and events get set in motion that create...THE INCIDENT.
The AI Incident deals with issues like code bias, deep fakes, middle grade friendships, reasonable risk, what constitutes a family, and who "deserves" nice things.
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, founder of Artificial Integrity—one of the fastest-growing artificial intelligence companies in the state—to give a presentation. Dr. Hatch brings his robot, and events get set in motion that create...THE INCIDENT.
The AI Incident deals with issues like code bias, deep fakes, middle grade friendships, reasonable risk, what constitutes a family, and who "deserves" nice things.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published July 8, 2025
5 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
August 2, 2025
Excellent middle grades book that captivated me and my son immediately and explores several compelling themes: AI, obviously, also foster care and adoption, friendship, honesty… highly recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 10, 2025
this was a fun and clever story that mixes school drama with a wild tech twist. i especially appreciated the relevance of the story showing how fast technology is changing and gets kids thinking about how we use it and what happens when it goes too far. perfect for middle grade readers who like mystery, humor, and a little chaos.
thank you @levinequerido @jethomasauthor @angelabookspr for sending me free copies of both the book + audio!
⭐️ 4 stars!!
thank you @levinequerido @jethomasauthor @angelabookspr for sending me free copies of both the book + audio!
⭐️ 4 stars!!
August 10, 2025
The AI aspect is very well done but the gym class subplot felt like it was shoehorned in and didn't sync up with the rest of the story. Overall, I enjoyed this, especially our protagonist's developing relationship with his foster mom, and the audiobook has strong vocal characterizations which make for an easy listen.
Thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook access.
Thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook access.
May 2, 2025
*3.00 stars
Welcome to an official Charlotte’s BookNook book review! Make sure to go follow my YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@charlottes_bookn...) if you haven’t already. I post video reviews and all sorts of clean bookish content! Now let’s get this review started.
Personally, this wasn’t a book I enjoyed a lot. I’m not saying it’s a bad book and I’m not not recommending to you. I am just writing this review to let you know my personal feelings for it.
For me, this book did not feel very engaging and it did not make me want to sit down and read it. I felt like the end of each chapter was supposed to be a cliffhanger moment and keep you wanting to read on, but for me, I always guessed what was going to happen or found it lacking in some area.
I feel like our characters were supposed to be quirky and charming but instead they came off as weird and hard to figure out. I did enjoy the friendships between our characters though. It was sweet.
AI is a big part of our world these days and I like how this book is teaching that an AI cannot do the role of humans. I feel like some of these scenes were great and really got the idea across well, but overall, the execution just wasn’t good enough for me to review this book above a three star.
Other than the whole AI idea, nothing else in this book seemed very unique to me. I kind of guessed what was going to happen to our main character from the beginning. Maybe the story would appeal more to a young boy crowd, but I really wished I was able to enjoy this more because I absolutely love the idea of this book and its fun 80s comic inspired cover. The writing was good, but confusing sometimes. I enjoyed the short chapters, but felt like they did not come together to tell the entire story in a griping way.
3/4 through the book I felt very engaged but then towards the end I was bored again. I found it weird how it had to do with state testing. Personally, I don’t think kids would want to read all about testing, (How it works, how to study, how important it is) especially when they have to do it themselves and I don’t know anyone that really enjoys it. I did enjoy the ending and epilogue of this book though, and it felt like it came together well and I liked how the AI was taught a lesson.
I’m so thankful for the opportunity to have read this book and I think you should definitely check it out for yourself and form your own opinion!
Language: None that I can remember
LGBTQ+: None
Romance: None
Violence: None
Religious Views: None
Authority Roles: the adult teachers have their flaws, but are definitely valued above the AI robot teaching in the classrooms. Malcom’s foster parents are good people.
Welcome to an official Charlotte’s BookNook book review! Make sure to go follow my YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@charlottes_bookn...) if you haven’t already. I post video reviews and all sorts of clean bookish content! Now let’s get this review started.
Personally, this wasn’t a book I enjoyed a lot. I’m not saying it’s a bad book and I’m not not recommending to you. I am just writing this review to let you know my personal feelings for it.
For me, this book did not feel very engaging and it did not make me want to sit down and read it. I felt like the end of each chapter was supposed to be a cliffhanger moment and keep you wanting to read on, but for me, I always guessed what was going to happen or found it lacking in some area.
I feel like our characters were supposed to be quirky and charming but instead they came off as weird and hard to figure out. I did enjoy the friendships between our characters though. It was sweet.
AI is a big part of our world these days and I like how this book is teaching that an AI cannot do the role of humans. I feel like some of these scenes were great and really got the idea across well, but overall, the execution just wasn’t good enough for me to review this book above a three star.
Other than the whole AI idea, nothing else in this book seemed very unique to me. I kind of guessed what was going to happen to our main character from the beginning. Maybe the story would appeal more to a young boy crowd, but I really wished I was able to enjoy this more because I absolutely love the idea of this book and its fun 80s comic inspired cover. The writing was good, but confusing sometimes. I enjoyed the short chapters, but felt like they did not come together to tell the entire story in a griping way.
3/4 through the book I felt very engaged but then towards the end I was bored again. I found it weird how it had to do with state testing. Personally, I don’t think kids would want to read all about testing, (How it works, how to study, how important it is) especially when they have to do it themselves and I don’t know anyone that really enjoys it. I did enjoy the ending and epilogue of this book though, and it felt like it came together well and I liked how the AI was taught a lesson.
I’m so thankful for the opportunity to have read this book and I think you should definitely check it out for yourself and form your own opinion!
Language: None that I can remember
LGBTQ+: None
Romance: None
Violence: None
Religious Views: None
Authority Roles: the adult teachers have their flaws, but are definitely valued above the AI robot teaching in the classrooms. Malcom’s foster parents are good people.
July 8, 2025
Malcolm is turning thirteen soon, which isn't normally anything super special but as a foster kid, he knows that his chances of being adopted and becoming part of a family are about to go down. To make sure he finds a home before that point, he has created a list. But things aren't running smoothly. With nine foster homes under his belt and another new school to deal with, even his best efforts can't save him from soon being marked as a weird kid. That's not helpful for his adoption plans. There is a up-turn, however, as the school decides to bring in an AI named FRANCIS to help improve the general test scores. Malcolm is 'lucky' enough to work with FRANCIS along with his new partner, Tank. What starts as an interesting possibility soon proves to be anything but helpful, and instead, Malcolm finds himself facing all sorts of problems...some thanks to FRANCIS. Slowly, his hopes of adoption drift further and further away.
There are a few topics in this read, which give it an interesting direction with goodness and depth. The first, obviously, is the AI, which hits a current theme in today's world, and one that will, probably, be seeing more attention in future literature because of it. This book takes a peek at it's use in the classroom but shoots off into a bit of science fiction fun as well, which catapults all sorts of surprises in Malcolm's life. It wasn't as deep on this end as I expected but dabs toes into the theme to get those first thought gears turning. The bigger theme in these pages surrounds foster care and adoption as Malcolm struggles with that whole wasp's nest. These pages offer some insights and awaken awareness for that situation, which is also not often handled in middle grade literature. This aspect is pretty well based and brings to light some issues, which aren't always obvious.
Malcolm packs personality and readers will be able to relate to many of his problems, since they slide right into the middle grade category of steering friendships, learning to accept ones self, and even ones surrounding the differences between deserved, needed, and wants. Malcolm's desire to find a family makes him easy to sympathize with and root for, especially when things don't go his way.
The writing fits the age group nicely, and there are more than a few humorous and unexpected twists to keep the plot moving and the situations, for the most part, grabbing. Malcolm is a character to stand behind and easy to relate to as he slides from one situation into the next. There is a hint of quirkiness in some of the characters, which comes across a bit odd, at times, but it also fits well to the audience level. While most of the read flows smoothly, there were a few descriptions and moments that had me quickly skimming...and I'm not sure readers will want to understand the entire testing end. My own kids heard too much of this at their own schools as it was and would rather steer clear from it when reading novels.
All in all, it's a interesting read with silly, middle grade humor, unexpected twists, and enough more serious directions to give a little food for thought.
There are a few topics in this read, which give it an interesting direction with goodness and depth. The first, obviously, is the AI, which hits a current theme in today's world, and one that will, probably, be seeing more attention in future literature because of it. This book takes a peek at it's use in the classroom but shoots off into a bit of science fiction fun as well, which catapults all sorts of surprises in Malcolm's life. It wasn't as deep on this end as I expected but dabs toes into the theme to get those first thought gears turning. The bigger theme in these pages surrounds foster care and adoption as Malcolm struggles with that whole wasp's nest. These pages offer some insights and awaken awareness for that situation, which is also not often handled in middle grade literature. This aspect is pretty well based and brings to light some issues, which aren't always obvious.
Malcolm packs personality and readers will be able to relate to many of his problems, since they slide right into the middle grade category of steering friendships, learning to accept ones self, and even ones surrounding the differences between deserved, needed, and wants. Malcolm's desire to find a family makes him easy to sympathize with and root for, especially when things don't go his way.
The writing fits the age group nicely, and there are more than a few humorous and unexpected twists to keep the plot moving and the situations, for the most part, grabbing. Malcolm is a character to stand behind and easy to relate to as he slides from one situation into the next. There is a hint of quirkiness in some of the characters, which comes across a bit odd, at times, but it also fits well to the audience level. While most of the read flows smoothly, there were a few descriptions and moments that had me quickly skimming...and I'm not sure readers will want to understand the entire testing end. My own kids heard too much of this at their own schools as it was and would rather steer clear from it when reading novels.
All in all, it's a interesting read with silly, middle grade humor, unexpected twists, and enough more serious directions to give a little food for thought.
May 29, 2025
As an eclectic reader, I like to dip into books for all ages. One of my favorite college classes was Children’s Literature, taught in the Library Science Department at LA Tech at my undergraduate school. Later, in my first teaching assignment at MO State University, I taught Children’s Literature in the English Department. I have a young friend who is an avid reader; I enjoy reading books and sharing them with her. The AI Incident by J.E. Thomas is a book I will share with my young friend. Contrary to what Linda McMahon, the current Secretary of Education, thinks, AI does not stand for A1.
Malcolm Montgomery is a foster child who has been in nine homes. Malcolm will soon be thirteen, and he’s convinced that few children are adopted into their forever homes once they are teenagers. Therefore, Malcolm concocts a plan he calls The Checklist. He hopes his plan will help him find his forever home; he adheres as closely as he can to his checklist.
When he enrolls at Shirley Chisholm Charter Middle School, Malcolm is nervous because once more he is not only the new kid, but he is also the foster kid. Malcolm soon discovers that famous tech entrepreneur Dr. Alphonse Hatch will visit the school with his new robot, a super intelligent being. The robot’s name is FRANCIS. FRANCIS is supposed to help the school raise its test scores.
Malcolm and Tank, a misfit, are paired to transport FRANCIS from the principal’s office to the classroom and back again. It is a difficult job because FRANCIS is heavy. Imagine the possibilities for things to go wrong with FRANCIS in a school –or possibly right.
The main focus of the story is Malcolm’s desire to find his forever home. Readers will laugh and cringe at times because of the trouble Malcolm endures. They will also laugh and be glad for Malcolm’s perseverance and perception. The AI Incident is a good story for parents and children to read together.
Malcolm Montgomery is a foster child who has been in nine homes. Malcolm will soon be thirteen, and he’s convinced that few children are adopted into their forever homes once they are teenagers. Therefore, Malcolm concocts a plan he calls The Checklist. He hopes his plan will help him find his forever home; he adheres as closely as he can to his checklist.
When he enrolls at Shirley Chisholm Charter Middle School, Malcolm is nervous because once more he is not only the new kid, but he is also the foster kid. Malcolm soon discovers that famous tech entrepreneur Dr. Alphonse Hatch will visit the school with his new robot, a super intelligent being. The robot’s name is FRANCIS. FRANCIS is supposed to help the school raise its test scores.
Malcolm and Tank, a misfit, are paired to transport FRANCIS from the principal’s office to the classroom and back again. It is a difficult job because FRANCIS is heavy. Imagine the possibilities for things to go wrong with FRANCIS in a school –or possibly right.
The main focus of the story is Malcolm’s desire to find his forever home. Readers will laugh and cringe at times because of the trouble Malcolm endures. They will also laugh and be glad for Malcolm’s perseverance and perception. The AI Incident is a good story for parents and children to read together.
July 12, 2025
𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑨𝑰 𝑰𝑵𝑪𝑰𝑫𝑬𝑵𝑻 𝒃𝒚 𝑱.𝑬. 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒔, graciously #gifted in both ARC & finished copy by @levinequerido and published this week!
This is the second MG book I have read from Thomas, and I love how she incorporates current topics with real world scenarios in 8-12 year old frameworks. This one clearly engages the topics of technology, but even deeper issues are the real story.
Malcolm is a brown-skinned, "size-and-a-half too big" Afro, foster kid who is starting a new school with another temporary foster mom. As a 12-year-old, he is keenly aware of his odds of finding a forever family, so has created a checklist. When a new AI project is announced at his new school, he somewhat reluctantly takes part, and what emerges may threaten more than just the school, but his future as well.
The inner life of this young man is being formed by the decisions made both around and from him. He sees how others act and must process what he will do, based on what he knows is right, and ultimately with the goal of being adopted.
My heart went out to Malcolm in so many ways. As an adult reading this, it was a good reminder of how important young people are and how seemingly small things can make a difference, good or bad.
I would imagine this would be a fantastic way to open up discussions with kids about many topics; some hard.
I was able to add the @recordedbooks audio thanks to @netgalley and I loved that infusion of voices to my experience! Ruffin Prentiss captured middle school angst and complicated adults well. I would think it would be a great addition to younger readers to have both formats like I did.
This is the second MG book I have read from Thomas, and I love how she incorporates current topics with real world scenarios in 8-12 year old frameworks. This one clearly engages the topics of technology, but even deeper issues are the real story.
Malcolm is a brown-skinned, "size-and-a-half too big" Afro, foster kid who is starting a new school with another temporary foster mom. As a 12-year-old, he is keenly aware of his odds of finding a forever family, so has created a checklist. When a new AI project is announced at his new school, he somewhat reluctantly takes part, and what emerges may threaten more than just the school, but his future as well.
The inner life of this young man is being formed by the decisions made both around and from him. He sees how others act and must process what he will do, based on what he knows is right, and ultimately with the goal of being adopted.
My heart went out to Malcolm in so many ways. As an adult reading this, it was a good reminder of how important young people are and how seemingly small things can make a difference, good or bad.
I would imagine this would be a fantastic way to open up discussions with kids about many topics; some hard.
I was able to add the @recordedbooks audio thanks to @netgalley and I loved that infusion of voices to my experience! Ruffin Prentiss captured middle school angst and complicated adults well. I would think it would be a great addition to younger readers to have both formats like I did.
July 16, 2025
Malcolm is getting worried. He’s almost 13, and he knows that any chance of being adopted after that is pretty much nil. He’s been bounced from foster home to foster home since his parents died, but he has a list of things that he should do in order to be adopted, and he’s always researching for more ideas online. For the moment, he lives with Mrs. Betty, and she’s quiet, but OK. His new school is similar to many others, but it’s about to get a big change. The school signed a contract with an AI company to try to increase student scores on the state tests, and part of that is to introduce a robot named Francis to help with instruction and raising scores. Problem is, Francis has plans way beyond that, and Malcolm and his new friend Tank are going to be more involved than either of them ever wanted to be.
This was definitely a cautionary tale about the dangers of AI. I wish I could say it didn’t sound possible, but these days who knows? I really liked Malcolm and his story, and I found that the strongest part of the book. Some of the characters were distinct, but I did get some of the students in the class confused; sometimes they seemed a little interchangeable. I liked Malcolm‘s developing friendship with Tank, as well as his relationship with Mrs. Betty. Thanks to libro.FM for a free educator copy of the audiobook.
This was definitely a cautionary tale about the dangers of AI. I wish I could say it didn’t sound possible, but these days who knows? I really liked Malcolm and his story, and I found that the strongest part of the book. Some of the characters were distinct, but I did get some of the students in the class confused; sometimes they seemed a little interchangeable. I liked Malcolm‘s developing friendship with Tank, as well as his relationship with Mrs. Betty. Thanks to libro.FM for a free educator copy of the audiobook.
July 17, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for the audiobook ARC!
As a reader and educator, I loved the foster care representation. Seeing the world through Malcolm’s eyes as he navigates the pressure of being “the good kid” to earn a forever home was deeply affecting. His story is equal parts funny, vulnerable, and sharply real. The author did an excellent job capturing decisions that may look confusing to the outside world, but Malcolm justifies with his need to walk on eggshells in his quest to be adopted.
The book also offers a great, accessible look at AI in education and raises meaningful questions about standardized testing, equity, and what makes us human. The classroom critique felt especially on point.
💬 Final Take:
The AI Incident is a perfect blend of sci-fi and soul. With humor, heart, and just the right amount of chaos, this story reminds us that the most human thing we can do is care for each other. A great classroom read or audiobook pick for middle grade readers!
As a reader and educator, I loved the foster care representation. Seeing the world through Malcolm’s eyes as he navigates the pressure of being “the good kid” to earn a forever home was deeply affecting. His story is equal parts funny, vulnerable, and sharply real. The author did an excellent job capturing decisions that may look confusing to the outside world, but Malcolm justifies with his need to walk on eggshells in his quest to be adopted.
The book also offers a great, accessible look at AI in education and raises meaningful questions about standardized testing, equity, and what makes us human. The classroom critique felt especially on point.
💬 Final Take:
The AI Incident is a perfect blend of sci-fi and soul. With humor, heart, and just the right amount of chaos, this story reminds us that the most human thing we can do is care for each other. A great classroom read or audiobook pick for middle grade readers!
December 21, 2025
This is mostly about Malcomb's longing to be adopted before he turns 13 and is no longer able to be considered. He is following his own checklist of things to make him desirable--being a good student, never getting angry, not assuming anything in a foster home is his.
Meanwhile, the 7th grade class at his school is targeted by the school board to undergo prep for the state test with an Artificial Intelligence robot. Malcomb and a buddy are the ones who roll it from room to room.
The boys become "friends" with "Francis" who then sends out false information to parents and guardians. What a mess!
Feels a bit more like a teachable moment than a story.
Meanwhile, the 7th grade class at his school is targeted by the school board to undergo prep for the state test with an Artificial Intelligence robot. Malcomb and a buddy are the ones who roll it from room to room.
The boys become "friends" with "Francis" who then sends out false information to parents and guardians. What a mess!
Feels a bit more like a teachable moment than a story.
August 10, 2025
Seventh grader Malcom will be 13 soon, the age past which foster kids are rarely adopted. Just arrived in a new placement with Miss Bettye, Malcolm is trying his best to research how to make himself more adoptable. Can Francis, the new robot the school has contracted to help boost tests scores, also coach Malcolm on how to find a forever family? Recent advances in AI make Francis’s rogue behavior seem worryingly believable. EARC from Edelweiss.
July 25, 2025
2.5 stars rounded up
Interesting book about AI run amok. A teaching robot takes over middle school classes in order to prepare the students for the end of year achievement tests.
Kind of unrealistic in some ways, kind of reeking of possibile-creepiness.
Interesting concepts on friendship, power, integrity.
I can see how Middle-greade kids would like this.
Interesting book about AI run amok. A teaching robot takes over middle school classes in order to prepare the students for the end of year achievement tests.
Kind of unrealistic in some ways, kind of reeking of possibile-creepiness.
Interesting concepts on friendship, power, integrity.
I can see how Middle-greade kids would like this.
September 13, 2025
This was my monthly middle grade book choice for me for August—it took a little longer to get into, but then it started feeling timely and important, and then I just kept rooting for the characters (Tank!! Ms. Bettye! that poor principal), but mostly, I just loved Malcolm. This was a great middle grade read!!!
July 17, 2025
I throughly enjoyed listening to this audiobook on a foster child and AI. It is relevant for middle schoolers as they are beginning to navigate AI in school. Thanks to libro.FM for a free educator copy of the audiobook.
July 29, 2025
Thanks to Libro fm for the ALC
This is definitely going to be a hit with the upper elementary grades. Malcolm is funny and smart, and his story is both interesting and heartwarming. I think kids will really be interested in the robot stuff, and they’ll certainly identify with the test takers.
This is definitely going to be a hit with the upper elementary grades. Malcolm is funny and smart, and his story is both interesting and heartwarming. I think kids will really be interested in the robot stuff, and they’ll certainly identify with the test takers.
January 16, 2026
Love that we’re steering to see middle grade books which encourage our kids to think about AI in depth. Also liked other elements of this story - especially his foster care backstory. Gives readers lots to think about beyond AI, too.
March 30, 2025
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Review to post closer to publication.
Review to post closer to publication.
July 15, 2025
The AI Incident is both timely and a discussion worthy tale. I could definitely see it being used as a read aloud and a great way to introduce these important topics to young people.
October 5, 2025
Good middle years novel about school, friendship, testing, AI, foster homes and adoption.
December 4, 2025
A must-read cautionary tale that feels like Matilda meets 2001 a Space Odyssey as a mg novel.
January 11, 2026
Cute middle school novel about how AI can go so wrong.
December 7, 2025
4.75- This was an enjoyable book. An engaging story about Malcolm, a 12 year-old foster child, who has moved to a new home and new school. Malcolm spends a lot of time and focus on his "Checklist to get Adopted". At school they are preparing for first the Denver state test. Then along comes Frances, an AI robot to the school, who is there to observe the teaching. Soon, Francis wants to do more than observe.
November 1, 2025
J. E. Thomas does it again with heartfelt and humorous stories for middle graders with The AI Incident. Having read and enjoyed Control Freaks, I knew I was in for a treat, and the author did not disappoint. I cared about the characters, and rooted for Malcom and Mrs. Bettye in particular.
The author offers insight into the foster care system and how a school with limited resources might struggle. Plus, the story explores how the education system might utilize and adapt to artificial intelligence, benefits and cautions abound.
Readers and parents with middle schools will undoubtedly enjoy the life lessons and fun characters in The AI Incident.
More book reviews at https://cantinabookclub.com/reviews
The author offers insight into the foster care system and how a school with limited resources might struggle. Plus, the story explores how the education system might utilize and adapt to artificial intelligence, benefits and cautions abound.
Readers and parents with middle schools will undoubtedly enjoy the life lessons and fun characters in The AI Incident.
More book reviews at https://cantinabookclub.com/reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews