Malcolm Montgomery s definitely not the luckiest kid. He's been through multiple foster homes, burps when he's nervous, and even though he's just started at a new middle school he's known as the weird kid.  His goal is to find the perfect adoptive family before his next birthday, but that's looking more and more difficult to pull off. When his school invites the head of an AI company to speak his school, Malcolm gets a chance to meet Dr. Alphonse Hatch. As the president of Hatch-Ed, Dr. Hatch is in charge of an AI company that is moving quickly; maybe too quickly. Accompanied by his AI-powered robot, Malcolm is about to experience "The Incident."

The new Middle Grade novel The AI Incident by J.E. Thomas explores what it means to be human while also highlighting the struggles of children in the foster care system. Malcolm's need to constantly watch his step and be as unobtrusive as possible is heartbreaking and entirely understandable. The AI Incident tackles the uncomfortable new world of AI and how it affects schools and the lives of middle schoolers. As this book is written for middle graders, there's no way for J.E. Thomas to capture every dark part of AI's impact. The book does do an incredible job of getting the reader to empathize with Malcolm and see the world through his eyes.

The AI Incident is now available in hardcover, digital, and audiobook.

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.

I appreciate the author's willingness to tackle such a big subject as AI, especially in the medium of a middle grade book. However, the age of the audience means there are important nuances about AI, such as it's horrific detriment to the planet, that get left out. I found the depiction of the kids sweet, but not at all true to life. The thing I loved the most was Malcolm and Mrs. Bettye's story -- it gave a story about the precarity of advancing technology a much needed organic anchor.

I love the representation of family and friendships throughout the story. From the start, Malcolm is determined to be adopted and find his forever family before his birthday. Malcolm’s list of dos and don’ts capture his sense of humor and desperation. The overall tone is lighthearted, but there are emotional moments as the main character rushes to leave the foster care system while juggling new kid status and a malfunctioning robot. Malcolm’s journey is well-written, and his happy ever after well-deserved.