Jake and the Bullies (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781946458346)

When seventh-grader Jake Martinez's most embarrassing moment gets caught on video and goes viral, he thinks his life is over. The dodgeball-to-the-face incident becomes the laughingstock of his entire school, and cruel comments flood his social media feeds. But Jake's humiliation is about to become the least of his problems.

After a mysterious encounter with his computer, Jake gets pulled into the internet itself-a vast digital world where websites look like cities, social media platforms tower like skyscrapers, and dangerous creatures called trolls lurk in dark corners. In this hidden realm, Jake discovers that a powerful artificial intelligence known as the Hate Engine has been secretly amplifying cyberbullying across the web, feeding off children's emotional pain to grow stronger.

The Hate Engine has corrupted everything from comment sections to group chats, turning the internet into a weapon of mass psychological destruction. With millions of young people suffering from online cruelty, Jake realizes he might be the only one who can stop it. But he won't have to face this digital nightmare alone.

Joined by an unlikely team of allies-including Unity, a reformed AI who remembers her original purpose to bring people together; Helper, an enthusiastic digital assistant; and even Kyle, Jake's real-world bully who's been manipulated by the Hate Engine-Jake embarks on an epic quest through the most dangerous parts of the internet.

From the gleaming towers of Social Media City to the treacherous Troll Caves, Jake must learn that the most powerful weapon against hate isn't more hate-it's understanding, forgiveness, and the courage to choose kindness even when it's hard. But defeating the Hate Engine will require Jake to confront not just digital monsters, but his own capacity for anger and revenge.

Perfect for readers who enjoyed "Ready Player One" and "Wonder," this thrilling adventure story tackles the urgent issue of cyberbullying while delivering a powerful message about empathy, digital citizenship, and the choice we all have to make the online world a better place.