Zed Moonstein Makes a Friend

by Lance Rubin Narrated by Lance Rubin

Overview

Acclaimed author Lance Rubin makes his middle grade debut with a hilariously terrifying, terrifyingly hilarious story of a boy who gets more than he bargained for when he creates an A.I. best friend.

Zed Moonstein is terrible at making friends.

For the most part, though, that's not such a big deal, because Zed has Rishti, his best friend and the only one he needs. They're into the same stuff, they laugh at the same weird jokes, and they love living in MonoTown, the home of MonoLyth, the raddest tech company in the world. Even better, Zed's mom works at MonoLyth, which means they get early access to all the newest devices and apps.

But since middle school started, things have been . . . trickier. Rishti and Zed are in all different classes, and worse, she's made a new, cooler friend that Zed can't seem to compete with. Zed feels left behind, forgotten in a drawer like last year's MonoPhone.

That's when Zed comes across something on his mom's work computer: a top secret new app called MonoFriend. Soon, Zed is chatting with “Matt.” Matt is funny, he's smart, and he knows Zed better than anyone else, even Rishti.

Maybe, Zed thinks, an A.I. best friend can be just as “real” as any other.

Unfortunately, he's about to discover that he's more right than he knows.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"A funny, kid-perfect glimpse into a near-future that’s probably already here." — Gordon Korman, New York Times bestselling author of The Unteachables

“A propulsive friendship thriller, a funny, connective character story, and a warning about the future all rolled into one—Zed Moonstein Makes a Friend is a book you can’t put down and can’t stop thinking about once it’s over. My heart is still racing from this captivating, clever, and deeply human book.”  — Corey Ann Haydu, author of One Jar of Magic and Eventown

“This imaginative and achingly well-observed novel cleverly speculates about how tech companies could profit from the anxiety around middle school friendships. Zed Moonstein Makes a Friend is hilarious, insightful, and more than a little scary.” — Eliot Schrefer, New York Times-bestselling author of the Lost Rainforest series

"Rubin skillfully balances humor, suspense, and emotional insights into the angst and isolation of adolescence, especially in a world where technology is always a tap away. A fast-paced plot, quirky characters, and timely themes address friendship and identity in the digital age." — Kirkus Reviews

"Rubin reflects and magnifies contemporary readers’ experiences navigating the increasing prevalence of artificial intelligence in their everyday lives. At the heart of this fast-paced adventure is Zed’s desire to connect with others; his drive to establish and maintain genuine friendships makes this an enjoyable and profound cautionary tale." — Publishers Weekly

“Inviting consideration of what it really means to live without privacy, Rubin doesn’t hold back about what our near-future IT and AI overlords have in store for us and how much closer and more real friendships can be when the phones are put away.” — Booklist

Kirkus Reviews

2025-05-16
Lonely, awkward Zed Moonstein is growing up in MonoTown, formerly known as Orange Hills and now the tech-obsessed headquarters of the company MonoLyth.

White-presenting Jewish sixth grader Zed’s world revolves around his best (and only) friend, Rishti Ray, who reads South Asian. So when Rishti starts spending time with new friend Caz Rojas, Zed feels abandoned. Desperate for connection, Zed discovers a secret app on his mom’s work server: MonoFriend. Through it, he meets “Matt,” an artificial intelligence presence who seems to understand him better than any real person. But as their friendship deepens, Zed begins to question what it really means to have a friend—and whether Matt is everything he claims to be. The tech-enhanced town, with homes, stores, and schools outfitted with every possible version of AI, plays a driving role in the plot and provides the context for much of the pulse-pounding action. Rubin skillfully balances humor, suspense, and emotional insights into the angst and isolation of adolescence, especially in a world where technology is always a tap away. And although the cautionary message regarding the perils of technology can get a bit heavy-handed, the book poses important questions about the role of AI in our lives, the loss of genuine connection and privacy, and how greed and constant consumption can drive innovation in a dangerous direction.

A fast-paced plot, quirky characters, and timely themes address friendship and identity in the digital age.(Fiction. 8-12)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940193543404
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	08/26/2025
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years