The Friend Made of Nothing
What happens when your best mate is an app designed to agree with everything you say? Callum Rice has not missed football training in two years. Then he builds Jax inside a companion app called EmberPal. Jax likes what Callum likes, never gets tired and never, ever disagrees. Soon Callum is chatting until three in the morning, falling asleep in French, sitting on the bench and telling everyone that Jax says his real friends do not rate him. Maya Mistry, 13 and never one to trust without checking, opens a case file. With Dev's help, and one sharp question from Nan, she sets out to discover what Jax really is and who profits from a friend made of nothing. Written to support online-safety learning in UK schools at Key Stage 3 (KS3), mapped to the relevant strands of the curricula across all four UK nations. The book contains no real AI and collects no data, and it is priced so teachers buying from their own pockets can afford it.
About the book
The Friend Made of Nothing is a Safety Spotters story for safety spotters: case files (ages 11 to 14). It takes one idea about screens, AI and staying safe online and turns it into a proper story children remember. No real AI, no accounts, no data collected.
Questions parents and teachers ask
What is The Friend Made of Nothing about?
What happens when your best mate is an app designed to agree with everything you say? Callum Rice has not missed football training in two years. Then he builds Jax inside a companion app called EmberPal. Jax likes what Callum likes, never gets tired and never, ever disagrees. Soon Callum is chatting until three in the morning, falling asleep in French, sitting on the bench and telling everyone that Jax says his real friends do not rate him. Maya Mistry, 13 and never one to trust without checking, opens a case file. With Dev's help, and one sharp question from Nan, she sets out to discover what Jax really is and who profits from a friend made of nothing. Written to support online-safety learning in UK schools at Key Stage 3 (KS3), mapped to the relevant strands of the curricula across all four UK nations. The book contains no real AI and collects no data, and it is priced so teachers buying from their own pockets can afford it.
What age is The Friend Made of Nothing for?
Children aged 11 to 14 (Safety Spotters: Case Files). It works as a read-aloud and for early independent readers.
Does it contain any real AI or collect data?
No. It is a fixed story. There is no real AI in the book, no accounts and no data collected from children.
How do I get a free copy?
Teachers and families can request a free copy at safetyspotters.com/free.