A glowing doorway numbered 359 opens onto a neon-lit NYC street at night
Prospera Books · Launching Sept 22, 2026

Eight kids nobody trusted.
One room everyone forgot.
Secrets the school was hiding

Accidental Tribes book cover, illustrated teen with headphones surrounded by portraits of the other seven characters

A funny, sharp, illustrated YA mystery about eight defiant teenagers, one last chance, and the truths they were never supposed to uncover. For readers 13–18.
Perfect for fans of One of Us Is Lying and Truly Devious

Pre-Order Before Sept 22Read the first chapters free →
Best-selling author  Cartier Women's Award winner  PA Committee of Public and Private Schools
Accidental Tribes book cover, illustrated teen with headphones surrounded by portraits of the other seven characters
5.0

Original, exceptional, and a riveting read from start to finish. The kind that keeps young readers fully engaged from beginning to end

Midwest Book Review

5.0

Fast-paced and compelling — perfect for teens who want fiction grounded in the realities of the twenty-first-century

The Children’s Book Review

Social media addiction

THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO PROVE THEY COULD  CHANGE

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Instead, they uncovered something the school had been trying to bury

After a week of hacked grades, viral games, AI-generated humiliation, secret parties, and anonymous accounts, eight teenagers are sent to a forgotten classroom called Solitaria.

They aren't friends. Some are enemies. Some are facing expulsion. Others may be headed toward juvenile detention.

Their last chance is Experiment 359, a thirty-day test designed to prove they can change. But Solitaria gives them something nobody expected:

The trail of an unsolved death, stolen funds, lies, threats, and secrets the adults around them would rather keep buried

Meet the Unlucky 8

They weren't friends. Some were enemies. They were a collision of misfit teenagers nobody wanted anywhere near

Leo, illustrated in profile wearing a hoodie with an earbud

Leo

Jamie, illustrated with curly orange hair looking to the side

Jamie

Dev, illustrated with blue hair holding a phone

Dev

Nia, illustrated with curly hair, resting her chin on her hand

Nia

Antoni, illustrated in glasses holding up a phone

Antoni

David, illustrated with orange hair and glasses

David

Patty, illustrated with a curly bob, glasses raised, holding a phone

Patty

Sami, illustrated with brown wavy hair and a backpack

Sami

From our Teen Advance Reader Council

Early readers are talking

I like how you described the tribe's friendship through how forests connect. I wish I could meet all the characters and learn more about their stories

A., 16 years old

I had never thought of people as portals before. This part of the book made me stop and think about people around me

L., 17 years old

I'd probably stand on a table and start yelling for people to focus if I were at Solitaria. I felt for Leo. Losing your dad is really hard

M., 12 years old

The book is amazing. Every part was amazing and shocking. I want to have a deep talk with Patty about everything

A., 13 years old

I felt part of the story when Nia says that happiness doesn't have to be constant. And I didn't know these were serious infractions. I see people doing them all the time... Good to know!

E., 14 years old

Definitely relatable! And lots of funny things and plot twists. I also like the imagery of the scenes a lot. It's powerful

N., 15 years old

Being trapped inside is indeed something we teenagers would do because of our screens... I felt especially connected to Jamie, because I often feel my voice is not heard

A., 12 years old

Patty's video message spoke directly to me. The book gives school vibes

M., 13 years old

ya thriller books

Who's who in Accidental Tribes

Who is Leo in Accidental Tribes?

Leo grieved a father no one could replace.

Who is Jamie?

Jamie is a child prodigy who hid inside code.

Who is Dev?

Dev built worlds he couldn't control.

Who is Nia?

Nia believed every broken system could be fixed.

Who is Antoni?

Antoni performed a self he barely understood.

Who is David?

David turned life into notes.

Who is Patty?

Patty turned popularity into a weapon, bullying dressed as belonging.

Who is Sami?

Sami laughed before anyone asked.




Eight reasons to end up in Solitaria
One mystery none of them could solve alone

Facts About Parental Control and Family Management

Teens aren't broken. The rules are hidden

1

A device isn't just a device — it's their best friends, community, information pipeline, and a future beyond geography and class

2

The most valuable thing technology takes from them isn't data. Attention is the currency

3

Teens are not meant to be a passive consumer of the future. They are meant to be its authors. Creators 

A story teens want to read. A conversation adults desperately need to have

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What are early readers saying about Accidental Tribes?

Reviewed by educators, authors, and teens before publication

An engaging story that gets young readers thinking and talking about courage, belonging, and choices that shape us
CC Charlotte Porsche CastellTeacher & TFA Fellow
This book is bold, heartfelt, and unforgettable. You've built something truly special
AS Angela Yuriko SmithAward-winning writer, President, Horror Writers Association
Accidental Tribes reminds us that true learning revolves around ourselves and our peers, and cannot be legislated from the outside
JM Dr. James McCabeThe Story Doctor, British Council Millennium Award

What is Accidental Tribes about?

Accidental Tribes is a YA mystery about eight defiant teenagers — all facing expulsion or worse — sent to a forgotten classroom called Solitaria. In an engaging way, the author brings to YA readers the realities of social media dangers for kids

For Teachers & Librarians

What can teachers use to discuss AI and identity with students?

  • Accidental Tribes turns the issues students are living through now into story:
  • AI and online identity
  • Cyberbullying and social status
  • Gaming and digital attention
  • Belonging and peer pressure
  • Grief, forgiveness and second chances
  • Digital citizenship and media literacy
  • Free educator materials included
GET THE FREE EDUCATOR GUIDE
For Readers

Enter the Story. Inside Accidental Tribes

  • Reader Q&A: the questions the book leaves open
  • The short quests you can do yourself
  • The "consumer to creator" toolkit
  • Complete Experiment 359
  • Send messages to your  favorite (or least favorite) characters
  • Decipher the mysteries of Accidental Tribes
  • Influence the Series
  • Decide what happens next
LIVE ON SEPT 22

UnBoxMe Dialogues

The conversation the book started, continued

UnBoxMe, founded by author C.S. Pascoal is a global community of philosophers, researchers, innovators, and authors confronting the questions technology alone cannot answer. Join the conversation

Listen to UnBoxMe Dialogues

ONE BOOK FOR YOUR TEEN. MORE BOOKS FOR TEENS WHO NEED THEM

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Classroom

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Accidental Tribes book cover, illustrated teen with headphones surrounded by portraits of the other seven characters
Candice S. Pascoal, author of Accidental Tribes, in a white suit against a teal background

Meet the author

Candice S. Pascoal

Who wrote Accidental Tribes?

She tells teens what Big Tech won't

C.S. Pascoal is an award-winning Tech for Good innovator, bestselling author, and New York City mother who has spent her career working at the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, and social impact

She serves on the PA Committee of the United Nations International School and received the Cartier Women's Initiative Award for her work as a founder

Accidental Tribes grew from a question she could not stop asking: How do we prepare teenagers to live inside a technological world without letting that world decide who they become?

PA Committee, United Nations International SchoolFormer Board Member PS 267 Founder · UnBoxMe Founder · AlfredusFounder · Kickante

What began as detention became a crime story nobody signed up for

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Quick answers

Inside Accidental Tribes

What does Accidental Tribes teach about AI and identity?

It explores what happens when technology can alter grades, create convincing fakes, shape reputations, and blur the line between who someone is and who the internet says they are. The book asks teens to think critically about identity, attention, and authorship in an AI-driven world

Is Accidental Tribes about cyberbullying?

Partly. Cyberbullying is one thread, but the story goes further into anonymous accounts, social status, gaming culture, digital humiliation, manipulation, and the pressure to perform online. It shows how harm can hide inside ordinary teen digital life

Who should read Accidental Tribes?

Readers ages 13–18, especially fans of One of Us Is Lying and Truly Devious, as well as teens who like mysteries about friendship, belonging, technology, secrets, and people who do not fit neatly into one group

What are the eight characters' core conflicts?

Each arrives in Solitaria carrying something different: grief, isolation, control, perfectionism, idealism, performance, manipulation, or humor used as armor. Their conflicts are what divide them at first, and eventually what force them to understand one another

Is there educational material for teachers?

Yes. Free educator materials, discussion guides, reader activities, and tools are available to help classrooms explore digital citizenship, AI, belonging, identity, peer pressure, media literacy, and the choices teens make online and offline

When does Accidental Tribes launch?

Accidental Tribes launches on September 22, 2026 with distribution by IngramSpark and Amazon

What are some of the most influential books that reflect the world today?

Books that hold a mirror to how teens actually live now, online and off, are some of the most important stories being told. Accidental Tribes is one of them, following eight teenagers whose grades, friendships, and reputations are shaped by AI, algorithms, and the digital world they can't opt out of

Which books could help parents and teachers dealing with defiant teenagers?

Accidental Tribes is one to reach for. It follows eight teenagers labeled as troublemakers and shows the grief, pressure, and fear behind their defiance. Free educator material on the website, including discussion guides and reader activities, gives parents and teachers real tools to open conversations about belonging, identity, and emotions

What are some recommended resources for understanding social media dangers for kids?

Accidental Tribes has been rated by teenagers, teachers, and parents as an ideal resource for understanding social media dangers, including anonymous accounts, algorithm-driven attention, AI-generated fakes, and the pressure to perform online. It also shows what technology gives teens: connection, community, and a creative voice