The Wrong Kid: A Novella: They Took the Wrong Kid. And it Was the Worst Mistake They Ever Made.

By William Bear

The Wrong Kid -
A Gritty Survival Thriller Based on a Nightmare Too Many Kids Have Lived

They meant to abduct someone else.
But when they took Joaquin, they made the biggest mistake of their lives.

Dragged from a sidewalk in broad daylight and locked in the back of a van, 17-year-old Joaquin screams that they've got the wrong kid. No one listens. Mocked and beaten, he's delivered to a brutal "reform" camp in the Arizona desert. A place where kids vanish and no one asks why.

Ridge Canyon Academy isn't about rehabilitation. It's about control, silence, and profit. Joaquin wasn't supposed to be there. He wasn't supposed to survive. But as the truth about the facility and its missing students comes into focus, Joaquin stops trying to escape.
He starts planning to burn it all down.

This fast-paced novel delivers:

A chilling look at America's for-profit youth boot camp industry

A cast of unforgettable characters, from street-smart survivors to abusive staff

A high-stakes story of identity, resistance, and justice

A gut-punch ending that stays with youPerfect for fans of:
The Maze Runner, Holes, The Outsiders, Scared Straight, and real-world expos s like The Troubled Teen Industry.

They took the wrong kid. And it was the worst mistake they ever made.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FJFBVBFG
• ISBN13: 9798293427703
• Release Date: July 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 122 Pages
• Weight: 0.28 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.0" x 8.0"