This terrific new book fits in SO many genres! It's dystopian future! It's a mystery! It's a family drama! It has social issues! What more could you ask for? Well, what you also get is a very interesting cast of characters and breakneck pacing. Loved this one and can't wait to put it in my library.

When the Flood hit, the world changed. The Admiralty took over, people moved inland, coastal cities were abandoned and became run-down slums. One of these abandoned cities was home to Will and Annalie. That is, until the Admiralty came looking for their father and they found themselves on a high-seas adventure to find him.

Will and Annalie set out to find Spinner, their father, with no idea where he could be. All they have is his old boat, some ancient tech, and his talking parrot Graham. When Annalie's school fried, Essie, ends up tagging along by accident, she ends up learning a lot of lessons: about the sea, herself, and what it means to be a family. Along the way, the trio becomes a quartet, picking up a stranded former slave named Pod. The four of them survive almost ever type of disaster you can imagine: storms, pirates, run-ins with the Admiralty. Eventually, making it to their destination, the only place they thought Spinner might have gone, the kids discover that you don't always know who you can trust.

This intriguing story of friendship, family, and adventure is perfect for middle grade students, both boys and girls. Some may relate to Will, a boy who doubts himself but feels responsible for the outcome of everything around him. Annalie is an intelligent girl, who is compassionate and would rather let Will think he's running the show than step in and take over even when she knows he's wrong. Essie is in the midst of family turmoil, but would do anything for her best friend. Finally, Pod has never known family, happiness, or security, and when he finds these three things in his new friends he shows true loyalty and love.

The only downside to the book was that I was unsatisfied with the ending. No spoilers here, but I was left wanting more. Thankfully, the next book in the series (The Castle in the Sea) comes out in June, and it is already on my to-read list!

The Flooded Earth is more Young Adult than Middle Grade fiction novel and crosses many genre lines. Set 40 years after a flood devastated the earth, the book takes a new approach to Sci-Fi with Cli-Fi topic of climate change. Twins Annalie and Will race around the country to find their father who ran off and disappeared. The military government who had the means to begin a new government, called the Amiralty runs the boarding school that Annalie was sent to. Back at home Will is living with their father back in the slums. When Annalie is threatened by Amiralty at school, she makes her way back to Will. Along the ride her only friend Essie risks her future at the school by coming with Annalie. The technology Essie uses has a futuristic feel as well, the "shell" is a cell phone but can give a personalized newsfeed and comes with a headset.

The twins take the small boat they stole back after it was confiscated from their father and head solve the mystery of their father's disappearance. The only clue is a series of codes they have to crack. Throughout the dangerous journey, even their "Uncle" turns them away and they do not know who to trust.

When they figure out that their father may have stolen important scientific information, the twins decided to continue on their journey on the run from the Amiralty and the sense of danger they are in multiplies.

I would recommend this book to ages 12+ There is some harsh language that I'm not sure all middle grade readers could handle. I also appreciate the dystopian feel in this novel as I think many more stories bordering on Cli-Fi/Sci-Fi/Dystopian books will start to come out. I look forward to reading the next 2 in the trilogy and think I will like this first one even more.