ALA Booklist

Jed's parents have the unusual habit of dropping him in the middle of nowhere and expecting him to find his way home in a timely manner, with nothing more at his disposal than SPLAGHETTI (Self-Reliance, Perspicacity, Lemons, Artistry, Gregariousness, Heroism, Tenacity, Tuxedos, and Insanity). But none of it is enough to prepare him for his twelfth birthday and his parents' disappearance. A cryptic note, an emergency pack of bottled water and batteries, and a tunnel behind the dishwasher is all he has to find his kidnapped (possibly dead) parents. The tunnel leads to a world where natural resources are mythical, junk falls from the sky, and marauding groups of Dreads mbielike mash-ups of human and mechanical parts nt at a sinister future. Jed's experiences, particularly at the beginning, are frustratingly contentious; as his trip through the rabbit hole progresses, the tone changes from snarky fantasy to menacing dystopia. The book starts as an awfully big adventure but finishes on a grim note of revelation. Prepare for a sequel.

Kirkus Reviews

Searching for his missing parents, a lad finds himself in a world where sky ships sail over oceans not of water, but of heaped-up appliances and other junk.Left with an odd key and a set of even odder instructions ("push every red button you find"), 12-year-old Jed crawls through a tunnel behind the dishwasher from this world to the "junkyard"-a vast rubbish heap in which human scavengers battle swarms of quasi-mechanical "dread" assembled from random bric-a-brac for cans of food and other useful treasures. Armed only with a can opener and cooking skills, both of which are revelations to the junkyard's residents, Jed leverages a berth aboard the flying tugboat Bessie. With his newfound allies, he sets out on a search that takes him through devastating junkstorms and other life-threatening adventures into the clutches of Lyle, the wily, golden, "meat sack"–hating dread king. As it turns out, Jed is not at all the ordinary white boy he had supposed himself but had been spirited from the junkyard as a baby and has a central role to play in Lyle's schemes of conquest. And, in the course of a dramatic escape, Jed (literally) unlocks hidden potential of his own-the exact nature of which Bohls leaves to future episodes. A well-wrought debut with enough of a start on both the plot and worldbuilding to leave readers impatient for the follow-up. (Fantasy. 10-13)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

This offbeat debut thrusts 12-year-old Jed Jenkins into an alternate universe where boats fly through the air and wage battle over a vast landscape of junk. Jed-s quirky parents primed him for adventure and survival, having recently dropped him in Yellowstone National Park with -four dollars and a can of orange soda- so that he could race home to Denver for his 12th birthday. He succeeds, but his parents have vanished, leaving behind an iron key, strange wristwatch, emergency backpack, and instructions about traveling to the -junkyard- through a tunnel behind the dishwasher to find his grandfather. Once he arrives, Jed relies on his wits to persuade the grouchy Captain Bog to take him aboard his ship, uses his cooking prowess to earn his keep, encounters mechanical enemy -dreads,- and attempts to find his grandfather. Bohls builds a high-stakes story line, a memorably off-kilter world and a loopy cast of junkyard sailors. Although the story bogs down somewhat during its chaotic middle chapters, the cliffhanger ending will keep readers eager for the next installment in this planned duology. Ages 8-12. Agent: Marisa Corvisiero, Corvisiero Literary. (Dec.)

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6 Jed has returned home after being dropped off alone in Yellowstone National Park and has discovered a keyhole in the back of the dishwasher, which his parents told him about in a note they left behind before vanishing. And all of this on his 12th birthday! Jed has not had an average childhood, and the survival training his parents have put him through serves him well as he reaches the world that emerges from the tunnel in the back of the dishwasher. This dystopian realm of sky ships and floating cities is completely covered in junk. The crew of the ship that picks up Jed is comprised of the usual rowdy band of brigands. Jed's parents have given him very specific instructions that propel him on his quest to find his grandfather and the truth about his identity. The author does not spend a great deal of time on character development, but the variety of quirky personalities are entertaining. The inclusion of the reassembled "dreads," creatures intent on sucking the life out of the "pink sacks" (humans) so that they can use their bodies for parts, is creepy and adds to the tension and pacing. VERDICT A solid futuristic pirate tale with a quest element that fantasy readers will enjoy. The surprising conclusion leaves many questions unanswered; perhaps a sequel will tie up loose ends. John Scott, Friends School of Baltimore