Set 40 years after a flood that ravages most of the earth, this series starter finds two twins on an epic adventure at sea. Will's biggest problem was having his twin, Annalie, across the country at an elite Admiralty school, until strange men show up at the house. With the house ransacked and his father gone, Will is determined to find answers no matter the risk. After a corrupt Admiralty agent shows up at school, Annalie takes off to help her brother set sail on their father's boat. As they chart the treacherous waters to the Moon Islands, the danger they encounter is real; they struggle to outrun Admiralty agents, stay ahead of pirates, and trust each other. McConnochie covers serious topics prevalent today through the journeys of four kids who provide touches of innocence in this gritty world, each with their own tragedies and obstacles that they turn to one another for help overcoming. A bright adventure that touches upon a range of intense themes, from climate change to the refugee crisis.

In a futuristic world suffering the effects of a catastrophic flood, twins Annalie and Will set sail in search of their father after agents of the dictatorial Admiralty come looking for him. McConnochie creates memorable images of abandoned waterfront communities and effectively develops technical and governing structures. The plot-driven adventure is deepened by interactions and revelations that shape the characters.

A high-seas adventure stars 12-year-old twins Will and Annalie, who seek their missing father in a flooded, post-ecological-collapse world.This trilogy opener, first published in Australia as Quest of the Sunfish (2016), begins in the slums of a coastal city 40 years after the Flood that reshaped global geography and politics. Will loves sailing and working in the workshop with their dad, Spinner, while Annalie is more bookish and is the first kid from Lowtown with a scholarship to her prestigious school. Neither knows of anything hinky about Spinner, so they're both shocked when Spinner takes off moments before intruders trash the workshop. Annalie, accompanied by Essie, her only school friend, escapes from school and sneaks home to help. It seems as though Spinner's on the run from the Admiralty that rules most of the post-Flood world, and the kids aren't safe. The three children and a cyborg parrot with augmented intelligence set out on the Sunfish to find Spinner. As is typical of the cli-fi genre, McConnochie explores current-world issues within her adventure. Climate refugees and strict immigration laws have created a permanent underclass and a human trafficking problem, which privileged Essie begins to understand when the adventurers are joined by a starving former slave boy. Racial descriptors are few; naming conventions will have readers imagining the principals as mixed-race or Asian.Despite the post-disaster setting, an exciting and old-fashioned sailboat quest with pirates, secret codes, storms, and cannibals. (Science fiction. 10-12)

Gr 4-6 It has been 40 years since a massive flood devastated the world. Entire economies collapsed and many people tried to find refuge elsewhere. While more affluent communities were rebuilt over time, others, especially those below the new sea level, were written off, left to fend for themselves. The Navy, best equipped to deal with the aftermath of the flood, took emergency control of the government. When Annalie and Will's father, Spinner, goes missing after he is accused of stealing top-secret technology from the Admiralty, the twins set off an a perilous journey to find him. Annalie leaves her Admiralty-run boarding school where she was ostracized by the other children for living in the "slums," to join Will's search for Spinner. Aided by two other children and a talking parrot, the twins must navigate Spinner's ship while evading the Admiralty, pirates, and other dangers. Not sure whom to trust, the children must rely on their own intuition and skill. Originally published in Australia, this adventure novel is a strong series opener with a unique and timely concept. The fast-paced story will keep readers engaged, and solid world building will draw readers into this fascinating cli-fi (climate fiction) tale. VERDICT A timely addition to most middle grade collections. Marissa Lieberman, East Orange Public Library, NJ