Airlock

In this high-interest accessible novel for teen readers, nonbinary teen Brick must rescue the crew of the spaceship they snuck onto when it is taken over by pirates.

★“Immersive from the get-go, this novel is a quick-paced gem. The story is action-packed, with a plot that is always moving forward but still offers plenty of room for heart-fluttering moments between the protagonists...Engrossing and thrilling—this reluctant reader title should not be missed.” —Kirkus Reviews

Brick, a young thief, is terrified of outer space. But they’re forced to escape Earth when a warrant goes out for their arrest.

There’s nothing left for them on the dusty, barren wasteland of Earth anyway. Brick stows away on a cargo ship headed for the moon. They reluctantly allow a local teenage enforcer named Amar to tag along. But the ship ends up containing unusual cargo and the crew members may not be who they appear to be.

Suddenly the spaceship is taken over by pirates, who imprison the crew in the airlock. Brick and Amar come up with a plan to rescue the crew. The only problem is that, in order to succeed, Brick must venture out into the deep darkness of space.

Tash McAdam is a Welsh Canadian author of several books for young people, including The Psionics series, the bestselling Blood Sport and Sink or Swim in the Orca Soundings line, and The Ooze in the Orca Anchor line. Tash identifies as trans and queer and uses the neutral pronoun they. They teach high-school English and computer science and have a couple of black belts in karate. They live in Vancouver, British Columbia.