


Awards



Ship in the Sky
9781963511239
Paperback
$19.95
Jan. 2026
In the chaos of disaster, finding other people may bring salvation or a new set of dangers where menace, death, friendship, and love are found in the surprising fissures of a drowning world.
18-year-old Jack wakes from a whiskey-induced blackout to find an apocalyptic landscape, the earth split open and a violent flood engulfing the farming valley where he lives. Orphaned and homeless, Jack begins searching for signs of life. But someone, or something, is stalking him. Through flooded farmlands and mountain terrain, survival rests on a razor-thin edge, the loss or discovery of food and tools the difference between life and death. Jack struggles through a transformed world and into a new life, haunted by the demons and scars of the old.
Set in the near future, Ship in the Sky is a coming-of-age literary work of fiction. Cormac McCarthy's The Road for young adults.

Supporting Documents
This book has downloadable PDFs with supporting material for teachers and book clubs


Praise for:
Ship in the Sky
"A boy and his dog scrape by in an apocalyptic wasteland. The descriptions of the landscape are minimalist yet evocative, made up of fragmented sentences that reflect Jack’s desolation. The inherent dread of the rural setting, which evokes the American South, seeps into every page, creating a building sense of horror. Biblical allusions make the relatively grounded world feel almost supernatural. Despite the story’s grittiness, budding moments of human compassion prevent things from seeming hopeless. There are plenty of lingering mysteries about the nature of the calamity and the truth behind Sky Station that are sure to have readers coming back for the sequel. A haunting survival story with impeccable atmosphere." –Kirkus
“A deftly scripted coming-of-age story set in a dystopian future. Original, compelling, and a simply fascinating read from start to finish, Ship in the Sky is appropriate and unreservedly recommended for middle school, highschool, and community library YA Fiction collections for ages 14-18.” – Midwest Book Review
"In Young Adult fiction, voice is everything. SHIP IN THE SKY brings it! With a gritty yet lyrical and singular voice, SHIP IN THE SKY creates an in-depth world that at times evokes apocalyptic literature like McCarthy's THE ROAD in tone. It's an adventure, to be sure, but more importantly, a journey, which is not the same thing. The story celebrates perseverance and relationships between human beings (and a great dog!) that will satisfy readers looking for connection from their stories and characters." — Tom Leveen, author of Hellworld, Heartless, and Can't Wait for Tomorrow.
Creators
Designation

Catalyst Collective Books by Creator
Name
Add paragraph text. Click “Edit Text” to update the font, size and more. To change and reuse text themes, go to Site Styles.
Add paragraph text. Click “Edit Text” to update the font, size and more. To change and reuse text themes, go to Site Styles.

Designation
Heading 5
Add paragraph text. Click “Edit Text” to update the font, size and more. To change and reuse text themes, go to Site Styles.
Add paragraph text. Click “Edit Text” to update the font, size and more. To change and reuse text themes, go to Site Styles.

Designation
Heading 5
Add paragraph text. Click “Edit Text” to update the font, size and more. To change and reuse text themes, go to Site Styles.
